This podcast has highlighted many long-standing issues with New Age spirituality and the dark side of “good vibes only,” but according to today’s returning guest, rockstar philosopher Alex Ebert, dunking on the New Age has become boring and there is much that is still valuable and relevant from its perspective and rituals.
On the show we begin with a review of the issues with spiritual communities from the dark side of manifestation to how toxic positivity functions like cancer. Alex explains how the critique of New Agism can become its own shtick. He shares his experience with meditation, heroin addiction and death rituals. We discuss the issue of the antifragile ego and how language is the raw material for subjective reality. Finally we end with an exploration of what is still valuable from New Age spirituality from psychedelics to new ideas of gender.
Alex Ebert, famous troubadour from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros now shares a philosophical substack called Bad Guru where he explore these and other timely topics.
Notes:
Alex Ebert: https://www.instagram.com/alex_ebert/?hl=en
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros: https://www.edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com/
Bad Guru: https://badguru.substack.com/
Jules Evans: https://www.philosophyforlife.org/
King Warrior Magician Lover: https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/f/king-warrior-magician-lover/38348343/
"Mindfulness can make you selfish” study: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210414100147.htm
Timestamps
:09 - The dark side of personal manifestation
:17 - How toxic positivity functions like cancer
:23 - Dunking on New Age is boring now
:29 - Alex’s experience with heroin addiction and death rituals
:37 - Bringing back the boons to the community
:42 - Dealing with an anti fragile ego
:47 - Language as the raw material of subjective reality
:59 - The best of New Age healing from psychedelics to therapy
1:10 - Spiritual Gender from King’s to Goddesses
