"New Ager" refers to a person who believes some of a wide variety of ideas, most of which originated in the past 70 years. They incorporate ideas of "energy", psychic powers, a global consciousness, spirits and other Eastern ideas mixed with traditional western ideas of God and Angels.
"New Agers" would likely not refer to themselves as such. For instance, a recent PEW poll showed that many Americans have some new age beliefs. A quarter believe in reincarnation, about 20% have visited a psychic, and about the same number are sure they have been in contact with a spirit at some point. What is even more amazing is that 21% of Christians said they believed in reincarnation, an idea mutually exclusive with traditional Christian beliefs.
The "New Age" belief about 2012 has similarly penetrated spheres that a not normally new age. I've heard preachers on TV talk about how 2012 is the ordained time of Armageddon, or the blending between all of the conspiracy theories (aliens, Alex Jones, etc) and new age predictions about the end of the world.
In this context, "New Ager" may almost be circularly defined as someone who believes the world is going to end in 2012, given that the predictions for the end of the world originated in pseudo-history and entered the rest of pop culture through new age ideas. While it is true there may be people who believe the world is ending in 2012 who don't believe anything else from the new age movement, that belief makes them, at least loosely, a "new ager". Similarly, if I believed in the divinity of Jesus but nothing else from Christianity, I could loosely be defined as a Christian.
That's a very good post there imialist. I will also add that there many philosophers such as Kierkegaard and Ponty whom are consider New agers and contributed to the movement through exploring new ideas by means of philosophy. When I first read new age books, I was surprise to find many philosophers mention or even acknowledge...which to me was a sign of sincerity.
Originally posted by WickedDynamite
That's a very good post there imialist. I will also add that there many philosophers such as Kierkegaard and Ponty whom are consider New agers and contributed to the movement through exploring new ideas by means of philosophy. When I first read new age books, I was surprise to find many philosophers mention or even acknowledge...which to me was a sign of sincerity.
fair enough
I've actually encountered quite the opposite in my discussions with "new age" people (I haven't read anything "new age", as even "sci-fi" makes my literal brain hurt) I've found that they mention many philosophers, but rarely have a rudimentary understanding of what they were talking about. See: Plato and Atlantis or The Secret
Originally posted by inimalist
fair enoughI've actually encountered quite the opposite in my discussions with "new age" people (I haven't read anything "new age", as even "sci-fi" makes my literal brain hurt) I've found that they mention many philosophers, but rarely have a rudimentary understanding of what they were talking about. See: Plato and Atlantis or The Secret
Well, what kind of sci-fi are you referring to, or are you pretty general? (I'm hoping you don't mean Fahrenheit 451 or Dune)
There are certain aspects of Plato which coincide with new age concepts such as his metaphor of the cave. Now, to be objective there are so-called new agers who happen to take quite literally everything about Atlantis, but at times they expose themselves as fanatics and actual thinkers.