From: Albert-Lunde@nwu.edu (Albert Lunde)
Subject: Re: New Age Androgynous Bisexuals...
Followup-To: soc.bi
Originator: lunde@casbah.acns.nwu.edu
Reply-To: Albert-Lunde@nwu.edu (Albert Lunde)
Organization: Ministry of Silly Walks
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 12:16:42 GMT

I've been too busy to leap into this thread; by now it's gotten so
complex that I don't know where to reply, so I'm just going to
chuck in my three cents worth...

First, I'd like to say some things about myself:

I feel affiliations to/things in common with:
  - Non-traditional progressive christians
  - Neo-pagans
  - Secular-humanist agnostics and skeptics

I have some attraction to the idea of androgyny, but I think "masculine"
and "feminine" are cultural constructs, not absolutes. I like "gender-fuck"
which shows how artificial gender is, and I like the idea of reclaiming
*all* traits as human. I have doubts about people taking too seriously 
"balancing" their inner "male" and "female" traits. It's not all as bad 
a metaphor, but to hold to it too tightly seems to me to risk getting
stuck deeper in illusion.

(Thus I have misgivings about some Jungians and Robert Bly among others.)

If you asked in alt.pagan, you would find that many neo-pagans do not
identify closely with the term "New Age" despite certian similarities.

I don't think "New Age" is enough of a single thing to be completely
dismissed. Though this is also one of its flaws, it has *no* ideological
center strong enough to be self-critical of flakyness around its
edges.

(I would contrast this with, say: modern physiscs, feminism, zen, yoga, 
socialism or gardnerian wicca -- all of which have some traditions
and point of view.)

What bugs me particularly about "New Age" as it has crossed my path
is the shameless marketing and accessorizing of spirituality. The
marketing of crystals is an example of this.  I get the impression
the idea was spread around so that people could make a buck selling
low-grade quartz.  (If crystals are so great, Intel should be a 
spiritual mecca since they can make purer crystals than are found 
in nature.) "Biorythms" was another make-a-buck pseudoscience.
(Ask any woman if she could predict her periods to the day years later.)

As for Astrology, I Ching, Tarot -- I think they can be interesting
as ways of retrieving stuff from the subconscious -- I have doubts
about any claims to intellectual rigor or consistent reliability.

(I researched the question of writing an astrology program for
friends in the 70's and learned that conventional ways of computing
tables of houses make no sense as spherical geometry and bozo out
completely far enough away from the equator.)

As for "Political Correctness" -- I remember when this term was used
with some humor and self-criticism in the lesbian community. I have
less patience with its more recent appropriation as a scapegoat
of conservatives.

As my critique of the "New Age" suggests, I think it is valuable
to have a point of view to measure the world against -- ideology
is important enough to take seriously. It is also too important
not to to poke fun at... In this vein I am reminded of the book "What
I Love about Lesbian Politics Is Arguing with People I Agree With"
by Kris Kovick.

I think it is legitimate for people here to have a viewpoint,
and I would caution against taking what anyone says as representing
bisexuals in general or some kind of correct-like orthodoxy for
bisexuality.  (Anyone who *wants* to speak for bisexuals at large
should say so clearly and have their flame-proof underware on.)

This is USENET; your milage may vary; anyone can post; there are
no real net.police; if you don't see a thread you like, consider 
starting one; kill files and/or e-hugs can reduce the threat of idiots.

Community is not the same as unanimity. Ideology is not the same as dogma.

-- 
 Albert Lunde         | Interfaith  |     *Y*Y*      "A branch on the
 Albert-Lunde@nwu.edu |  Bisexual   |      *Y*        tree of life"
 alunde@nuacvm.bitnet |  Feminist   |.......|.........................
Newsgroups: soc.bi