Book Review

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Julia Burns
Dr. M. McKinnon
BLS 364-Mid Term Paper
15th September 2011

Book Review

In academic reading, especially one dealing with the human emotions, it is always common knowledge to keep an open mind and think outside the “box” in all cases. Jeremy Carrette of the University of Kent at Canterbury, UK and Richard King, a scholar of Indian philosophy, religion who has taught in several British universities have collaborated to produce Selling Spirituality: the silent takeover of religion in 2005. The basic premise of the book is really broken down to: has capitalism encroached on religion integrating Asian religious traditions and American Politics to make a dollar in the New Age of Spirituality? The book was good but more could have been detailed in a fad sense.
 Throughout this book the authors often used the word “commodification” in dealing with the capitalization nature of religious icons and in the opening of this book defining what all of this has to do with the spirituality of the individual person. Since religion has become such a massive anchor in society how much business is there in selling religious spirituality?  “…has become a new cultural addiction…seen as a force for wholeness, healing and inner transformation.” (1) Corrette and King point out in understanding spirituality and religion as a commodity we needed to understand the US social interactions and how the corporations hold power (13).   It is general knowledge that
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there are companies that do market research (in some cases for years) looking for untapped markets for business to get into for the increase of their capital. Religion should be no difference but how does religion and spirituality interact with each other? Since there is no real definition of spirituality and religion, it has become acceptable and understandable behavioral thinking that anything sells (3, 30, 35). This is when the authors have broken down the spirituality into a psychological aspect dealing the social emotions. Therefore it becomes real for modern society in relationship to what makes their lives fulfilled which has really become more of shifting trend since 1900 increasing more so after World War II (40-44). This is when the selling of spirituality has become a consumer related issue; meaning “…an explosion of the usage term ‘spirituality’ in the educational, medical, and corporate context” which “…also reflects the capitalist takeover” of spirituality (45-46). It seems that Carrette and King did provide a tremendous amount examples that support what they are discussing in this book such as “Spirituality in the Workplace” which results in a proliferation of literature be commercialized on (46). After reading this section of the book, I personally wanted to see if there was really any substance to this issue.
 I discovered (to name a few) (a) http://www.workplacespirituality.info which is a web site to enhance Workplace Spirituality with many links to paid public speakers, authors with books for sale, seminars, business counselor guaranteed to eliminating self-defeating attitudes in the work place; (b) http://www.itstime.com/rainbow.htm which is a web site to enhance the Seven Principles of Spirituality in the Workplace by Michael Anthony who is a motivational speaker on these special topics of Spirituality of Creativity,
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Communication, Respect, Vision, Partnership, Energy, Flexibility, and Fun.  One of the interesting discoveries that I did found, was that Ben Cohen (co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream Company, Inc.) stressed, in 2005 at a Babson College Symposium, the need for more ethics in business world (Saylor). A brief history of spirituality was covered, but not covered was the actuality that this is not a new concept, and certainly not modern. It has been common knowledge in the written history of time dealing with Capitalism and Religion or spiritual matters such as the Catholic Church when it was classified as the Holy Roman Empire.  Another issue that was firmly represented in this book was the Asian Religion and its influx in the United States.
 I have wanted to take a Yoga class, but I did not know, until after reading this book, that Yoga is a spiritual ritual. The reason I wanted it was to tone my body and relieve my everyday stress. It was based after the 4th Century A D classical Hinduism “Yoga Sutra” which means clear the mind and think of nothing (115). What King and Corrette are concerned with is the training and teaching these religious rituals. The authors dealing in the New Age of Asian religion seem to know it very well, but what are their means of teaching just a portion; for whom and what reason is it being done? (116) I will answer the question as a consumer, I took a Yoga class offered by the World Renounced “Mr. Yoga Sutra” who charge me $350.00 to study for 2 days where I purchased his book for $50.00. His book gives me many examples and how to continue if I would like to start a business in this area on how to become certified. The two days costs me a total of about $750.00 including lodging, meals, and transportation for me to get physically and emotionally calm.  I paid for a service that was originally meant to enhance my spiritual
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 self and not my physical self (114-115). I did not get what was traditionally intended (119). Corrette and King went on to further to offer other thoughts on the matter from opposing views of a socially engaged Buddhist like Hanh who felt it is ok to change the concepts as long as everyone remembers, the initial point which is the now ethical in human behavior (105).  Exactly, where does all of this end? It certainly doesn’t end in the private consumer business world because it has equally spread into the social patterns of the voting of politicians in the US.
  Since we are in a culture that provides new resources all the time to sustain, it social-psyche is still unhappy and looking for relief (83). Society is forever constantly seeking a fix it. Some of the temporal repair comes from the political arena. People are looking for “…the real, the pure, the authentic experience”…an ideology on the podium that identifies with their spirituality. “…recognize that our sense of personal worth is grounded upon social value and relationships… (83). Those were most eloquent words, but what the authors should have said, is that the Western Culture is too emotional and vote accordingly after all, spirituality and religion are emotionally charged issues in the political world.  After about page 115 of this book, I felt the co-authors should have stopped. The book then becomes repetitive of what a standard college student might have learned in a western history or a world economics class taking their view points to the extreme on an academic level of argument.
 Their arguments were made but not as I would have like to see the direction of this book going. More could have been detailed as to catch the eye of the reader using better examples.  The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles who went around fighting the bad guys
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who had kidnapped their master and rampant city stealing. They (revealed in the end) had justice because a fallen warrior had lost the true love of his life to another is a little off centered on what Taoism martial arts was based on (Propper). David Carradine would have been another example of Taoism taken out of context. Not so much in his role for martial arts, but for some taking out of concept the “hedonistic/creativity” of Ahankara (I=one-self) or Adhyatmika duhka (3-levels of pain) (Sanskrit) to self-asphyxiation for sexual gratification which ultimately caused his accidental death (Global Oneness). “Taoism was associated generally with martial arts… some element of Taoist traditionalist were hedonistic and were concerned with the promotion of artistic creativity and the enjoyment…of the finer things in life” (91-93). I feel if they could have taken all of this in a more balanced position like “This bridge figure represents salvation, not only for America, but also for Asia. Armed with a new consciousness and mission, the U.S. justifies carrying on its (imperialist) work with renewed vigor and purpose around the globe” (36, Iwamura).  To concrete their book, a step by step method should have been used such as because D. Suzuki (a scholar) published Zen and the Japanese Culture and was not a total mechanical learned expert but an academic one, he attempted opened the doors for many to learn about the mysticism of Zen. It may not have been correct but as long as the basic principle is there it is ok. Similar to what Hahn stated (105).  This book should have elaborated about being careful that harm could stem from a strict monetary sense just like there may be some added benefit for self improvement. There is a middle ground which may not detract from the intellect of American Society but only in a fad sense.
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Bibliography

Anthony, PhD., Michael. Speaking of life, business and success—mastering the Nature of

Change. The Institute for Management Excellence: Trabuco Canyon CA 1st August

2011.  http://www.itstime.com/rainbow.htm  Web 14th September 2011.

Carrette, Jeremy and King, Richard. Selling Spirituality, the silent takeover of religion.

Rouledge: New York NY 2006.

Iwamura, Jane Naomi. “The Oriental Monk in Popular Culture”. Religion and the

Popular Culture Group: 1995.

Propper, Gary. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Golden Harvest, Limelight Productions:

California 2000.

Saylor, Frederica. “Business Benefit from low key Spirituality”.  Esoteric Interfaith

Church, Inc. under the direction of Metaphysical Interfaith Church: Hollywood CA

12th May 2005.  http://northernway.org/workplace.html  Web 13th September 2011.

Smith, Nancy. Workplace Spirituality: Boston MA 2006.

http://www.workplacespirituality.info/index.html Web 13th September 2011

Staff.  Globaloneness. Co-creating a Happy World, Inc: Thailand 2009.

http://www.experiencefestival.com/self-asphyxiation  Web 13th September 2011.