# Deepak Chopra is a Moron **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 14, 2005, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deepak-chopra-is-a-moron/312472 "2005-07-14T05:19:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deepak-chopra-is-a-moron/312472/81 "2005-07-15T02:54:11Z")
> [@The Hook](#): > > What a commie. He wants to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids. “Ice cream, Mandrake! Childrens’ ice cream!” Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deepak-chopra-is-a-moron/312472/82 "2005-07-15T04:48:15Z")
Basically, choosing to call Chopra a moron was an act of generosity. Because there are only two possibilities: either he’s a moron, or he’s evil. I mean, a guy like Tony Robbins or Dr. Phil probably thinks he’s actually doing some good. But Chopra is spewing absolute gibberish. It’s very calculated to suck in the gullible. And his best skill is that he’s somehow managed to worm his way into the Hollywood establishment. He’s on TV all the time. He’s a regular on Bill Maher’s show, and he’s got a blog on Arianna Huffington’s web site. The amount of free publicity he gets from the Hollywood crowd is incredible. He’s like, the deep thinker to the stars, or something. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgonzola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e480ec/32.png) [@Gorgonzola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgonzola)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deepak-chopra-is-a-moron/312472/83 "2005-07-15T06:13:26Z")
I am offended by your use of the term moron. I represent a league of such people, and we’d like you to call us… hang on a minute… we’d prefer the term… oh, damn. That’s the trouble with being morons. No one can think of a good new PC name. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deepak-chopra-is-a-moron/312472/84 "2005-07-15T06:46:57Z")
> [@](#): > > **Shodan** : I suspect part of the problem is that none of Chopra’s advanced degrees had a physics 101 component. [quote] **Diogenes the Cynic** : I agree that Chopra is a complete hack and is especially fraudulent when he pretends to know anything about medicine. He was board certified in Massachusetts in endocrinology and was Chief of Staff at a small hospital which eventually went bankrupt (long after he left). It’s not so much that he knows nothing about medicine. I suspect it’s that there was more money to be made elsewhere. > [@](#): > > **Baldwin** : Doesn’t Chopra also preach against materialism? Actually some of his books focus on “manifesting” whatever you want. (His word, not mine.) One of his early books, _The Seven Spiritual Laws of Sucess_ had some very practical advice once you worked through the mumbo jumbo. The title was hideous and designed to appeal to the greedy, the insecure and the New Agey. Naturally, I bought it. I would have renamed it _Seven Practical Guidelines for Finding Some Measure of Peace in Your Life._ It wouldn’t surprise me at all to find out that this material was not original with him. > [@](#): > > **Diogenes the Cynic** : …but by changing the word “Buddha” to “dragon,” he had the housewives entranced. If they had known he was teaching Buddhism, they probably would have been scared off. I participated in a Deepak Chopra Forum for several years. The participants were about evenly split between males and females. More of the males had attended his seminars because they were the ones who could afford them. Participants included several people who were familiar with Buddhist teachings including one mother/homemaker/teacher who is a Buddhist. The people who participated could not be stereotyped anymore that Dopers can. It attracted both the skeptical and the gullible, the very bright and the dull. The forum was eventually closed because neither Deepak Chopra nor Random House provided moderation to what evolved into a sludge pit. Deepak Chopra wore thin very quickly. I remained because of the friendships that I had formed. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deepak-chopra-is-a-moron/312472/85 "2005-07-15T10:52:41Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > Basically, choosing to call Chopra a moron was an act of generosity. Because there are only two possibilities: either he’s a moron, or he’s evil. I mean, a guy like Tony Robbins or Dr. Phil probably thinks he’s actually doing some good. > > But Chopra is spewing absolute gibberish. It’s very calculated to suck in the gullible. And his best skill is that he’s somehow managed to worm his way into the Hollywood establishment. He’s on TV all the time. He’s a regular on Bill Maher’s show, and he’s got a blog on Arianna Huffington’s web site. The amount of free publicity he gets from the Hollywood crowd is incredible. He’s like, the deep thinker to the stars, or something. I do not believe as Chopra does, but his belief’s are his business, if people want to follow him that is theirs;many people think the same about Christianity, Judaism,etc.; a belief is just that, not necessarily fact. I would imagine his followers could not find what they were looking for to better their lives in other Religions and many people do not want to think for themselves. Monavis ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deepak-chopra-is-a-moron/312472/86 "2005-07-15T11:04:52Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > [Tony Robbins]Look, people say that I’m a charlatan. That I take people’s money and give them empty promises and meaningless platitudes in return. But if I can make one person happy… just _one_ person… even if that person is me… doesn’t that make it all worthwhile?[/Tony Robbins] This same analogy can apply to Televangelists, there are reasons for the many religions, and that is :that people see things in a different light. If they choose to be misled then so be it. Monavis ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deepak-chopra-is-a-moron/312472/87 "2005-07-15T20:22:24Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > “Ice cream, Mandrake! Childrens’ ice cream!” You’re gonna answer to the Coca-Cola company. Regards, Shodan YOU CAN"T FIGHT IN HERE! IT"S THE PIT! ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deepak-chopra-is-a-moron/312472/88 "2005-07-15T20:40:44Z")
Why do I have this sudden urge to push a cowboy out of some bomb bay doors? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deepak-chopra-is-a-moron/312472/89 "2005-07-15T20:43:44Z")
Actually, I feel like grabbing my survival kit, and heading for Vegas. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deepak-chopra-is-a-moron/312472/90 "2005-07-15T21:03:49Z")
> [@5que](#): > > Why do I have this sudden urge to push a cowboy out of some bomb bay doors? And my urge to push an Indian out of some Bombay doors… What can explain all this other than reefer madness? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deepak-chopra-is-a-moron/312472/91 "2005-07-15T21:04:23Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Actually, I feel like grabbing my survival kit, and heading for Vegas. > > Regards, > Shodan Shodan, how many times have I told you guys that I don’t want no horsing around in The Pit? Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deepak-chopra-is-a-moron/312472/92 "2005-07-15T21:52:17Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > And my urge to push an Indian out of some Bombay doors… What can explain all this other than reefer madness? Well, I don’t know about you, but I accuse my parents. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deepak-chopra-is-a-moron/312472/93 "2005-07-15T22:58:34Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Actually, I feel like grabbing my survival kit, and heading for Vegas. > > Regards, > Shodan Interestingly, that part was filmed right before Kennedy was shot, and lip-readers can tell he actually said ‘Dallas’. [The IMDb on the subject.](http://imdb.com/title/tt0057012/trivia) Even more bizarre, a whole scene was cut: > [@](#): > > Another reason for cutting the custard pie fight at the end of the film was that at one point, President Muffley took a pie in the face and fell down, prompting Gen. Turgidson to cry, “Gentlemen! Our gallant young president has just been struck down in his prime!” **Kubrick had already decided to cut the pie fight before the Kennedy assassination** , but this line (or possibly even the whole sequence) would certainly have been cut due to its eerie similarity to real events. So it wouldn’t have been in the original even if Kennedy hadn’t been shot, but that line must have been a bit too close to home for some of the actors. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/deepak-chopra-is-a-moron/312472.md?page=4)