Lord Vetinari, on 11 January 2013 - 04:27 PM, said:
interesting point; who knows, perhaps it might have started out in the right direction (Berlin Wall coming down, end of the Cold War etc), but then, since the old power structures were still in place in the "Free" world, they prevented, or at least delayed, things from taking their course because of course they'd do all that they could to hold on to power, so they spent much of the last 20 years looking for enemies, and inventing them if they couldn't find any. But now perhaps inevitability has caught up with them and the structures they dominate (the Global Economy, "Democracy"), and crumbling beneath them, so they, too, will soon go the way of the Berlin Wall, perhaps.
This is an old way of thinking. You are focused on the powers that be and on conspiracy. The New Age is not about government or politics leading the way, they will change but after. Those who are the leaders of the world are following us into the New World, if you want to focus on them then you too will come when they come, after us who realize the New Age is here, within, and together with others.
joc, on 12 January 2013 - 01:21 PM, said:
Damn Progress! Progress has given us what? The ability to live longer so that we can destroy more? Is Progress being fat, stupid and lazy? Is Progress the ability to go to Wal-mart and buy all the crap that China can manufacture?
Give me back my Buffalo! Give me back my beautiful plains! Give me back my traditions! Can Progress do that? No. It can only destroy. Damn Progress!
Progress as in progressive politics. It is pretty much against everything you mentioned at first and for everything you brought up after.
_Only, on 12 January 2013 - 05:18 PM, said:
No. We have evolved as a species to move past most of the things we used to consider 'a fact of life'. We simply don't need to anymore, and have found far better ways to live. So those parts will eventually die out, in the natural process as we continue to evolve (not in a physical, but mental/emotional way, seeing as how we are needing less and less to evolve physically to survive in this world). This is a brand new thing in the grand timeline of our existence. Killing each other to survive just isn't needed anymore. Now we do it because we have taught each other that the only way to solve our problems between nations is to kill each other in shows of force. We have since started to try more peaceful ways to work out our differences, but there is still a strong clinging to the old mentality of fighting being the only way to end an issue. There are many reasons for this mentality, but all can be surpassed. I believe your view is extremely pessimistic and dooming, for the reasons above and more.
All that aside, my new age began in late January of last year (2012). I accept that some will read what I experienced and think I'm crazy. That doesn't matter (well, much); it was a personal experience that only truly matters to me. I can only share it to try to give a glimpse of how it made me feel.
I had a dream; all I remember of it was seeing through the eyes of something in outer space, looking at the Earth. I woke up, being the most moved I have ever been in my life, and I had no idea why. I was bawling in joy, with the greatest feeling of peace. Some time after, I sat up in my room, and was shocked. Everything in my room looked the same (everything in its normal place), but it all had powerful personal relevance to me (every item). As I looked at it all and thought about how odd this was, I started to have great thoughts about it that took me by surprise. These were clear, smart, often witty responses to some of the thoughts and questions I was asking to myself. As I thought how I came up with these thoughts, that inner voice said 'that was us', or something similar. Conversing began, and as they conversed with me, they also conversed with each other. They all were so friendly to me and each other, and the feeling of love between us all was so strong. We were all seeming to share a single mind in a way, and were serving to help each other. We were all one; in thought, feeling, and love.
There was a lot more that I won't go into, but I still think about that night, and am awestruck, as that was really the night my new age began. From that moment on, I became a new person inside. A lot of my hate and fear instantly dissipated. And while some powerful remnants still remain, I now am learning how to assess the feelings, and process them, allowing me to figure them out and attempt to fix them. This is also what I have learned to do in just about every facet of my me. This is a 180 from the me I used to be, which would push things down, ignore them, and sit in hate and self pity. I have learned to love again, and am finding peace and joy in what I once saw nothing. I am seeing many things around me in a new light, feeling and thinking about things in this same new light.
So the above is my personal 'new age'. And that's where it all begins and ends, don't you think?
This is the kind of dream that activates one. I have had mine. A few others will have theres.
Thank you for sharing.
AsteroidX, on 12 January 2013 - 06:44 PM, said:
Theres so much talent and innovation being stifled under oppression.
Theres so much talent and innovation. Period.
Focus on that, only that.
orangepeaceful79, on 12 January 2013 - 07:32 PM, said:
Exactly. Its just wishy-washy New Age Blah blah blah. Empower yourself! Love, Peace, Happiness! Embrace everything and seek peace...mumble mumble mumble. All laudable outcomes, but no clear blueprint for action. Just thought-projects and internet glad-handing.
I, though I wish I weren't, am of the opposite mindset of the OP. The New Age (if there is one) is heading in the other direction. WE are in decline as a species. I'm a teacher and I see the evidence of it everyday in my students. We are a society (at least here in the US) that is increasingly materialistic, and decreasingly willing to reach out and help each other and larger causes. All my students talk about are video games and electronic devices....alternate realities that they steep themselves in at every possible opportunity.
Kids are different now...they learn differently, they expect to be entertained at every juncture. They are a symptom of a society that is largely concerned with shallow pursuits. I've been in education now for 13 years and its been getting worse. These kids I see everyday are the canary in the mineshaft. A quiet alarm nobody is paying much attention to. My colleagues and I feel as though we are fighting an uphill struggle.
No magical New Age awakening is going to reverse this. I wish I were wrong but I don't see an evidence to the contrary.
Sounds like you are well rehearsed in the Hollywood stereotype of the New Age.
orangepeaceful79, on 13 January 2013 - 01:27 AM, said:
I think that changing one's mind is great. Its certainly the first step. Here's the kicker though - the reality on the ground isn't changing. Which leads me to believe that changing one's mind and writing about it on the internet and changing one's mind and actually going out and doing something to try and make the world a better place are two VASTLY different things. A plan of action is needed, even if it is something simple for the individual. I just don't see people DOING. I hear people talking, I can read about all this stuff, but where's the beef - so to speak? _Only if you are someone who is out there, working to make the world a better place, then I applaud you and I apologize for lumping you in with the other lazy New Age warm and fuzzy internet do-nothings.
I have many friends who spend their days posting all manner of New Age stuff on the internet, on their facebook pages....so many important memes! But they do NOTHING. Even the ones with jobs don't actually put any of their warm fuzzies into action. So forgive me if I'm jaded. I'm just tired of hearing talk and reading glurge and never seeing any change.
My city is changing for the better every year.
Maybe yours is too but you are too focused on the negative that you are missing it.
In either case I am changing, my neighborhood is getting better, and I see the city headed for better things overall.
and then, on 13 January 2013 - 02:02 AM, said:
Those who push the "New Age" dogma are simply repeating the oldest lie of all: you can be as gods. I actually believe a new age of peace IS coming but mankind isn't the author of it.
I am a Christian and support the New Age but the only dogma is the one you seem to hold. You will love all of mankind, beginning with your neighbor, the greatest commandment. This is the New Age.
The way to the Father (divinity) is through the Son (humanity). You cannot be united with God if you are divided against humanity.
Having a burden for humanity is the New Age. Judging humanity and condemning them because they believe different, have different or no deities at all, or follow some other path you disapprove of for others is the Old Age. Time moves forward and not backward and I have faith that even the remnant of the Church remaining behind will catch up someday.
_Only, on 13 January 2013 - 02:44 AM, said:
I'm not setting out to make the world a better place. We have been trained from birth that we ourselves are the most important thing in the world (the world revolves around us, so to speak) and this is the mentality that is hard to break from, deciding to put ourselves aside to 'make the world a better place'. But that's the one common thing that exists among all of these 'new age' experiences and feelings. The losing of one's self and the gain of a feeling of connection as one, usually starting with a grand personal experience of feeling as one in some way. Being a part of everything, along with everything else; all one.
But that's beside the point I was trying to make. I was saying that our personal worlds are 'our world'. If we start to see things with love, honesty, and lack of fear, we will start to see that in our world where we once saw mostly hate, lies, and fear. And our world will change with these views. But that's my personal belief that came from inside. We are the creators. Personally, and also in groups on larger scales, from families, countries, all the way up to the world. Generations building a constantly molding dream over time.
If you get what I'm saying, you don't have to believe it yourself, and can continue to expect people who do believe this to 'get on the ground' to change the world. You make this seem to have to be some grand plan across the land, but if you are setting out each morning to see and act in the world you want to see others act see and act, attempting to understand others as you wish them to understand you, that is all that is really necessary (or an obligation) to do. You are seeming to look down on people who think this, though, as if they aren't good enough to the world. I have learned that it isn't needed or helpful to go out and change others. This is an exercise in futility most of the time, because someone will only let themselves do what they want. You can only change yourself, and hope that others will do the same, by sharing some of your world with theirs. This seems to be the mentality of these 'new agers' you look down on. I don't see why people would call their mentality wrong or nonsense, regardless of the pretense behind their feelings/thoughts. It is for the better. So let them live in their fantasy world of love and peace. I always disliked the 'fake it until you make it' slogan we would hear at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, but I see how it can be useful in some cases. Like this one.
I can accept that you're jaded, but am having trouble accepting your condescending attitude towards others in this subject.
"The losing of one's self and the gain of a feeling of connection as one..."
Love this, perfect definition for the New Age.
and then, on 22 January 2013 - 08:06 AM, said:
Maybe I misunderstood his meaning but I didn't really sense an attack on new agers. Just a statement of the lack of meaningful change exhibited by them - their lack of "fruit" you might say. And absolutely the same can be said about many, if not most Christians in this modern day. I'm guilty myself, often, of not doing all I can to help and to BE the love of Christ in this world - to my shame. Maybe this is all about labels but to me the concept of the "New Ager" is an altogether negative one because their dogma - as best I can understand it - is about the individual, the self, making a new creation without help from the Creator. That by acting on the physical world they feel they can control it and make it a Utopia and become as god themselves. THIS is my conflict with them. And it doesn't mean I hate or even dislike them as people but I do see them as deluded on that score and for a Christian that is a very important point. It goes against all we hold to be truth about our Creator. So if we accept them and try to reconcile what they believe then we err.
I don't dispute that people striving to make the world a better place is a wonderful goal. It's far better than what the majority do. But the dogma that it carries as baggage is anathema to a Christian -it removes God from our lives.
As stated, my city is getting better. Fruit is all around. Your conflict with us does not exist...that is like saying the past is conflicting with the present when we are just a progression.
and then, on 22 January 2013 - 08:13 AM, said:
Agreed, Joc. But it doesn't end there imo. The change that occurs after all the death and mayhem is going to be unlike anything we can even imagine. It's just sad that so few will ever live through that dark time to see it. If I were a betting man I'd place a wager on seeing Damascus get the distinction of being the third city to be razed by a nuke. Imagine the changes such an event would bring to the world.
You are focused on death and mayhem, definitely the wrong thread to be posthing that in, definitely the wrong topics to be focused on in the New Age.
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