RE: Pure Brutality
October 13, 2024 at 4:09 pm
(This post was last modified: October 13, 2024 at 4:15 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
That's where I feel like I so often get off the bus with people who want to discuss the subject. If the contents of spirituality boil down to the contents of new age self help then there's probably no better use case for the theory of religious economy. The truth-maker in the religious market is not the veracity of the claim, or ancient wisdom transmitted impartially and inaccurately, or transformative change, none of that. It's demography and retail/service value.
In the religious economy, you can see that and how, for example, a single publisher can circumscribe and define what "spirituality" means for it's target market. LLewellyn did as much for nature focused seekers. It started in 1901 with astrology as it's main source of revenue and branched out from there - defining "new age" itself. In the 60's and 70's dion fortune and aleister crowley are what sold books. By the late 80's they'd settled on wicca and had the tremendous fortune of having made that business decision during the development of the nones. A group of people who are more nature focused and describe themselves spiritual but not religious.
At first glance of the contents of these books you'd think the authors and publishers can make up whatever they want - but this isn't so. Continuity is currency, and llewellyn as a century old publisher trades in it. And so, the contents of an enlightened mind today in turkey from reading deepak chopra will be formed by what sold books to females between 16 and 45, depending on the sub genre and decade. All of it a giant constellation of fuck you to the end consumer. Who doesn't realize that the value is based on being cheaper than college tuition, a trip to the doctors office, or a tongue bathing session with a sex worker.
Rinse and repeat with churches and mosques and temples of all sorts. They have always been providers. They will tell you whatever you want to hear because this enables their very existence. The notion of successive revelation is itself an evolving sales pitch seeking out the level of their respective economies. A list of disclaimers and asterisks for past failures of products as a person is contemplating some future purchase.
In the religious economy, you can see that and how, for example, a single publisher can circumscribe and define what "spirituality" means for it's target market. LLewellyn did as much for nature focused seekers. It started in 1901 with astrology as it's main source of revenue and branched out from there - defining "new age" itself. In the 60's and 70's dion fortune and aleister crowley are what sold books. By the late 80's they'd settled on wicca and had the tremendous fortune of having made that business decision during the development of the nones. A group of people who are more nature focused and describe themselves spiritual but not religious.
At first glance of the contents of these books you'd think the authors and publishers can make up whatever they want - but this isn't so. Continuity is currency, and llewellyn as a century old publisher trades in it. And so, the contents of an enlightened mind today in turkey from reading deepak chopra will be formed by what sold books to females between 16 and 45, depending on the sub genre and decade. All of it a giant constellation of fuck you to the end consumer. Who doesn't realize that the value is based on being cheaper than college tuition, a trip to the doctors office, or a tongue bathing session with a sex worker.
Rinse and repeat with churches and mosques and temples of all sorts. They have always been providers. They will tell you whatever you want to hear because this enables their very existence. The notion of successive revelation is itself an evolving sales pitch seeking out the level of their respective economies. A list of disclaimers and asterisks for past failures of products as a person is contemplating some future purchase.
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