Specifying that which is inarticulate

One of the "problems" that i see with American thought I'd that of "cult of personality".  Obviously, there are some truly wonderful, godly, admirable people out there will we should seek out for advice and guidance.  The problem though lies in the manner in which we obtain this guidance.
It is one thing to speak with someone, one on one, someone who knows you, understands you and your situation, and can guide you accordingly.  This is the true nature of the spiritual father.  But the current state of technology gives us the ability to obtain via print, audio and internet, the guidance of wise men and women, without the very important aspect of personal interaction.  This means that the advice cannot be specifically for us.
On top of that, we also don't have the specific context of how or why the advice was given.
Ultimately, this comes down to specific, context formed advice received in a general context and personally applied.  This is dangerous and probably not wise.
I would think, and i may be wrong but i would think that we would be far better off receiving guidance from someone wise who knows us personally and can direct us according to our specific situation.