Editing New Age (section)

===Approaches to financial prosperity and business===
A number of New Age proponents have emphasised the use of spiritual techniques as a tool for attaining financial prosperity, thus moving the movement away from its counter-cultural origins.{{sfn|Heelas|1996|pp=60–62}} Commenting on this "New Age capitalism", Hess observed that it was largely small-scale and entrepreneurial, focused around small companies run by members of the [[petite bourgeoisie]], rather than being dominated by large scale multinational corporations.{{sfn|Hess|1993|p=38}} The links between New Age and commercial products have resulted in the accusation that New Age itself is little more than a manifestation of [[consumerism]].{{sfn|Heelas|2006|p=6}} This idea is generally rejected by New Age participants, who often reject any link between their practices and consumerist activities.{{sfn|Heelas|2006|p=85}}

Embracing this attitude, various books have been published espousing such an ethos, established New Age centres have held spiritual retreats and classes aimed specifically at business people, and New Age groups have developed specialised training for businesses.{{sfn|Heelas|1996|pp=62–65}} During the 1980s, many U.S. corporations—among them [[IBM]], [[AT&T]], and [[General Motors]]—embraced New Age seminars, hoping that they could increase productivity and efficiency among their workforce,{{sfn|Rupert|1992|p=127}} although in several cases this resulted in employees bringing legal action against their employers, saying that such seminars had infringed on their religious beliefs or damaged their psychological health.{{sfn|Rupert|1992|p=133}} However, the use of spiritual techniques as a method for attaining [[Profit (economics)|profit]] has been an issue of major dispute within the wider New Age movement,{{sfnm|1a1=Melton|1y=1992|1p=23|2a1=Heelas|2y=1996|2p=86}} with New Agers such as Spangler and [[Matthew Fox (priest)|Matthew Fox]] criticising what they see as trends within the community that are narcissistic and lack a social conscience.{{sfn|Hanegraaff|1996|pp=358–361}} In particular, the movement's commercial elements have caused problems given that they often conflict with its general economically egalitarian ethos; as York highlighted, "a tension exists in New Age between socialistic egalitarianism and capitalistic private enterprise".{{sfn|York|1995|p=40}}

Given that it encourages individuals to choose [[spiritual practices]] on the grounds of personal preference and thus encourages them to behave as a consumer, the New Age has been considered to be well suited to modern society.{{sfn|Partridge|2004|p=34}}