Whose attracted to NAM's Flashcards
Those seeking self-improvement
Unlike other NRM’s, the NAM’s do not appeal to the underprivileged and deprived groups of society. In contrast, NAM’s appeal to those who are looking for success in society eg.
Heelas suggests that NAM’s appeal to more affluent, university-educated, and generally successful middle class groups, whose members nonetheless find something missing in their lives. They seek techniques to recapture their inner selves, and they also have money to pay for the services on offer. These people have multiple roles and so are liable to lose a sense of their true identity in modern society. NAM’s help to restore this identity
Therefore, those “with prior experience of self-examination, self-inspection and self-expression” are more attracted to NAM’s (Bruce). They are as close to systems of counselling and psychotherapy as they are to religion. They are seeking self-improvement and see spiritual perfection as an extension of this need. In the Postmodern Age society has brought about a ‘crisis of meaning’ for some individuals and they are concerned about the lack of satisfaction and fulfilment in their lives. People who join NAM’s for personal success are called ‘New Age professionals’ by Heelas.
Women
NAM’s give women greater freedom as New Age emphasises the power of the ‘self’ as opposed to religions that seek to control women through its rules of worship and laws of behaviour. Therefore, women may be attracted to New Age because they are offered greater freedom
Bruce found New Agers are more likely to be women than men and more likely to be middle class, as these women had both the money and time to engage in New Age activities. It is mainly (although not exclusively) involved with the promotion of a personal notion of “self - improvement”
NAM’s are viewed as being more feminine. This is because historically, where concepts of Nature have been employed; the role of women (as Earth Mothers, spiritual healers and so forth) has tended to be seen in terms of their “essential femininity”; - more attuned to the supposed natural rhythms of life and so forth. Thus, within New Age Movements, women tend to be afforded a much higher status than men which is one reason that explains higher female involvement.
Those who feel spiritually deprived
Weber argues that because the world has become more rational, or planned and predictable, the spiritual, magical and mystical elements of life have all but disappeared.
Many churches and denominations have watered down their beliefs to fit in with a more secular world, and tend to focus on worldly issues such as poverty rather than spiritual matters.
Giddens said that this lack of spiritual meaning in traditional religions has led many people to find comfort and a sense of community in smaller, NAM groups. The appeal of NAM’s is that they make the world a more exciting place to live in and they give people the opportunity to remystify their lives.
Wallis also uses the concept of spiritual deprivation to explain how affluent, successful people may feel spiritually deprived in a world they see as too materialistic, lonely and impersonal.
