"300 students signed a petition vowing that they were all going to drop out if the university didn't stop forcing them to meditate by taking attendance at mandatory group meditations. MUM caved, and that policy was dropped. A study was then conducted that determined that the student body consists of
- 30% entrepreneurs - career-oriented kids who mainly want to learn skills and enter the workforce. TM and SCI aren't high priorities.
- 60% "dreamers" who want to change the world. They appreciate TM but don't see it as the lynchpin of that endeavor. They're into environmentalism and other causes.
- 10% devotees
The faculty are about 90% devotees, so their attempts to impose their values on the students weren't working. The university is trying to translate this assessment into practical steps to become more relevant and appealing to students."
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The conclusion seems obvious: no one likes to be forced to do anything. Especially intelligent college students.
The once glassy-eyed followers of the Maharishi have been replaced by a new generation who are much more knowledgeable about Transcendental Meditation, it's side effects, pitfalls and exaggerated claims. Unfortunately Maharishi University of Management censors the university internet connection for TM-critical sites, so it's not always easy for students to find the truth.
