Editing New Age (section)

===Popular media===

Mainstream periodicals tended to be less than sympathetic; sociologist Paul Ray and psychologist Sherry Anderson discussed in their 2000 book ''[[The Cultural Creatives]]'', what they called the media's "zest for attacking" New Age ideas, and offered the example of a 1996 [[Lance Morrow]] essay in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine.{{sfnp|Ray|Anderson|2000|pp=188–189}} Nearly a decade earlier, ''Time'' had run a long cover story critical of New Age culture; the cover featured a headshot of a famous actress beside the headline, "'''Om....''' THE NEW AGE starring Shirley MacLaine, faith healers, channelers, space travelers, and crystals galore".<ref>''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine (7 December 1987), vol. 130, issue no. 23, front cover.</ref>  The story itself, by former ''[[The Saturday Evening Post|Saturday Evening Post]]'' editor [[Otto Friedrich]], was sub-titled, "A Strange Mix of Spirituality and Superstition Is Sweeping Across the Country".<ref>Friedrich, Otto (7 December 1987).  "New Age Harmonies".  ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine, vol. 130, issue no. 23, pp.&nbsp;62–66.</ref>  In 1988, the magazine ''[[The New Republic]]'' ran a four-page critique of New Age culture and politics by a journalist [[Richard Bradley (writer)|Richard Blow]] entitled simply, "Moronic Convergence".<ref>Blow, Richard (25 January 1988).  "Moronic Convergence".  ''[[The New Republic]]'', pp.&nbsp;24–27.</ref>

Some New Agers and New Age sympathizers responded to such criticisms.  For example, sympathizers Ray and Anderson said that much of it was an attempt to "stereotype" the movement for idealistic and spiritual change, and to cut back on its popularity.{{sfnp|Ray|Anderson|2000|pp=188–189}} New Age theoretician David Spangler tried to distance himself from what he called the "New Age glamour" of crystals, talk-show channelers, and other easily commercialized phenomena, and sought to underscore his commitment to the New Age as a vision of genuine social transformation.{{sfnp|Hanegraaff|1996|pp=104–105}}