Is the School of Life a cult?
To me they seem a bit overly confident in telling other people exactly how they should live their lives. Not so much "here's an idea", more "do this, be like this, this is how it is".
The whole BUY OUR THINGS-angle doesn't help. For example you're prompted to buy this "Imperfection pot" for £50 so you can remember how wow no1's perfect and it's OK, buddhism lol :))) http://www.theschooloflife.com/shop/imperfection-pot/
Then again I suppose they need a source of income and I'm always a bitter cynical fuck. BUT, is it really only me in this case? Are The School of Life not a bit shady?
it's shady in a different way, the whole point is that nobody cares enough about it for it to be a cult
you're meant to see their well-produced short videos and their skinny books and just go on with your life, perhaps a little bit amused with how quaint the whole affair is and then never think much about it again while your wallet is a little less thick
You can also buy this plain black "Philosopher's jumper" for $183 you guys
Hurry up you guys before they run out of stock n all the other kids at your philosophy department will laugh at you for not having one!!
http://www.theschooloflife.com/shop/the-philosophers-jumper/
>>1119669
It, like all things, abuses information to control the populace.
Listen/watch for bite sized information. It's run by literal cucks who are just trying to jew you, so don't listen too much.
>>1119694
kek, it's just a black shirt
oh boy they even have matching shoes
http://www.theschooloflife.com/shop/the-philosophers-shoe/
i'm afraid to loo further, what's next? philosophical underpants? a reassuring philosopher's comfort blanket?
oh wait lol http://www.theschooloflife.com/shop/comfort-blanket-1/
>>1119733
teach me oh master how to reach your level of being beyond and above it all
i shall learn as you teach me the true Enlightenment, master
Wasn't it these school of life guys who ran that massive youtube comment promotional campaign where they told people to go to their site to find the truth?
>>1119743
First, drop the sarcasm you dumb cynical shit.
Second; okay my disciple. I see your mind is very confused, and you're mentally very young. But since you asked, I'll teach you. You ready? Okay. Here we go:
Think for yourself.
>>1119754
oh but i can't, master. i'm a mere plebeian with a very young mental age. your wisdom is just too much too fast
>>1119767
Keep reading, with a keen and vigilant eye. You'll find what's true and what isn't soon enough, as you've already noticed School Of Life's deceitful and trickster ways.
Diligence, my friend. It's one of our greatest gifts. Godspeed.
Calling it a cult would be overexaggerating. They are definitely shady in the " buy this bullshit product to make your life better" sense, but not in the cult sense. I'll admit, some of there videos were pretty informative, but some flat out felt like liberal propaganda. So in conclusion, take their videos wih a grain of salt. And don't buy their over-priced products.
>>1119669
They'er just tapping in to a very profitable market of liberal arts fashion fags who buy very expensive "muh minimalism" and "muh hight quality" clothes. I cant really talk because I own pic related that coast 300+.
>>1119751
Was that called "Google Truth Contest"?
>>1119788
Those literally look exactly like my grandma's ergonomic government-subsidized shoes
Hipster as fuck, anon. Well done you
>>1119739
Notice the visible tag showing their logo?
Conspicuous consumption. It's yet another gimmick to sell crap to dupes with more money than sense.
>philosophy of life
That's a pretty clever one; it must appeal pretty well to the contemporary hipster. Good on them.
>>1119865
But the founder is born a millionaire, no need for this unless he believed in it.
>>1119876
>because you have money, you should have no interest in making money
He could very well have drank his own kool-aid, but having money does not preclude one from making more.
>>1119876
>But the founder is born a millionaire
Indoctrinated since birth in the ways of the dollar. Do not trust, he did not go through the rags to riches struggle that humbles and empowers a community.
>>1119669
might it be a elaborate capitalist scheme?
>>1119876
First video I watched of theirs confirms my suspicion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BdbiZcNBXg
This is the equivalent of a cold reading for advertising. It is not wisdom they're imparting, but rather a vague description that a broad potential market demographic that would all ready be receptive to purchasing their products, can easily identify.
>be a good listener
>listen
>make non-committal noises that show you're paying attention
>don't be judgmental and moralistic
>but also, don't agree with everyone someone says
This is trite nonsense that works as a description, rather than any life lesson.
And for the person with enough money and interest, and not enough wrinkles, the result is
>Hey, that's me. I do that--I'm enlightened. Where do I buy?
>>1119914
I should add, I don't fault them for doing this. It's a clever gimmick to take advantage of contemporary trends.
But it seems they are selling crap at a markup for vacuous "life coaching".
>>1119914
>>1119933
Then again, if I'm being idealistic and non-cynical I like the IDEA of The School of Life. Something focused on actually helping ordinary people use philosophy into their everyday lives, to live more fulfilling and thoughtful lives.
What a shame it can't come to life though. With capitalism, it always must end up this way.
Is no place in the world free of hidden intensions?
>>1119956
Even if it wasn't capitalism, they'd fall prey to something else. Some of their videos are exactly as OP says, preachy and arrogant. But with a submissive and subversive approach to handling life.
Cuck philosophy for the cuck generation.
>>1119669
Do you even know what a cult means? Trumpfaggotry in /pol/ resembles a cult more than this youtube channel
>>1119956
>free of hidden intensions
No. Not with human beings, nor with some animals, it seems.
We all have private lives. Embrace it.
>>1119980
And why are you telling me to embrace it? What are you after, anon?
>>1119986
He's moreso reminding himself, as much as informing you.
But there was probably a slight dopamine rush for anon as he instigated someone to embrace a seemingly anarchistic (on the surface) philosophy.
And I'm informing you, because I personally love analyses and research.
It's just a business trying to sell merchandise and classes
it's part of the self-help industry but it's niche is it's academic pedigree coming from A .C Grayling
>>1119986
>why
It's better than being perpetually frustrated with human nature. I can't answer your second question, but it's a good one. I'm not trying to sell you anything or control you, though.
>>1119669
I'm totally out of the loop. Is this what all those moron democrats on twitter who can't think for themselves and claim to be a "student of life" are into?
>>1120000
>He's moreso reminding himself, as much as informing you.
Perhaps.
Human interaction does cause the release of dopamine, I can't argue with that. I'm not proposing anon embrace any kind of anarchistic philosophy, however.
