The Love Guru Offends Hindus

The film “The Love Guru” featuring former SNL comedian Mike Myers has fallen flat on its face in just two weeks. Panned by critics, it is a box office bust in the States, despite a blitz marketing campaign that even paired Mr. Myers with Deepak Chopra, the prominent self-help/new age author of Indian heritage.

Now the film’s about to aired in India, to the Indian/Hindu culture the movie satirizes. (Mr. Myers plays an Anglo born in India who becomes a guru with a potty mouth and an aolescent sexual appetite.) Many in India take offense. They contend that those who are unfamiliar with Hinduism will acquire an inaccurate, if not bad, impression.

At the very least the film has caused an uproar. At the very worst is has stirred up a call for a nation-wide boycott.

In my estimation this film’s tone is but one example of a scornful attitude toward Indians, yes, but also many other people/cultures. There’s a metaphor to describe this attitude: Apu, the owner of the convenience store in the cartoon series “The Simpsons.” When Indians describe the stereotyping they experience, they use a form of the verb “to Apu.”

The world is shrinking and culture butts up against culture. Rampant globalism recommends that we all —all 6.6 billion of us—practice understanding, acceptance, and even respect for the world’s diversity of race and culture.