New Age and Atlantis

[The Bookwyrm]

I'm not entirely sure why, but the other day at work my mind skipped back to a book I had been given last year on crystals. I was thrilled, hoping that I had found a good source book on making the most out of my crystals. The author seemd very knowledgable, and very enthused about what he was writing, giving a history of crystal use that dated back to Atlantis. This was when I started to ask questions about his credability. When he claimed, with authority, that there had been flying machines on the island powered by quartz crystals, I laughed hysterically and have not looked at the book since.

There seems to be a real trend, in both the New Age and Metaphysical movements to tie information, practices, etc. back to Atlantis, surely to try and connect with the mystic aura of the place. I'm not here to argue whether or not the island exsisted; I'm quite certain it did, once upon a time. But it always seems to smack of a scam to see books making claims to reveal the hidden practices of Lost Atlantis, or to see "psychics" telling clients they have a spirit guide from Atlantis who aids them in their readings. Riiiiight... I hope you'll pardon my skepticism, but how can these claims be legitimate?

Because we really have no clear idea of what Atlantis was like, we can neither prove nor disprove many of the claims that arise, whether they're rather mundane or truely fantastic. The question of matter, however, lies in how these people find a market! Is the general public really so easily swayed, or are people so desperate to believe and connect their beliefs and practices to something viable?  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

The way I see it, Atlantis is an aspiration, kind of like Faerie (Gods, I'm quoting neil Gaiman again). It doesn't exist to us in the way that the computer in front of me exists. it's something to strive for. it represents magical wisdom and accomplishment. You can never get to Atlantis, or what the Atlanteans achieved, but you can damn well try.  

[The Bookwyrm]

Nihilistic Seraph

The way I see it, Atlantis is an aspiration, kind of like Faerie (Gods, I'm quoting neil Gaiman again). It doesn't exist to us in the way that the computer in front of me exists. it's something to strive for. it represents magical wisdom and accomplishment. You can never get to Atlantis, or what the Atlanteans achieved, but you can damn well try.

I can certainly see how it's an ideal to strive for, but it's very rarely put forward in such a way. I just seem to have have a real problem with something so uncertain and it being marketed as a certainty (as in we know they had flying machines powered by crystals, etc). Hypothosizing is fine; I think it would be wonderful tos it down and try to figure out what this society was like. But I don't think it's the place for metaphysical "researchers" to step forward beyond perhaps more credable researchers and tell what is and is not a definate when there's absolutely no evidence except for a few diluted legends.  

[WebenBanu]

I'm with you there- my usual attitude is that if someone honestly believes in something, then whether it is ultimately Real or not is a lesser issue. Clearly, it's real for them, and is a real influence in their lives. But even I laugh inwardly when people start making such claims about Atlantis. Atlantis is a buzzword for catching people who so desperately want to be "in the know," that they don't stop to think.  

[The Bookwyrm]

WebenBanu

I'm with you there- my usual attitude is that if someone honestly believes in something, then whether it is ultimately Real or not is a lesser issue. Clearly, it's real for them, and is a real influence in their lives. But even I laugh inwardly when people start making such claims about Atlantis. Atlantis is a buzzword for catching people who so desperately want to be "in the know," that they don't stop to think.

You put that so much more succinctly than I did. Thank you. ^^  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

I could also put forwards that there are groundhogs underneath my house that have formed a super-intellingent society because of mutations from the chlorine in my pool, and no-one could gainsay it, because there's really no way to. (Well, besides digging it up, but that wouldn't work because the groundhogs don't like people, and can see into the fututre so would simply move on and disguise all traces of their once being there. I'm taking a large risk just saying this).  

[WebenBanu]

Nihilistic Seraph

I could also put forwards that there are groundhogs underneath my house that have formed a super-intellingent society because of mutations from the chlorine in my pool, and no-one could gainsay it, because there's really no way to. (Well, besides digging it up, but that wouldn't work because the groundhogs don't like people, and can see into the fututre so would simply move on and disguise all traces of their once being there. I'm taking a large risk just saying this).

Wow, that's amazing Seraph! You should open up a hotline so that people can ask them about difficult life issues! O_O  

[Cosmic Space Orange]

i am suddenly compeled to watch Stargate Atlantis  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

WebenBanu

Nihilistic Seraph

I could also put forwards that there are groundhogs underneath my house that have formed a super-intellingent society because of mutations from the chlorine in my pool, and no-one could gainsay it, because there's really no way to. (Well, besides digging it up, but that wouldn't work because the groundhogs don't like people, and can see into the fututre so would simply move on and disguise all traces of their once being there. I'm taking a large risk just saying this).

Wow, that's amazing Seraph! You should open up a hotline so that people can ask them about difficult life issues! O_O

You can see me at three in the morning on the most obscure channel there is!! surprised  

[The Bookwyrm]

Nihilistic Seraph

WebenBanu

Nihilistic Seraph

I could also put forwards that there are groundhogs underneath my house that have formed a super-intellingent society because of mutations from the chlorine in my pool, and no-one could gainsay it, because there's really no way to. (Well, besides digging it up, but that wouldn't work because the groundhogs don't like people, and can see into the fututre so would simply move on and disguise all traces of their once being there. I'm taking a large risk just saying this).

Wow, that's amazing Seraph! You should open up a hotline so that people can ask them about difficult life issues! O_O

You can see me at three in the morning on the most obscure channel there is!! surprised

Man, get out of the TV racket and take your show on the road! If your groundhogs have healing powers, they might out do the crystal skulls, and you'd make a fortune. Which, of course, you could split with your furry companions to fund the building of a massive deathray with which to wipe out the human menace and add the above ground to their kingdom. blaugh  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

Perhaps. But the only way to insinuate myself into the groundhog society would be to proclaim myself the messiah, and change dandelion roots into fresh grubs...Hmm, I'll need to work on my sleight of hand...  

[Jameta]

...Going back to the serious issue, I feel the "real" Atlantis is the island of the Minoans(? Or some people like that) or in that vicinity. Granted, I doubt they had all the technological advances people claim today, but they may have well been ahead of their time. They were a major trade center, and thereby would have access to different perspectives, ideas, materials, etc., etc.

The mythological concept is extraordinary, though, and the concept may well evoke something deeper in various individuals.

I'm more of a 'solid ground' person, myself, though.  

[The Bookwyrm]

Jameta

I'm more of a 'solid ground' person, myself, though.

I can definately understand that. It's one thing to put your belief in something, and quite another to do so blindly.  

[Jameta]

Gypsy Blue

Jameta

I''m more of a ''solid ground'' person, myself, though.

I can definately understand that. It''s one thing to put your belief in something, and quite another to do so blindly.

No, really, I like keeping my feet on the ground. o_O

I''m just kidding, I know what you mean. razz  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

Jameta

Gypsy Blue

Jameta

I''m more of a ''solid ground'' person, myself, though.

I can definately understand that. It''s one thing to put your belief in something, and quite another to do so blindly.

No, really, I like keeping my feet on the ground. o_O

I''m just kidding, I know what you mean. razz

xp No airplanes for Jameta...

I'm sure I heard somewhere that there were ruins found off the coast of....Greece? No, not Greece....I can't remember.

Anyway, ruins of a civilization that was thought to be lost after volcanic activity sunk it.