杏吧原创

Are gurus bonkers or blessed? Insightful or insane? Or does one lead to the
other? Some of the most awe and anger-inspiring figures of the past 2000 years,
from Jesus to Jim Jones, come under the microscope in Anthony Storr鈥檚
fascinating Feet of Clay: A Study of Gurus (HarperCollins, 拢6.99, ISBN 0
00 638423 4). The inclusion of Jung and Freud alongside Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh
gives an idea of the scope of Storr鈥檚 definition of a guru, and he reveals that
distinct personality traits or experiences of mental illness are shared by some
of his subjects. Read this book and you cannot fail to agree with his
conclusion, courtesy of Euripides, that 鈥渢he wisest men follow their own
direction and listen to no prophet guiding them鈥�. A pity that some
people鈥攏otably the Heaven鈥檚 Gate cult in California鈥攄idn鈥檛 heed
Storr鈥檚 advice before the arrival of Hale-Bopp.