Thursday, August 09, 2007

Dave Barry on Tony Robbins

Dave Barry on Tony Robbins.
I thought about this funny article back when I mentioned brainwashing, but for some reason I couldn't find it then. Well, here it is. Dave Barry is the bomb.

F.I. sez:
I took on the "Tony Robbins phenomenon" in my first web page. It is the epitome of the subjectless object (cf. Descartes). He makes you more powerful, in order that you might use that power to ... have more power. He is exciting and enthusiastic, in order that his excitement and enthusiam will provide ... excitement and enthusiasm. Your business success will be ... successfully businesslike. The phenomenon happens for its own propagation.

Mr. Robbins makes a lot of money off mopes who buy three-hundred-dollar pep talks. I don't disagree with some of the assertions which are contained in some of his more cogent ramblings. It's a quasi-religion now, in the USA at least (and probably anywhere else that's mildly secular, vaguely class-oriented, and constantly working harder than it wants to), this "empowerment guru" thing.

My latest guru is Tim Ferriss. :)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

It certainly put me back into a "Tizzy State" TM from all those success seminars I've endured over the years. Though it is funny the people I've bumbed into at them over the years. I haven't yet met any that were transformed into millionaires, but I have met quite a few optimistic post bankruptcy individuals eager for the latest pearls of wisdom found in those blessed audiotapes.

Cliff Prince said...

I took on the "Tony Robbins phenomenon" in my first web page. It is the epitome of the subjectless object (cf. Descartes). He makes you more powerful, in order that you might use that power to ... have more power. He is exciting and enthusiastic, in order that his excitement and enthusiam will provide ... excitement and enthusiasm. Your business success will be ... successfully businesslike. The phenomenon happens for its own propagation.

Mr. Robbins makes a lot of money off mopes who buy three-hundred-dollar pep talks. I don't disagree with some of the assertions which are contained in some of his more cogent ramblings. It's a quasi-religion now, in the USA at least (and probably anywhere else that's mildly secular, vaguely class-oriented, and constantly working harder than it wants to), this "empowerment guru" thing.

My latest guru is Tim Ferriss. :)

Anonymous said...

I highly recommend Tim's blog. Every post is practically a short book chapter on its own. Very valuable. Preamble from today's post:

"This week I interview Christine Comaford-Lynch. This five-time CEO not only sold or took public all of her companies, she has [...] Bill Gates has called her “super high-bandwidth,” and she’s consulted with both the Clinton and Bush administrations. The best part? She never graduated from high school."

A quote from Christine Comaford-Lynch:

"I do a lot of favors for people, because I believe in “palm up” networking, which is networking to give and not to get. I figure the universe has a perfect accounting system. If I do favors for others, someone will do favors for me. It works."

I've always believed in this principle. Now there's a name for it: Palm up networking.

Unknown said...

TONY ROBBINS - FALSE PROPHET
"And He summoned the multitude with His disciples, and said to them, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"[Mark 8: 34 -38].
PEACE BE WITH YOU
MICKY

Unknown said...

Three years ago I was wandering around [mental hospital] completely shattered physically, emotionally and spiritually. The mental torment I was experiencing was absolutely terrifying. Every waking second, I was having horrifying images from my past. I thought I was being punished for my past sins. My whole life flashed before my eyes and I felt I had failed miserably in my journey through life. The whole experience was an awakening [THE LONG DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL] a metamorphosis. God was slowly penetrating the shield I had put up all those desperate years. I had no “I” - that is what God wanted for me, to become Christ cantered, not “I” cantered [in retrospect]. There is nothing in this world, but the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. He eventually delivered me from my HELL; when I got down on my knees and asked Him for mercy and forgiveness for my sins. Praise the LORD!!
PEACE BE WITH YOU
MICKY