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The Unraveling of Jay Shetty, Celebrity Guru
He offers a cautionary tale about spirituality on social media
Truth be told, I have not read Jay Shetty’s work closely. When Think Like a Monk first crossed my path, it didn’t intrigue me. Spending a few years as a monk doesn’t carry that much authority in my eyes, and the content didn’t seem novel.
My gut told me to move on, and I did.
It turns out the entire edifice of his story — his life as a monk — has started to unravel.
There have always been false gurus. But there’s something unique about our time. When spirituality intersects with celebrity and social media — it has never been easier to pronounce yourself a teacher and spread your message — the potential for fraud rises exponentially.
Shetty’s exposure points to how difficult it is today for seekers to trust the saturated world of online spirituality.
The scandal begins with John McDermott, a journalist commissioned by Esquire to do a profile on Shetty and his rapid rise as a spiritual teacher.
Shetty skyrocketed to fame with YouTube videos and his podcast, On Purpose. After a stint with The Huffington Post, he moved to Hollywood and quickly ensconced himself among the elite. He became a spiritual adviser to Will…
