A couple of day’s ago I get an e-mail from an acquaintance with this message:

I know you are busy! I was wondering if you heard of this book, and if you thought it was worthwhile. It sounds interesting and I love to read when I have time. Of course if it’s so inspiring I will keep reading till I’m done!

There was a link to an e-book that promises to show you how to “discover you purpose in life”. All for only $19.95, even though you can’t take it out in the garden to read at leisure, as such an important and lofty tome should be read. This is what it promises:

Just imagine what it will be like to wake up every morning and know that you hold the key to the very reason for life itself. Not just to your own purpose, but the master key to the very reason for the existence of the universe!

When you gain this profound depth of understanding, imagine the sense of purpose and destiny that will be yours each and every day!

I don’t normally respond to her frequent e-mails with various money making schemes, but I fatefully did respond to this one:

Thanks, but I already know my life’s purpose.

This is the very unexpected response that she sent:

I was asking if you heard of this book, but I guess you are so far above everyone else you do not read, you are all-knowing and all-seeing. Kind of like a Hindu god. … No man is an island, but you are definitely on a trip to ego island! Have fun!

It seems, then, that, although it is good to read about discovering one’s life purpose, it is rather elitist and bad form to actually discover one’s life purpose. Well, this particular all-knowing Hindu God is rather puzzled by this attitude. Moreover, why is not the author of the e-book considered pompous and elitist?