I posted this here:
http://thetaobums.com/topic/30749-bias-against-new-age/?p=459867
I thought maybe it could be added to, helping others along the way.
Once something makes progress, someone exploits it to make financial gain.
Then it gets taken to other levels, to make it appear new, different, to repackage it and resell it again.
A good amount of the populace need to be held by the hand by some type of leader, and because they have been conditioned to feel worthless, will adopt someone, anyone, who stands up.
Naivety is a rich source to exploit for financial gain.
Religion has done this for so long, so now, other avenues were created.
Gurus, swamis,, etc, and selling kundalini, shaktipat, 56 flavours of Baskins & Robbins yoga and pretty shiny crystals with incence and tamborines.