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#1 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: St. Louis, Mo.
Posts: 12,390
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Just when you thought the New Age was dead...
On Quora yesterday, someone asked about “lightworkers”. Unfamiliar with the term, I looked it up:
“A Lightworker is anyone who devotes their life to being a bright light in the world. They understand that their actions (no matter how big or small) have the potential to raise the vibration of the planet. A Lightworker soul is awake, conscious that their presence matters and that they are part of something that is bigger than them.” From just one of many web pages: https://rebeccacampbell.me/what-is-a-lightworker/ Seems that much like “Indigo Children”, these folks see themselves as special and as generally raising the tone and quality of humanity..... At least, the idea seems relatively harmless. |
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#2 |
Graduate Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: In the woods
Posts: 1,929
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Unemployed, dark skinned people might consider this racism.
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#3 |
Critical Thinker
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 277
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When my neighbors' baby started turning blue, I told them they should be excited about that, that it looked like they were going to be having an indigo child after all!
(Okay, that didn't really happen. I just can't help myself from being a goof sometimes. Hopefully, and I mean for everyone involved, I'll never have to find out what I would actually say under such circumstance) |
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#4 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,093
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"I know my brain cannot tell me what to think." - Scorpion "Nebulous means Nebulous" - Adam Hills |
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#5 |
Master Poster
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 2,127
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https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...nemployment-un
This New Age nonsense will grow, sadly. Humans will have too much time on their hands and thus more time to come up with bollocks. Similar to when we went from hunter gatherer - say 10 humans to hunt 1 animal, scroll on to agriculture, 1 human for 10 animals leaving 9 humans with nothing to do but come up with ideas justifying (themselves) and controlling the poor sod looking after the 10 animals - and building palaces, pyramids and so forth keeping some of the less intelligent 9 busy. Come the robots - this will be the same. Us skeptics will again be deemed as the evil ones etc. Mark my words ![]() |
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... er, that's it |
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#6 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Mesa, AZ
Posts: 4,963
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Who can shine the brightest?
https://www.the-brights.net/movement/ Rebecca Campbell: Dim Rebecca Watson: Bright |
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"At the Supreme Court level where we work, 90 percent of any decision is emotional. The rational part of us supplies the reasons for supporting our predilections." Justice William O. Douglas "Humans aren't rational creatures but rationalizing creatures." Author Unknown |
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#7 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 6,485
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/dann "Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht "The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx |
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#8 |
Cythraul Enfys
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 57,992
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There is no problem so great that it cannot be fixed by small explosives carefully placed. Wash this space! We fight for the Lady Babylon!!! |
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#9 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,740
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#10 |
Disorder of Kilopi
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: State of Flux
Posts: 9,444
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Woo Age is best formulated while standing on your head or hands. Fitting prelude to the grandstanding. What's not to like?
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Driftwood on an empty shore of the sea of meaninglessness. Irrelevant, weightless, inconsequential moment of existential hubris on the fast track to oblivion. His real name is Count Douchenozzle von Stenchfahrter und Lichtendicks. - shemp |
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#11 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 6,485
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Are you sure they're not African Americans in blue costumes, like Zoe Saldana in Avatar? I'm also confused by the Smurfs. I mean, at first glance their adversary Gargamel appears to be Caucasian, but what about the Black Smurfs, then? Maybe it's true that Smurfette is Aryan, Gargamel Jewish and the Smurfs are anti-Semitic. |
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/dann "Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht "The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx |
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#12 |
Graduate Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Arizona
Posts: 1,743
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#13 |
Illuminator
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Germany
Posts: 3,182
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I've seen a couple of friends (or friends of friends)on facebook signing off with 'Love and Light'. Are they lightworkers or does it have something to do with that?
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#14 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,093
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"I know my brain cannot tell me what to think." - Scorpion "Nebulous means Nebulous" - Adam Hills |
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#15 |
Merchant of Doom
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Not in Hell, but I can see it from here on a clear day...
Posts: 13,139
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I plan to be the brightest lightworker ever. I'll outshine them all.
I just need a bit more uranium... |
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#16 |
Graduate Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,417
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According to occult theology there are many higher planes of experience some of which interpenetrate this world, and we are surrounded by psychic energy. It is a dark cloud of negative energy caused by all the wars and suffering. Spiritualist mediums always start a service giving evidence of survival with a prayer to raise the vibrations of the church, or they might open themselves to negative energy.
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You see many stars in the sky at night, but not when the sun rises. Can you therefore say there are no stars in the heavens during the day? O man because you cannot find God in the days of your ignorance, say not that there is no God. Sri Ramakrishna Even in the valley of the shadow of death two and two do not make six. Leo Tolstoy |
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#17 |
Schrödinger's cat
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Malmesbury, UK
Posts: 10,727
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"occult theology" = "ignorant superstition"
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"If you trust in yourself ... and believe in your dreams ... and follow your star ... you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things" - Terry Pratchett |
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#18 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,093
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"I know my brain cannot tell me what to think." - Scorpion "Nebulous means Nebulous" - Adam Hills |
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#19 |
Graduate Poster
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Central Canada
Posts: 1,658
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#20 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,093
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"I know my brain cannot tell me what to think." - Scorpion "Nebulous means Nebulous" - Adam Hills |
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#21 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,093
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"I know my brain cannot tell me what to think." - Scorpion "Nebulous means Nebulous" - Adam Hills |
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#22 |
Merchant of Doom
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Not in Hell, but I can see it from here on a clear day...
Posts: 13,139
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Quote:
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#23 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,330
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I'm not condoning the use of this terminology, but generally speaking when spiritual types talk of positive and negative energy they are talking about order and chaos or, scientifically speaking, degrees of entropy. Things that promote local entropy are to be avoided (negative energy), things that reduce local entropy should be embraced (positive energy). Which is all very logical, but don't ask me about auras.
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"I don't think I'm getting the most out of my computer. I turn it on... and use it as a light." - Harry Hill |
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#24 |
Merchant of Doom
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Not in Hell, but I can see it from here on a clear day...
Posts: 13,139
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Um, but everything increases entropy.
Seems a bit of a losing game, if you ask me. |
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#25 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,330
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"I don't think I'm getting the most out of my computer. I turn it on... and use it as a light." - Harry Hill |
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#26 |
Merchant of Doom
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Not in Hell, but I can see it from here on a clear day...
Posts: 13,139
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Yeah, but that flies in the face of the whole "universal consciousness/everything connected" type thinking that's part of new age, as well.
Not that I really expect it to be internally consistent...just take issue with the description of it as logical. It's only logical if you base it on faulty assumptions. ETA: Not to mention, new age tends to push ideas about peace and happiness for everyone, and that focus on local (necessarily increasing negative energy elsewhere) also contradicts those ideals. "I've got my positive energy, screw those other guys that have to deal with the negative entropy I've created in their pond". I think relating it to some logical idea of entropy is giving the beliefs too much credit. ETA2: Or more concisely, I think you're right in the observation that order=positive entropy/chaos=negative entropy, but I don't think the understanding of local vs. global even occurs. They assume the local is all there is, and that an increase there is a universal increase. |
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#27 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,330
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It's very true that whilst 99% of the spiritually inclined trot off these phrases without pausing to even think what they're saying, a minority give their positions some consideration and there may be merit in their ideas. Professionals such as Jung, for example, philosophers like Spinoza, even mystics such as Gurdjieff, they are all worth reading.
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"I don't think I'm getting the most out of my computer. I turn it on... and use it as a light." - Harry Hill |
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#28 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Denmark
Posts: 5,435
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Steen -- Jack of all trades - master of none! |
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#29 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,093
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I'd be interested to hear their definition of entropy! I'm not implying you are in this category, but there's something about woo slingers confidently espousing rubbish as they confidently throw out words like energy, vibration, quantum etc etc etc that actually have meanings that they obviously can't be bothered to understand really gets under my skin! |
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"I know my brain cannot tell me what to think." - Scorpion "Nebulous means Nebulous" - Adam Hills |
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#30 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 6,485
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Definitely. When they talk about energy, it never has anything to do with energy, when they talk about vibrations and frequencies, it never has anything to do with vibration and frequency, and when they talk about quantum, well, it goes without saying ... Jung is good for one thing only: In many ways he was one of the founders of new age. Synchronicity, for instance, is a marvelous invention. It's hard enough to make some people understand that correlation is not causation. Jung was actually able to convince people that even obvious coincidences had meaning, to the extent that it is self-evident to many new agers. Jung still tried to argue that the concept was real, which makes the idea much more vulnerable. |
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/dann "Stupidity renders itself invisible by assuming very large proportions. Completely unreasonable claims are irrefutable. Ni-en-leh pointed out that a philosopher might get into trouble by claiming that two times two makes five, but he does not risk much by claiming that two times two makes shoe polish." B. Brecht "The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions." K. Marx |
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#31 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 6,708
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SPIRITUAL frequencies, vibrations, etc. I have a nephew who talks in these terms quite frequently. He is always trying to get to the next level of existence by raising his vibrational frequency. He accomplishes this by use of meditation and psychedelics. He's one of those guys that has seen the machine elves.
I think this is the next vibration of new age thinking. The New Age is dead; long live the New New Age. |
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Hello. |
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#32 |
Philosopher
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 5,901
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'
I feel 'enlightened' after glancing at the link and learning that they aren't all people "wearing tie-dye's" or "looking like hippies. You made a good point about their need to feel "special" or have a child that is "special." They refer to their or their children as having "a gift". In the attempt to be unique, they just become yet another waco. As I have mentioned before, I live in a town voted "most liberal" in the USA. They are everywhere. The new age healers, light workers, indigo children, people 'gifted' and can communicate with dead souls, those who try to sell crystals with magical implications. Once, walking past people in the town park I over heard this conversation; "I am finally able to give myself permission to open my heart to honesty". WTH that means, I have no idea. |
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Julia |
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#33 |
Skepticifimisticalationist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Gulf Coast
Posts: 22,823
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I don't think "Lightworker" is all that new - it definitely rings a bell or two. I want to say that I saw them mentioned in "Demon-Haunted World" (I think Sagan transcribed some letters he had received and one of them used the word?) but I don't have a copy anymore so I cannot check.
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"¿WHAT KIND OF BIRD? ¿A PARANORMAL BIRD?" --- Carlos S., 2002 |
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#34 |
Scholar
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 104
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The only thing "new" about "New Age" is the packaging. Rebranding with new buzzwords, slogans, catchy names. It's an industry that is endlessly updating and reinventing its products. It's also a subculture that consumes "New Age" products and services. But really, many elements are traceable back at least as far as the Spiritualists in the mid 1800s.
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#35 |
Lackey
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: South East, UK
Posts: 84,767
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I wish I knew how to quit you |
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#36 |
Neo-Post-Retro-Revivalist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The Emerald City
Posts: 15,126
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And it has never gone away, there's always some new version of it, sometimes dressed up in pseudo-scientific jargon, sometimes pure religious nonsense, sometimes a weird blend of both. The "positive thinking" movement that has so badly infested American culture (and increasingly world culture) is a direct outgrowth of New Age thinking. And anyone who has been around here for a while should remember all the hype about The Secret a few years ago, aka the "law of attraction", another big bunch of New Age woo. |
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"All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated and well supported in logic and argument than others." -- Douglas Adams "The absence of evidence might indeed not be evidence of absence, but it's a pretty good start." -- PhantomWolf "Let's see the buggers figure that one out." - John Lennon |
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#37 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 31,691
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I'm sorry, but every time I see the thread title, my reaction is, "why on earth would I have thought new age was dead?"
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#38 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Central City, Colorado, USA
Posts: 8,486
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