So, I got another letter from Deepak Chopra’s son, Gotham – regarding my response to his previous missive about my Gregalogue on his dad claiming his meditations caused a recent quake. HIS NEW letter is REALLY long, so, I’ll just respond to bits and pieces. [his letter is in bold, my responses are in “not bold.”]
Gotham and Deepak Chopra
Dear Greg:
Before you pass too much judgement on the Chopra Center and all of the various treatments you’vE already concluded have no benefit – or are too expensive – you may want to speak to someone who’s been through them. That’s what a journalist would do.
Goth, for ten years I worked in health mags, so I can smell new age clap trap a mile away. I know what catch phrases like “holistic” and “healing” mean. They mean “Pay me tons of cash for crap that does nothing but make you poor.” And believe me I don’t want to talk to anyone whose dumb enough to fork out thousands at the Chopra Center. Chances are they will show me pictures of their cat’s aura, while drinking their own urine.
Onto the next part of GC’s letter….
As a journalist, I traveled and reported from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kashmir, Chechnya, Colombia, Iran, China, Israel, Palestine, Russia and more as well as about 35 of the 50 United States. For that reason, I feel somewhat qualified to talk about the psychology behind conflict, terrorism, fractured idealism and the vast differences between our nation and otherS as well as the sad similarities bred out of social disparity, injustice, intolerance, and jingoism.
Social disparity, injustice, intolerance! Jingoism! Someone’s trying to impress ditzy co-eds at the coffee shop! Come on Goth, you’re rich! You don’t need those tired lines from the hippy handbook. Although I admit they do work on psych majors. Look, I might have taken you seriously if you hadn’t bragged that you’ve been to 35 of the 50 United States. What are you, in seventh grade? You collecting magnets for your refrigerator? Besides, you’ve never been to America until you’ve been to Toronto.
And finally, a last bit from Goth…
Based on your interest in my dad’s analysis of the holocaust, it seems you have your own opinions though I’m not sure what else they are grounded in aside from your snide – seemingly personal – dislike for him. If you’re up for a meaningful dialogue, next time you’re in LA, lunch is on me. If you demand the Ivy, so be it, though I prefer a place in Boyle Heights where the food is a lot better, and I think the people are a lot cooler (I would know, after all).
It’s nothing personal, dude. When I was writing at the Huffington Post, I had to suffer through a lot of your dad’s horrid writing, which always employed moral relativism as a way to avoid judging people who kill Americans. I remember him saying, how we need to avoid the us vs. them mindset – unless you’re the US – then, quote, “the blame for whatever follows will fall on America’s head.” That’s not meaningful.
I’ve also had relatives die from cancer and there’s nothing worse than a jackass telling them that it’s the product of sad thoughts. I believe your pop said, “if you have sad thoughts…then you make those molecules which may depress the immune system and make you more susceptible to disease.” That’s called “blaming the victim” and it’s at the heart of the mind-body holistic B-S peddled by you and pop.
So that’s where my dislike is grounded. But I’ll join you for lunch. I must warn you, after three drinks I get frisky.
The letter and my responses were longer, but had to be cut for time.
And look forward to Monday: Train will be performing on our show!
Plus Dana Vachon, the brilliant author