Why Smart People Follow Cheap Gurus

More than that, the guru rewards the smart person's self-image. He doesn't say, “Follow me because I know and you don't.” He says, “You already know. I'm just reminding you.” And that trick works. It flatters the ego while smuggling in a belief system. It cloaks subservience in the language of empowerment. “You're not a follower,” says the guru. “You’re a fellow traveler.”

This is how cults of intellect form: with TED Talks and self-optimization podcasts, charisma disguised as clarity, and aphorisms that collapse under scrutiny but sparkle on the surface. The smart person is not immune. In fact, they are more susceptible because they believe they're immune.

And so they nod along, quote the guru, repackage the language, and spread it, becoming proselytizers in tweed and tech vests. But they're really borrowing conviction, outsourcing uncertainty, and mistaking confidence for insight.

Source: Why Smart People Follow Cheap Gurus by Joan Westenberg (archive) / Noted: 2024 April 16