From: sbuckley@fraser.sfu.ca (Stephen Buckley)
Subject: Re: is newage distinguishable?
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 05:41:55 GMT

Bear Giles writes:

>Stephen Buckley writes:
>>
>>  and after a decade of being immersed in it, i've got a little
>>description of it myself.  the left column characterizes our contemporary
>>western culture that is being abandoned in lieu of the right column.

>"In lieu of" seems extreme.  Many of us seek balance between some
>columns, e.g.:

  in some instances regarding certain issues below, i'll agree.

>>	rational		intuitive/emotional

>Although on a few you're correct:  we're consistently in the right column

>>	patriarchal		gender-balanced
>>	hierarchical,		decentralized
>>	  centralized		decentralized
>>	bureaucratic		maximum personal freedom

>(I'm assuming you're not refering to silly things like unisex restrooms
>in the first category).

  :)  correct.  :)

>I'm not sure what 'post-modern' means because I've only seen it
>used with art:

>>	secular			post-modern
>>	scientific		post-modern
>>	humanism		post-modern

>I, for one, don't care for "cosmic systems" or "global unity focus."

  cosmic systems is as broad a term as i could come up with to describe
things like us not being individual entities, more like a butterfly in
kansas contributes to a typhoon in japan.  basically supra-linear
causation.  we're all interconnected [like a wilderness watershed]
on a physical, emotion and spiritual level.  global unity is the movement
to getting beyond petty us vs. them distinctions [evil empire soviets,
stupid poor third world people] to a more enlightened global community,
human race loyalty that goes beyond national boundaries.

>However, I do consider it pretty much criminal for a responsible lumber
>company carefully managing its redwood stock to be bought out (in a LBO)
>and forced to clearcut that stock to pay the costs incurred therein.

>>	not environmentally
>>  	  conscious		ecological; cosmic systems approach
>>	capitalistic		global unity focus
>>	greedy, self-centred	global unity focus
>>	nationalistic		global unity focus


>Actually, a good definition of a major thrust of the 'new age' can
>be summarized by some 18-th Century radicals:

>  The pursuit of life, liberty and happiness with enlightened
>  self-interest.

  an important point to say here, is that the newage does not have a 
monopoly on the right column.  progressives of every stripe skate in and
out of right column issues.

>If someone wants to jump off a crane with nothing but a giant rubber-
>band to keep him from going 'splat,' why should anyone care provided
>he knows the risk?  Yet many states rush in to protect him, "for his
>own good."

  having the world's safest bungy zone very close to my home, i
could easily get on a soapbox about this, but it would all end up in
kill files.  :)  interesting point tho.

>(The 'capitalistic' part is only marginally new-age.  However, there
>are a lot of people on all sides of the political and religious
>spectrums who think the emphasis on short-term profit has gone far
>too far).

  yeah, see my "important point" above.
Xref: sparky talk.religion.newage:4086 alt.alien.visitors:6151 sci.skeptic:15072