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I think what you are talking about are what a few hundred years ago you called prophets. Some people can pass on wisdom but it’s a very rare skill, and follower

I think what you are talking about are what a few hundred years ago you called prophets. Some people can pass on wisdom but it’s a very rare skill, and followers can often exhibit the cult like behaviour that’s so repulsive to others. Probably because they can’t pass on that wisdom to others. Also, many so called prophets can easily exploit this skill, which they might well do if that’s their personality type. Just typing this out has made me think it’s almost like passing on wisdom and the religious experience are probably inseparable.

hosh 4y ago
Yet, in the Tantric and Classical view, art was a way that ordinary people can connect to wisdom. No mystical experiencies or psychedelic substances necessary. What's amazing to me about Christopher Alexander and his work is that he's able to describe the process of generating such art (in the form of architecture) to ordinary people, using plain, relatable language. The links I posted in the earlier comment are examples. In other words, you don't need to be someone with a rare skill.
nodespace 4y ago
I think its because, very often, wisdom requires rewriting a fundamental assumption about the world. And people tend to tie up their identity with their fundamental assumptions. As a result these changes can destabilize a persons identity, which causes said person to look for the closest source of stability, often the 'peophet'. This gives the 'prophet' enourmous power over the person, not just because of the identity destabilization, but because when you change someones fundamental assumptions about the world, those changes don't nessecerily have to be truthful or helpful for the person. The person only has to think the changes do. This identity change and stability dependence is probably what causes the cult like appearance/ behaviour.
- bboles 4y ago
  Wow, very well said. Thank you for the insight!

hosh 4y ago

Yet, in the Tantric and Classical view, art was a way that ordinary people can connect to wisdom. No mystical experiencies or psychedelic substances necessary. What's amazing to me about Christopher Alexander and his work is that he's able to describe the process of generating such art (in the form of architecture) to ordinary people, using plain, relatable language. The links I posted in the earlier comment are examples. In other words, you don't need to be someone with a rare skill.

nodespace 4y ago

I think its because, very often, wisdom requires rewriting a fundamental assumption about the world. And people tend to tie up their identity with their fundamental assumptions. As a result these changes can destabilize a persons identity, which causes said person to look for the closest source of stability, often the 'peophet'. This gives the 'prophet' enourmous power over the person, not just because of the identity destabilization, but because when you change someones fundamental assumptions about the world, those changes don't nessecerily have to be truthful or helpful for the person. The person only has to think the changes do. This identity change and stability dependence is probably what causes the cult like appearance/ behaviour.

bboles 4y ago
Wow, very well said. Thank you for the insight!