At first glance, the serene optimism of New Age spirituality and the combative rhetoric of populist politics seem to inhabit different worlds. One offers crystal healing, mindfulness, and “manifesting abundance.” The other rallies against elites, fuels cultural grievance, and promises to “take back control.” Yet in the volatile social climate of the early 21st century, these movements have begun to merge — creating a hybrid ideology where self-care meets conspiracy and personal freedom becomes political defiance.
The Rise of New Age Idealism in the Time of Populism examines this unlikely convergence, revealing how deep distrust of institutions, the elevation of personal sovereignty over collective responsibility, and the search for alternative narratives unite them. Through vivid case studies — from yoga influencers sharing QAnon content to wellness coaches reframing vaccine refusal as “spiritual sovereignty” — the book explores the shared emotional logic and digital ecosystems driving this alliance.
Combining cultural analysis with on-the-ground observation, Andrew MacCallum traces how both currents valorise “experiential truth,” exploit the economics of online attention, and thrive in an era of political polarisation and information chaos. The result is a compelling portrait of a new cultural force — one that offers belonging and empowerment to its adherents, while raising urgent questions about democracy, public health, and the future of civic life.
The Rise of New Age Idealism in the Time of Populism
Andrew MacCallum