New Age

New age is an idealist, highly individualist school of thinking born in the west based on cultural appropriation of global indigenous practices. New Age is originally born out of the imperial core, and consequently has its roots in western imperialism, colonialism, Orientalism, and racism.

New age people use an eclectic mix of beliefs and practices derived from legitimate spiritual traditions (often taken out of context) and invented modern superstitions such as channeling, reincarnation, crystal therapy and "alternative" medicine, to pursue their own personal, often consumerist or at least ego-driven, desires and concept of "happiness". Such goals are far from the intended purposes of the appropriated indigenous practices, which were intended to be for cultivation of virtue, detachment from desire, and transcending the ego, and which are not always as comfortable or glamorous. Indigenous people have often fiercely objected to the appropriation of their spiritual practices, citing that it causes misinformation, commercialization, trivialization of their sacred traditions, and the public perception that indigenous practices are wholly unscientific and irrational. In fact, many indigenous practices have a materialist basis transmitted through oral traditions that were later confirmed by scientific research. Often, New Age practices are snake oil and do not deliver the results they promise, except to entertain, to make the person "feel good" temporarily, to gratify a sense of rebellion or alternativeness, or to aggrandize their ego.

New Age presents a direct threat to the integrity of indigenous traditions. (This has also caused contradictions among indigenous peoples about how and when to make money from certain practices, if at all.) New Age has made it more difficult for young, displaced and diaspora BIPOC to engage with certain aspects of their own cultures. Distinguishing between New Age/hippy and real indigenous traditions has become a core contradiction in the cultural sphere of decolonization struggle.

New Age beliefs are widespread among fascist movements and fuel conspiracy thinking since they're not based in materialist philosophy. The link between white supremacy, imperialism and New Age is proven by the Orientalist thought of authors such as Julius Evola, Helena Blavatsky or by the appropriation of the swastika (originally a Buddhist symbol) by the Nazis.

Many companies that present themselves as an alternative to the capitalist pharmaceutical complex are successful businesses that earn millions of dollars every year, while indigenous people whose practices were misappropriated out of context yet remain exploited and impoverished.

Many New Age people are racist and highly defensive towards BIPOC. Although some BIPOC in the imperial core have been observed getting suckered into New Age, BIPOC tend towards feeling uncomfortable with New Age practices, because often New Age is catered towards the ego and comfort of the racist white colonizer.