--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The new age self-help phenomenon is…" description: "\"The new age self-help phenomenon is pretty mushy, but it's also very American. Our history is filled with traveling preachers and quack medicine and se..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/james-hillman-2336_age_the-new-age-self-help-phenomenon-is-pret_1373954.png" --- # The new age self-help phenomenon is pretty mushy, but it's… ![“The new age self-help phenomenon is pretty mushy, but it's also very American. Our history is filled with traveling preachers and quack medicine and searches for the soul. I don't see this as a new thing. I think the new age is part of a phenomenon that's been there all along.” quote by James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/james-hillman-2336_age_the-new-age-self-help-phenomenon-is-pret_1373954.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/james-hillman-2336_age_the-new-age-self-help-phenomenon-is-pret_1373954.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/james-hillman-2336_age_the-new-age-self-help-phenomenon-is-pret_1373954.png) > “The new age self-help phenomenon is pretty mushy, but it's also very American. Our history is filled with traveling preachers and quack medicine and searches for the soul. I don't see this as a new thing. I think the new age is part of a phenomenon that's been there all along.” [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques modern self‑help as a continuation of long‑standing American traditions of charismatic healing and spiritual seeking. **In simple terms:** New age self‑help repeats historic American spiritual trends. Key Takeaway Recognize patterns in contemporary wellness culture. Themes culture spirituality history psychology Mood critical analytical Type observational critical When to use this quote - marketing wellness products - personal development seminars - media analysis - academic research Key Concepts Americanism charismatic healing self‑help industry Questions to Reflect On - How does history shape today’s self‑help trends? - What distinguishes genuine healing from hype? A Different Perspective It may overlook genuine benefits of modern practices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Age Phenomenon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age-phenomenon-3080614/) [Filled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filled/) [Help Phenomenon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-phenomenon-4738346/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [New age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-age/) [New thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-thing/) [New things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-things/) [Phenomenon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phenomenon/) [Preacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preacher/) [Quacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quacks/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-help/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Think New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-new/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Yet there's something ominous about turning sixty-five. 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That is the new question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadina-boun/to-think-or-not-to-think-that-is-the-new-question/) [Nadina Boun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadina-boun/) > [We do not think ourselves into new ways of living, we live ourselves into new ways of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/we-do-not-think-ourselves-into-new-ways-of-living-we-live-ourselves/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [Culture and tradition have to change little by little. So 'new' means a little twist, a marriage of Japanese technique with French ingredients. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaharu-morimoto/culture-and-tradition-have-to-change-little-by-little-so-new-means-a/) [Masaharu Morimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaharu-morimoto/) > [“Think of a new day and think of a new purpose. Think of a new reason out of the reasons of yesterday. 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As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/each-life-is-formed-by-its-unique-image-an-image-that-is-the-essence/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [Fear is a huge thing for older people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/fear-is-a-huge-thing-for-older-people/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [It's a terrible cruelty of predatory capitalism: both parents now have to work. A family has to have two incomes in order to buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/it-s-a-terrible-cruelty-of-predatory-capitalism-both-parents-now-have/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [You know, people come to therapy really for a blessing. 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So I'm a victim again. A result.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/i-m-the-result-of-upbringing-class-race-gender-social-prejudices-and/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [There is more in a human life than our theories of it allow. Sooner or later something seems to call us onto a particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/there-is-more-in-a-human-life-than-our-theories-of-it-allow-sooner-or/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [Depression opens the door to beauty of some kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/depression-opens-the-door-to-beauty-of-some-kind/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [The idea of death robs inquiry of its passionate vitality and empties our efforts of their purpose by coming to one predestined conclusion, death.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/the-idea-of-death-robs-inquiry-of-its-passionate-vitality-and-empties/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [I'm in favor of destruction, aggression, hating things. Not bearing things anymore. 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That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The new age self-help phenomenon is pretty mushy, but it's also very American. Our history is filled with traveling preachers and quack medicine and searches for the soul. I don't see this as a new thing. 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