Page 61 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - October / November 2018

New Age Woo Wooism 61

New Age

Woo Wooism

"New Age" is a catch-all term for a wide range
of spiritual and social movements that
developed - mostly - from the Human Potential
Movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
Characteristic of the so-called New Age
movement is the focus on spiritual matters, with
an emphasis on individuality. New-Age beliefs
are often attributed to real or alleged Asian
mystics, particularly Indian and Tibetan, and
many New-Age type beliefs draw heavily from
Eastern religions, particularly Hinduism.
The New-Age movement lacks
intellectual rigor and shuns scientific
approaches to reality, ostensibly due to the
perceived separation between science and
spirituality, but also under the pretense of a
vague postmodernism. New-Age believers
typically take a pick-and-mix approach to
spirituality, adapting beliefs and practices from
a wide variety of sources such as Hinduism,
neopaganism, ufology, Zen Buddhism, and any
other weird concept that may appeal to them.
The key concepts in practice are a form
of vitalism, and of course money.

Beliefs

In general, New Agers tend to embrace vitalism own happiness, and the importance of keeping New Age rituals and paraphernalia are big
as a binding principle of the Universe – though one's "vibration" high: business; some places such as Sedona (AZ),
they don't commonly call it that – believing that Salem (MA), and Glastonbury (UK) have a
such things as extrasensory perception, psychic “While it may seem as if lightworkers are not particularly large business presence of New Age
phenomena, astrology, and the paranormal all engaging in social issues, the opposite is practitioners plying their trade, and "psychics"
can be observed and have direct impact on the actually true. While everyone else is out there such as John Edward and Sylvia Browne have
daily lives of people. There is some overlap fighting, arguing, debating, pushing, warring, gotten quite wealthy pretending they can talk to
with the neopagan faith community, though and creating conflict, a true lightworker knows the dead.
even neopagans find their patience tried by the that the way to change our planet is to hold the "New Age" is used frequently as a snarl
New Age mindset, calling them "fluffbunnies" vibration of what we want: peace, love, word by Christian fundamentalists, apparently
and sometimes saying that "New Age" rhymes compassion, kindness, gratitude, and joy. While as a code word for a poorly-articulated Satanic
with "sewage," due to many New Agers' everyone else is sinking down into the mud to conspiracy theory to bring down Christianity.
seeming self-centeredness, lack of commitment, fight about things, the lightworkers are cleverly Again, New Age practitioners themselves
and focus on "sweetness and light" aspects of keeping their vibration high. usually concentrate on pleasant concepts and
paganism. - Erin Pavlina avoid uncomfortable ideas like Satan.
New Age thought is not a monolithic
body of work and has many contradictions and The New Age movement is generally Money
competing ideas – though, in a form of considered a load of bollocks by rationalists, and
"vindication of all kooks", all ideas within the several well-known skeptical writers Despite their hand-wavey dismissal of all things
cultural tent are treated as valid to some degree, (particularly James Randi and Martin Gardner) profit-related (e.g., them paying you), New Age
and calling attention to contradictions is honed their skills using the early New Age proponents have a firm commitment to
considered rude. The process is to take on an movement for target practice. Nevertheless, commerce (i.e., you paying them). There is a
indiscriminate hodgepodge of woo and sand it New Age rituals and paraphernalia are big strong market for books and personal services
all down into lifestyle accessories. business; some places such as Sedona (AZ), relating to inchoate woo, particularly among the
It is very common for New Age writers Salem (MA), and Glastonbury (UK) have a bored and comfortable classes.
to downplay the importance of logic and particularly large business presence of New Age Having a reasonable income, New Agers
overvalue intuition while avoiding "negative" practitioners plying their trade, and "psychics" tend to wash more consistently than other
emotions like fear and anger. Avoiding these such as John Edward and Sylvia Browne have hippies — unless you get a lot of them in a town,
emotions usually means suppressing them (not gotten quite wealthy pretending they can talk to in which case the bums gather.
good!) and consciously avoiding getting oneself the dead. There is a visible class distinction
into situations where fear or anger may arise. "New Age" is used frequently as a snarl between the nice well-off middle-class New
This includes completely avoiding people who word by Christian fundamentalists, apparently Agers with money — the sort of people who can
are depressed or desperate – even if those as a code word for a poorly-articulated Satanic afford science denial as an affectation — and the
people are one's friends or family. New Agers conspiracy theory to bring down Christianity. smelly hippies without money.
are usually instructed to "let go" of the people in Again, New Age practitioners themselves
their lives who are pulling them down. This is usually concentrate on pleasant concepts and (Continued on Page 64)
consistent with the remarkable self- avoid uncomfortable ideas like Satan.
centeredness of New Age philosophy, in sharp The New Age movement is generally The TRUTH Is No Longer
contrast to the emphasis on charitable works considered a load of bollocks by rationalists, and OUT THERE.
and outreach to others in many religions. The several well-known skeptical writers
It’s On
whole point of New Age thinking is (particularly James Randi and Martin Gardner) The ‘X’ Zone Radio/TV Show
development of one's own spirituality, one's honed their skills using the early New Age www.xzoneradiotv.com
movement for target practice. Nevertheless,