The New New Age

There was an ad for a psychic phone line on the radio yesterday. When was the last time you heard one of those? Aside from the obvious stupidity --- if they were any good, they’d just call me instead of wasting money on marketing --- the thought occurs that we may be undergoing a navel-gazing resurgence of the New Age-y 90s. No, dear, I don’t care what it said in your history books, the 60s don’t count. That was a fashion statement. The 80s were a do-over. The New Age came of age in the 90s.

Look around. We’re increasingly inundated with predictions and forecasting. Sure, a lot of it involves politics and/or economics, but the mindset is there. Suddenly it’s supposed to be possible for some people to see the future. It doesn’t matter if they use a computer program or a Ouija board, it still ain’t gonna happen.

With Warren Buffett retiring soon, who’s to say he won’t be replaced by an old woman with too much silver and turquoise jewelry and a dreamcatcher hanging from her rear view mirror? Even though I’m tired of those old bumper stickers, I’d put her “I Ching” coins up against Wall Street any day.