Well, I’m starting this in the Pit because I think there’s potential for it to disintegrate, but I’m going to try and start out pretty even-handed here.
In general, I’m a left-wing kind of guy. There are some points I side with the right on, but for the most part I tend to be somewhat left of center. That’s fine.
A while back I was at the bookstore and thought, “You know, I wouldn’t mind checking out the Utne Reader. I hear it’s like a left-wing Reader’s Digest, and that might be kind of cool.” So I find it on the stand and I see, at the top, that there’s an article inside on “Feng Shui Secrets”. I immediately put it back.
Why? Why this assumption that if my politics are left-wing, I’m also into all kinds of crystals and ley-lines kookery? I see this constantly - this association with liberal politics and new age silliness. Our local alternative rag has a lot of local news on a more liberal slant - and a dream interpretation column, ads for holistic aromatherapy pet acupuncturists, blatantly non-objective articles on alternative medicine, and so forth.
Is this assumption valid? If so, no wonder so many republicans see themselves as the “more intelligent” group. I guess, when I think about it, it’s more likely that someone into that kind of stuff would more likely be Democrat than Republican, especially with the hold the Christian religion seems to have on the latter. I also imagine the Libertarians (and, of course, the Greens) also get saddled with a lot of this bunch.
Is there any room for somewhat left-wing people who don’t believe in this stuff?
I certainly hope there’s room; I’m in the same boat. What’s worse for me is that I eat a vegetarian diet and am interested in some “Asian culture” aspects like martial arts and Chinese/Japanese literature (translated). Automatically people seem to assume that I’m into aromatherapy, crystals, and so on. Honestly, I have James Randi’s site bookmarked and read his column weekly! I’m a definite skeptic.
My guess is that this stuff is tied with the left wing because of the “hippie”/“pagan” overtones that it can have. It’s really getting to be annoying.
I know what you mean, I too am an intensely skeptical leftist (and a leftie too). I read Randi’s site all the time, as well as the Dope and am very tired of all the new-agie neo-occult pseudoscience out there.
I also agree though that it’s not exclusively related to left wing politics or social thinking. Think about all the conservatives who are extremely religious creationist types. There’s a definite denial of rational thought if there ever was one.
I’m inclined to think those ideas find their adherents in the fringe elements on both (all?) sides of the political spectrum.
well, of course there is, Lego, what you’re looking for is my “Liberal but not a fucking lunatic section” [sup]tm[/sup], we have Brie, fruit, white wine, sometimes an imported beer and the like, but no astrology, feng shui, and imported fancy hybrid canines are optional.
As noted, above, the Left and Right each have their kooks–and it does tend to go back to the personalities and themes of some of the people in those groups from the past. The 60s were clearly a source of some of that. There was the frequent linkage between Government and Industry (Military Industrial Complex) linked to Big Business is Bad And They Are Poisoining Us All With Refined Sugar And Pesticides, Etc. Some of the people who would have gone past the legitimate concerns into extremes would have also rejected Established Medicine and the like, givig us crystals and so forth.
On the far Right, we tend to see a different pattern, but it is still there. The “Godless Liberals Are Taking Away Our Right To Discipline Our Kids And Make The Heathens Pray In School And They Are Actually Teaching *size=1]gasp[/size] Atheist Darwinism” belief tends to lead to conspiracy kooks in a broad array of flavors and can eventually lead to “We never went to the moon” beliefs along with “The ozone hoax is just a way to make good 'mer’cans give up their air conditioning and refrigerators” and “They’re going to teach our kids sex with demonstrations in the classrooms” and “Fluoride is a Communist plot.”
Sadly, idiocy knows no political boundries. I agree with tomndebb - the lunatic right-wingers tend to buy into the elaborate conspiracy theories, the Vince-Foster-Was-Killed-By-Clinton, and the like.
I tried sitting in the “Liberal but not a fucking lunatic” section, but the placement of the armoire was making me all edgy…
Personally, I’ve always liked the idea of the evil Feng Shui master … you know, the guy who sneaks into people’s homes and rearranges the furniture in such a way as to promote discord.
You identified it in your own OP… the right has radical fundie Christians and the left has what my friends and I affectionately refer to as the “Frookymakarooky” crowd. Opposite sides of the same coin.
Oh, my Goddess! This kind of thing is so upsetting to my Harmonic Convergence! It will take hours of aromatherapy to get my chakras in alignment. I only hope it hasn’t upset the tonality of my crystals, they are so delicate, don’t you know?
The downside to an open mind is sometimes garbage blows in, like tumbleweeds. The upside is, its not all garbage.
"We do have another problem in San Francisco, we have a lot of the karma types, especially the lesbians - you know, the ones with the crystal - not this SNORT - that’s the kind of crystal you boys do. It’s the thing they’ve got around their necks, going, 'It’s my crystal, it’s my power it’s my crystal. It’s my crystal, it’s my power, it’s my power. It keeps me in tune with the universe. It’s my crystal, it’s my power - ’ IT’S A ROCK.
“‘No no no no no, it’s my crystal, it’s my power, don’t touch it - don’t touch it - you’ll cloud my power! It keeps me in tune with the universe!’ YOU LIVE IN A VAN! I DON’T THINK IT’S WORKING!”
(The door to Nicky’s Knick Knack Shoppe, opens. In come’s Luigi “Sugarpants” Scungilli and Alfredo “Bunny” Fettucine. They approach Nicky, lips curling in disdain for the decor or as an attempt at intimidation.)
Nice little shoppe you got here, Nicky. Be a real shame if anything…was to happen to it. (“Bunny” sweeps an object to the floor, which shatters…) Oh, now, see? Clumsy oaf comes in, breaks something, accidents will happen, right? A businessman needs insurance, doesn’t he? Was that an authentic Hummel?..
I think some of you are being a little harsh on Feng Shui. I don’t buy into furniture arrangement as a channel for mystical energy, but I’ve seen some homes that have been Feng Shuied, and the decor is usually tasteful and understated. The theory behind it may be kookery, but at least the result is pleasant to look at, which puts it several long steps ahead of astrology or creationism.
Well, as for Feng Shui (I still like to pronounce it the way it’s spelled) I have no problem with furniture arrangement that helps with efficiency, space saving, good lighting, and a generally pleasing decor. It doesn’t need to involve mystical energy or chakras though. Just leave it at “this is a good way to lay out this room for optimum movement and lack of clutter.”
