Being totalitarian in nature, the enemies of NewAge are anyone who is comfortable without it. Pagans hold to certain ideas regarding the larger (modern) society: that we're destroyers of the land, war-mongers, patriarchs, etc. - the complete opposite of what they aspire to in their always-present cowardice. What they fail to recognize is they've produced no great thinkers; contributed very little to the progress of humanity; but that, when taken seriously, all they've done, through manipulation, is muddy the waters of clear thinking. From Wikipedia:
"The mystic interprets the world through a different lens than is present in ordinary experience, which can prove to be a significant obstacle to those who research mystical teachings and paths. Much like poetry, the words of mystics are often idiosyncratic and esoteric, can seem confusing and opaque, simultaneously over-simplified and full of subtle meanings hidden from the unenlightened. To the mystic, however, they are pragmatic statements, without subtext or weight; simple obvious truths of experience."
Personally, I say, since there are no "mystics," fuck trying to understand those who make claims to being one - if I want poetry, I'll read poetry: I know it's poetry, and not an attempt to add riddles into politics. This century is the time for mysticism to die. Serious examination of these beliefs, and the connections between their proponents, is what they fear most.
The wartime environment that gave rise to Naziism is/was important, no doubt, but (as you know) I don't think enough emphasis was/is put on the irrational ideas that are/were already floating around: Germany, now, has a clear policy against cultism - specifically because of the Nazis. (They always say, "we've been through that already," when faced with Scientology or Maharishi crap.)
The rest of the world doesn't try to seriously understand what Germany means, relying on easy, comfortable, reality-based answers to comprehend the madness of that time. Mostly, I think, because they fell for most of them too. (I still can't believe the long histories, in the Western World, for a lot of this crap.) The fact that many of the same worthless, and/or dangerous, ideas that sparked the war are still with us should be (and, in some circles, are) a cause of great embarrassment.
The first important step, to getting at NewAge, is to stop joking about them and, just as we think of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, as connected "religious" movements (always trying to convert us and influence events) we have to start thinking of these "hidden" pagan-based ideas as connected "spiritual" movements.
And, just as we hold various major religions responsible for their part in the horrors of WWII (Catholics, for instance) we should also hold pagans responsible - because there is no idea under the umbrella of the NewAge movement that didn't play an important role - maybe even a more important one - in the irrational environment that contributed to the Holocaust:
Hitler's advocacy for "ancient teachings," use of astrology, psychics, etc. (born from his friendship with Dietrich Eckart - his mentor, one of the early founders of the Nazi party, and member of the occult Thule Society) Himmler's love for mysticism; Hess' attachment to homeopathy, and so on - the Nazis were swimming in this stuff and, thus, so was Germany. (Europe - despite it's claims to atheism - still is: they continue to dance around Stonehenge, while allowing the major religions to be replaced with NewAge beliefs, with nary a mention of it's meaning from the outside world.)
NewAgers are the enemies to the very idea of "progress" they always claim to inspire - like no one else can care, or care as much, as them. (This, actually, is probably true since we're not driven hysterical with such all-consuming fear.)
Christians, and their adherence to ideas of morality - without a doubt - have, always, been the main age-old enemy of pagan movements. Skeptics (though science, and medicine, have been thoroughly infiltrated by NewAge) and anti-cultists now follow a close second. NewAgers are resorting to infiltration of all these groups - and done a pretty good job - giving them the impression they're finally on the cusp of "winning," but, being fuck-ups, all their successes really mean is we're in for a hell of a time. That's why, I think, it's so important for critical thinking to find support in journalism, and society at large: it's the key to defining what's what.
And that, above all, is the last thing NewAgers want.
Being totalitarian in nature, the enemies of NewAge are anyone who is comfortable without it. Pagans hold to certain ideas regarding the larger (modern) society: that we're destroyers of the land, war-mongers, patriarchs, etc. - the complete opposite of what they aspire to in their always-present cowardice. What they fail to recognize is they've produced no great thinkers; contributed very little to the progress of humanity; but that, when taken seriously, all they've done, through manipulation, is muddy the waters of clear thinking. From Wikipedia:
Personally, I say, since there are no "mystics," fuck trying to understand those who make claims to being one - if I want poetry, I'll read poetry: I know it's poetry, and not an attempt to add riddles into politics. This century is the time for mysticism to die. Serious examination of these beliefs, and the connections between their proponents, is what they fear most. 
The wartime environment that gave rise to Naziism is/was important, no doubt, but (as you know) I don't think enough emphasis was/is put on the irrational ideas that are/were already floating around: Germany, now, has a clear policy against cultism - specifically because of the Nazis. (They always say, "we've been through that already," when faced with Scientology or Maharishi crap.) 
The rest of the world doesn't try to seriously understand what Germany means, relying on easy, comfortable, reality-based answers to comprehend the madness of that time. Mostly, I think, because they fell for most of them too. (I still can't believe the long histories, in the Western World, for a lot of this crap.) The fact that many of the same worthless, and/or dangerous, ideas that sparked the war are still with us should be (and, in some circles, are) a cause of great embarrassment. 
The first important step, to getting at NewAge, is to stop joking about them and, just as we think of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, as connected "religious" movements (always trying to convert us and influence events) we have to start thinking of these "hidden" pagan-based ideas as connected "spiritual" movements. 
And, just as we hold various major religions responsible for their part in the horrors of WWII (Catholics, for instance) we should also hold pagans responsible - because there is no idea under the umbrella of the NewAge movement that didn't play an important role - maybe even a more important one - in the irrational environment that contributed to the Holocaust: 
Hitler's advocacy for "ancient teachings," use of astrology, psychics, etc. (born from his friendship with Dietrich Eckart - his mentor, one of the early founders of the Nazi party, and member of the occult Thule Society) Himmler's love for mysticism; Hess' attachment to homeopathy, and so on - the Nazis were swimming in this stuff and, thus, so was Germany. (Europe - despite it's claims to atheism - still is: they continue to dance around Stonehenge, while allowing the major religions to be replaced with NewAge beliefs, with nary a mention of it's meaning from the outside world.) 
NewAgers are the enemies to the very idea of "progress" they always claim to inspire - like no one else can care, or care as much, as them. (This, actually, is probably true since we're not driven hysterical with such all-consuming fear.)
Christians, and their adherence to ideas of morality - without a doubt - have, always, been the main age-old enemy of pagan movements. Skeptics (though science, and medicine, have been thoroughly infiltrated by NewAge) and anti-cultists now follow a close second. NewAgers are resorting to infiltration of all these groups - and done a pretty good job - giving them the impression they're finally on the cusp of "winning," but, being fuck-ups, all their successes really mean is we're in for a hell of a time. That's why, I think, it's so important for critical thinking to find support in journalism, and society at large: it's the key to defining what's what.
And that, above all, is the last thing NewAgers want.
Crack, between you and Jonah Goldberg, I've learned "everything I (thought I) know is wrong". I'll never look at these new-agey types the same way again. Now I see them as incubating Nazis and Bolsheviks.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, BZ. I'm very happy for you:
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the 21st Century.
And thank you.