I found Wild Wild Country to be a fascinating documentary. It had so many shocking twists and turns, it kept me riveted. Prior to watching this documentary, I had never heard of Bhagwan or the Rajneeshees. The events that transpired are almost shocking enough to be fictional.
The six-part documentary details the story of a group of disciples led by an Indian guru named Bhagwan. It follows their move from India to a rural area in Oregon where they founded a town called Rajneeshpuram. I felt that Bhagwan remained something of an enigma throughout the documentary. Although they did share footage of him, I didn't really get a sense of what his disciples saw in him to cause their devotion. His religious movement seemed to be founded on a philosophy of meditation (although I meditate and so would not call what they were doing meditation, by the way), valuing material wealth, and sexual freedom as a road to harmony. I really did not get Bhagwan's appeal.
That said, the documentary did an amazing job of sharing the progression of Bhagwan's movement over time, the perspectives of three of his disciples, and the impact of the Rajneeshees on the existing community of Antelope, Oregon. I thought the documentary did a fair job of presenting both sides regarding the collision of interests between the Antelope community members and the Rajneeshees. I found it interesting to see how two opposing groups can view the same events with such sharp disparity. As well, it was interesting to see how the Rajneeshees' desire to create a community of peace, love, and acceptance lead to behaviour which embodies the opposite of those goals. Without meaning to offend anyone, from my perspective, it was also such an interesting opportunity to see what people are willing to buy into in order to gain a sense of belonging and meaning in their lives.
