<![CDATA[Latest posts for the thread "Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff"]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/54.page JForum - http://www.jforum.net Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff What immidiatly popped into my mind was "Why am I sitting in class when I can go make up a new age philosophy, Validate it wil pseudo-science and take money for retirees and bored white and make a metric ton of money?"
So who wants to help me? ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133480.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133480.page GMT Re:Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133485.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133485.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
 hotsauceman1 wrote:
So in my sociology class today we dicussed new age stuff and and people fall for some of the more extreme stuff. Like Controlling the energy in your body to make forcefields, or fortune tellers and chi and chakra and using it to knock people out with your mind. one theory was that people and to feel in control of the world beyond their body, so they believe it. One person looked it up and found out that self-help gurus can make up to 60,000-100,000 a year making people think they believe.
What immidiatly popped into my mind was "Why am I sitting in class when I can go make up a new age philosophy, Validate it wil pseudo-science and take money for retirees and bored white and make a metric ton of money?"
So who wants to help me?


What the feth is your sociology class teaching you? Shouldn't you be learning about issues involving race, economy, politics, class, gender, religion, ethnicity, media, etc?]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133498.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133498.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133502.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133502.page GMT Re:Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
I have yet to start a cult of my own, sadly. I don't have enough time.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133503.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133503.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133517.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133517.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
 hotsauceman1 wrote:
We where wondering why new age stuff is more popular in suburbs and not inner city. One answer was "bored WASP"


Oh, OK still there's tons of things about race, gender, class, etc that have major impacts on people's lives is this is what you end up talking about why "new age" stuff is more popular in suburbs. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133523.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133523.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
 hotsauceman1 wrote:
So in my sociology class today we dicussed new age stuff and and people fall for some of the more extreme stuff. Like Controlling the energy in your body to make forcefields, or fortune tellers and chi and chakra and using it to knock people out with your mind. one theory was that people and to feel in control of the world beyond their body, so they believe it. One person looked it up and found out that self-help gurus can make up to 60,000-100,000 a year making people think they believe.
What immidiatly popped into my mind was "Why am I sitting in class when I can go make up a new age philosophy, Validate it wil pseudo-science and take money for retirees and bored white and make a metric ton of money?"
So who wants to help me?


Because you have a moral code that prohibits you taking advantage of simpletons and vulnerable people, I imagine.
Just for gaks and giggles once and to prove a point to myself, I took a deck of Magic cards, created a bs ritual around them and used them as Tarot cards, telling people what they wanted to hear about themselves. I could have made bank if I was charging.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133547.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133547.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133552.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133552.page GMT Re:Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
People believe in this crap because of the fact that they're bored, and need to invent things to fill their time and empty their bank accounts. A lot of times, it's just perversions of (usually) Eastern religion and philosophy coupled with the Western desire to need to feel superior to others around them. At least, that's my take. It's hardly new either.

If this is what passes for Sociology, then I can't help but feel some of my prior smarmy comments about Sociology bear a tiny bit of merit.

Final conclusion: Hold in skepticism anyone who wants to teach you, for money, something that's not a trade.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
 Compel wrote:
Obligatory XKCD.


Careful, that gets you accused of anti-intellectualism around here.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133559.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133559.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133570.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133570.page GMT Re:Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
 daedalus wrote:
You're not doing it because of the fact that you'd likely feel bad scamming people out of their money.


He's right. Tithe it to my church instead. Using the power of positive thinking, along with energy-infused crystals and homeopathic tea, we have been able to cure cancer, guaranteed*.

*or your cancer back]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133579.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133579.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Sigh, It was one of those class conversations that somehow just came up when we where talking.


Oh, I thought it was planned content from the prof, thanks for the clarification. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133581.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133581.page GMT Re:Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
The rest of my comment still stands though.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133583.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133583.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Sigh, It was one of those class conversations that somehow just came up when we where talking.


You've used 'where' in two separate posts now instead of 'were'. This is obviously not a mistake.

Is this soc class in post-secondary or high school? Just curious.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133594.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133594.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
 PrehistoricUFO wrote:
 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Sigh, It was one of those class conversations that somehow just came up when we where talking.


You've used 'where' in two separate posts now instead of 'were'. This is obviously not a mistake.

Is this soc class in post-secondary or high school? Just curious.


He has dyslexia.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133601.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133601.page GMT Re:Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
 xole wrote:
This is even easier than it sounds. For Psychology of Religion I wrote a paper on how to start a cult. I was surprised to learn the things otherwise sane, rational beings would believe under the right circumstances.


Yep, George Carlin explains it very well.
NSFW due to language.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r-e2NDSTuE]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133602.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133602.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
 Cheesecat wrote:
 PrehistoricUFO wrote:
 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Sigh, It was one of those class conversations that somehow just came up when we where talking.


You've used 'where' in two separate posts now instead of 'were'. This is obviously not a mistake.

Is this soc class in post-secondary or high school? Just curious.


He has dyslexia.


I see.

On topic, I find it funny that I'm watching an episode of The Simpsons where at the beginning, Milhouse and Bart question the validity of a point the Reverend makes, Milhouse says "What would they gain by lying to us Bart?", then it cuts to the Reverend in his office, who shouts "I don't hear you cleaning, boys!", as he sorts out the money he was given that day from the collection plates.

Prey on the gullible and weak, as has been the law of the jungle since the beginning of time. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133618.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133618.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
I saw this when it first aired. I was 13, and it has had a profound effect on my development:

Nova: Secrets of the Psychics.

Seriously, everyone should watch this, especially in school!]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133632.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133632.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
 hotsauceman1 wrote:

What immidiatly popped into my mind was "Why am I sitting in class when I can go make up a new age philosophy, Validate it wil pseudo-science and take money for retirees and bored white and make a metric ton of money?"
So who wants to help me?


Just because some charlatans are making a decent living doesn't mean all of them are. I doubt you have the skills required to really make a go of this kind of con (not attacking you personally, just this skill set is relatively rare.)

I mean, there are plenty of fethheads out there getting rich selling drugs, but I don't think I have the skills to pay the bills that way.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133682.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133682.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133726.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133726.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
Dude was a failed novelist, but wrote these satirical (sort of) science books, got them put into the science sections of most book stores and libraries, quietly becomes a sensation, and much of the strange things that many Americans fall for are born.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133825.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6133825.page GMT Re:Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6134173.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6134173.page GMT Re:Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
I would like to join the Church of Dakka, but i am allready a follower of the one true god
The flying spaghetti monster and i am a dudeist!

One thing about the Church of Dakka, no white knights need to apply ok?]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6134441.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6134441.page GMT Re:Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
 Jehan-reznor wrote:
One thing about the Church of Dakka, no white knights need to apply ok?


Only Purifiers please.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6134958.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6134958.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
feeder wrote:
 hotsauceman1 wrote:

What immidiatly popped into my mind was "Why am I sitting in class when I can go make up a new age philosophy, Validate it wil pseudo-science and take money for retirees and bored white and make a metric ton of money?"
So who wants to help me?


Just because some charlatans are making a decent living doesn't mean all of them are. I doubt you have the skills required to really make a go of this kind of con (not attacking you personally, just this skill set is relatively rare.)

I mean, there are plenty of fethheads out there getting rich selling drugs, but I don't think I have the skills to pay the bills that way.

Because, The new american dream is to make as much money without doing any real work]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6135499.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6135499.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6138277.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6138277.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
 Ensis Ferrae wrote:
If you are wanting to dig deeper into the origins of much of this new age crap... check out an author by the name of Charles Fort.

Dude was a failed novelist, but wrote these satirical (sort of) science books, got them put into the science sections of most book stores and libraries, quietly becomes a sensation, and much of the strange things that many Americans fall for are born.


Not really.

There were big spiritualism fads in the U.S. going back as far as the first half of the 19th century, IIRC. I believe mesmerism (hypnosis, around which there were a lot of spiritualistic ideas early on) goes back to the 18th century. And how is this stuff different than the oracles and mystery religions of ancient civilizations? This stuff isn't new, it just keeps coming back around in a slightly different wrapper.

Edit: Which points to the fact that New Age stuff and its predecessors are compelling on some level to many human beings and are more than some simple con that dumb people fall for. Cults often have a high percentage of members with above-average intelligence.

Also, a fair amount of Fort's stuff also deals with weird phenomena like rains of frogs, ball lightning, etc. that doesn't really have a religious/spiritual angle. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6138955.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6138955.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6138981.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6138981.page GMT Wait, Why am I not doing this Again?(New ag)e stuff
 TheCustomLime wrote:
The reasons these charlatans make as much money as they do is simple: People need certainty and comfort in what they perceive is a chaotic world. Most of the time they turn to the church. I guess these people provide that in a convenient and fast package.


I agree. One major connecting thread is the idea of gaining some control over the present and future in a chaotic world that's out of our control. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6138991.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/556959/6138991.page GMT