Posts in Politics,well-being technology
‘Spiritual Activism’: do we really want New Age hippies to be more politically active?
‘Spiritual Activism’: do we really want New Age hippies to be more politically active?

I confess I have become more cynical this last two years, particularly about my culture — ie New Age spirituality.

If someone calls themselves ‘spiritual’ these days, sadly it’s usually short-hand for ‘anti-vax, anti-science, a sucker for conspiracy theories or snake oil health remedies, with an inflated sense of their own spiritual advancement and expertise (particularly with regard to healing), combined with actions that actively harm others, out of selfishness or simple cluelessness’.

Is that too harsh?

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Spirituality, Politics, ActivismJules EvansComment
On The Lasch
On The Lasch

This week I read a book published in 1996, which seemed so relevant to this historical moment I ended up with over 30 pages of notes.

The book is The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy, by American historian Christopher Lasch. I’m not alone in seeing its prescience — both Ross Douthat of the New York Times and Ed West of Unherd highlighted it as a key text to understand the era of Trump and Brexit.

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Politics, Critical Race TheoryJules EvansComment
Nazi Hippies: When the New Age and Far Right Overlap
Nazi Hippies: When the New Age and Far Right Overlap

Last week’s rallies in London, Berlin, and Los Angeles against lockdown measures attracted both New Agers and far-right groups. We’ve seen before this overlap between the spiritual movement and the fast-spreading conspiracy theory, QAnon, which insists that an evil cabal of Hollywood celebs and liberal politicians (led by Tom Hanks and Hillary Clinton) are child-eating Satanists who control the world.

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Politics, Magic, Conspirituality, Extremist politicsJules EvansComment
The idea that is America
The idea that is America

America is not my country, so why do I feel like it is?

Why have I been so utterly, physically, absorbed in its political drama over the last week, even reduced to tears by it?

I hate it when foreigners comment on or criticize UK domestic affairs, even if I secretly agree with them.

And I’m white. The only experience of racism I’ve ever suffered was when I went into a restaurant in Japan and was told it was full, when it was completely empty.

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PoliticsJules EvansComment
How to navigate a collective spiritual emergency
How to navigate a collective spiritual emergency

Homo sapiens is going through a collective spiritual emergency, a collective near-death experience. Executive authority is breaking down, established institutions and entrenched habits are dissolving, there is a loss of certainty and consensual reality; archetypal and apocalyptic thinking is flooding in from the margins of consciousness. For the first time ever, our collective species-consciousness is connected and focused on the same threat. We are walking together through the valley of death.

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Altered states, Politics, Spiritual emergencyJules EvansComment
Review: The Wellness Syndrome
Review: The Wellness Syndrome

How are you feeling? How well are you? Is your weight where you want it to be? Smoking too much? How happy are you on a scale of one to ten? Are you optimising your personal brand? How fast was your last five kilometre run? Would you like to share that via social media? Would you like a life-coach to help you overcome these challenges on a way to a better, happier, more awesome you?

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Capitalism, Politics of Well-Being, well-being measurements, well-being technology, Wellbeing classes, WorkJules Evans Comments
Review: The Happiness Industry by William Davies
Review: The Happiness Industry by William Davies

Watch out folks. There is a murky world lurking behind the scenes, a sinister cabal of policy-makers, psychologists, CEOs, advertizers and life-coaches, watching you, measuring you, nudging you, monitoring your every smile, all to try and make you happy. We must resist. This, broadly, is the message of sociologist William Davies’ book, The Happiness Industry: How Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being.

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Behavioural economics, Buddhism, Business ethics, Capitalism, CBT, happiness, Politics of Well-Being, Positive Psychology, well-being measurements, well-being technology, Wellbeing classes, WorkJules Evans Comments
Postcard from Antwerp
Postcard from Antwerp

I'm writing this from a cafe in Antwerp, at the end of my first mini book tour abroad, having spent the last week doing talks and interviews in Amsterdam and Antwerp. My Dutch publisher, Regine, has been putting a lot into the promotion here - there’s even going to be a poster campaign around the country.

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Academia, Community philosophy, DIY therapy, Education policy, Philosophy for Life an..., Politics, Politics of Well-Being, therapeutic philosophyJules Evans Comments