Trendy spiritualism 'breeds unhappiness' (Page 1 of 2)

There is so much wrong with that study that I can't be bothered to cover it all, but one thing that stands out to me: what exactly do they mean by "trendy spiritualism"? That could be anything - a dabble in ouija boards and tarot cards, a belief in the law of attraction, an interest in the paranormal. It's not like you can draw a line and divide things into "orthodox religion" vs. "everything else". It's far too simplistic. Also, does not participating in traditional religion mean that you don't believe in God? Um, don't think so. It could mean that religion made you disillusioned so you began to search for God elsewhere.

I used to think it was a shame that religious beliefs among young people were dying out, because at least that would have given their lives some kind of higher vision than the mindless hedonism and superficial crowd-following that today's youth indulge in. However, more recently I've realised that most of the young believers ARE just sheep, abiding by their religion because it's been imposed on them by mummy and daddy and, you know, they don't wanna go to hell or anything. They haven't truly put any thought into existential matters.

Getting back to this study, another thought I had was that those who look to alternative ideologies and practices for answers are most likely to be the very people who are already feeling discontent and unhappy with their lives. If they were satisfied with traditional religion and so-called normal society, perhaps they wouldn't be exploring "trendy spiritualism" and all this alternative stuff in the first place. Hey, if we NR members were content with normal life, happy to go along with society and be part of the herd, would we be here looking for answers? No. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that the "trendy spiritualism" may not be the cause of their unhappiness, but rather that they are already unhappy and are looking for solutions in unconventional places. The fact that doing these things has not brought them happiness does not mean that going back to religion would solve their problems, either.

Something else that bugs me is the quote "How can one change society if one is focused on oneself?" Apparently some people think that an interest in personal development or spiritual growth is selfish. I guess it depends on the individual's intentions, but I do think that if anyone is seriously hoping to change society or the world for the better, they should start by working on themselves. Spiritual growth doesn't have to mean meditating in isolation 24/7 at the expense of everything else - it can just be trying to improve yourself so that you're better equipped to help others, can't it? The above quote doesn't take this into account.

This whole topic could also lead to deeper questions about how to define happiness, which Matt kind of touched on in his post. I have a theory that the majority of people are not truly happy on the inside, despite appearances - most of them have existential questions & doubts which they haven't found answers to, or they think that satisfaction is just around the corner if only they can accumulate more material wealth, or they just feel that true happiness eludes them somehow. I think all this relates to Buddhism and the whole "life is suffering" thing... I can tell I'm going way off on a tangent though, so yeah. I suppose the bottom line is: happiness comes from YOU, not from your religion or any other alternative philosophies.

What do they really mean by self-focused spiritualism? Is it New Age? Or being practicing spirituality? Because before I practiced spirituality, I was a confused, depress person who also had a confusion of beliefs and atheism and such. Spirituality greatly improved my physical/emotional/ect. health. Because of that - I'm not going to have a religion, no sir. Inaccurate systematics of beliefs that usually contradicts with my knowledge. It's better to strengthen self to the truth rather be ignorant to the truth. This reminds me: Ignorance is bliss.

For me.. Truth over happiness...

This study reminds me of the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas, "Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed."  Perhaps the "unhappiness" being reported is the effect of younger people actually finding the truth.

Thats FINE with ME. I will choose to be depressed and miserable rather than believe in a fairy tell. Im going to hell for saying that oh no. F_U_C_K YOU Religion

I guess if I had to choose living next door to a Southern Baptist or a hostile person who cursed a lot I'd choose the Baptist.  Atheism is very trendy but the freethinkers I know don't do a lot of cussing.  Hatred only fuels the pro-apocolyptic movement and that makes me unhappy.

Do you believe "New Agey" movements are causing mental harm, or rather that those who have experienced some degree of life-changing psychological states (depression, psychosis) are seeking out things "outside the box"? What came first, the chicken or the egg?
Also, "trendy spiritualism" may be referring to The Secret, etc. It's not exactly clear on what these "fringe walkers" are reading, yet the Law of Attraction can reap some definite dead-ends without the Law of Service.
Haha, I love that quote "How can one change society if one is focused on oneself?"
Well, one can change society with an extreme focus on oneself...think most politicians. This paradoxical conclusion falls flat once you inflate it.
Spiritual change and awareness must be grounded in the world, in your relationships, in how you speak, feel and act. To borrow from my limited understanding of Steiner, it's through the synthesis of Ahriman and Lucifer that one arrives upon the Christ.
However, it does mention some key points: that this can lead to isolation, poorer relationships, etc. Yet perhaps this is a lesson in patience and acceptance, and eventually, a catalyst to seek out those of similar resonance in more meaningful relationships.