The Insights' implied politics explain the book's appeal. Deep in the pristine Peruvian rain forests, the yuppie discovers that these "ancient" manuscripts recorded by indigenous Third World peoples confirm every prejudice of aging liberal Boomers — and offer comfort for their waning youth!
Characters range in age from 30s-50s. (Boomer demographics, when the book was first released). Couples usually comprise older women, younger men. Nothing wrong with that, except that its consistency appears calculated. Everything about The Celestine Prophecy appears calculated to please Boomers — especially Boomer women. Our yuppie meets no conventional Cosmo beauties, yet every woman in the book is unfailingly attractive. These older women remain beautiful because of their spiritual glow. Literally. Everything emits an aura, which can be seen by staring hard enough. But only progressive, creative, personally fulfilled people glow nicely, not the repressed or mean-spirited. Luckily for these ladies, they are all smart, self-actualized, career gals. You just know that none ever ever did anything so self-defacing as bake cookies or vote Republican.
In short, the book paints a future in which physical beauty is determined by one's opinions and lifestyles. An aura's brightness and colors are directly proportional to one's politics and behavior. The more progressive your thoughts, the more you recycle for a clean environment, the more attractive your glow. What a solace to aging liberal women, to know that they shall one day outshine their younger, more conservative sisters.
Remember how the universe is all energy? Well, the Insights also teach that children need energy growing up — for that healthy glow! So people shouldn't have more children than they can energize — which is achieved by looking at children "with regard". One to zero child per couple is ideal. Good for the child, and good for the planet.
Typical of Redfield's loopily unrealistic characters: a fortysomething Peruvian peasant with only one child, which she bore in her late 30s, by a younger husband. (Finally, an indigenous Third World peasant that American feminists can identify with!)
More good news from these "ancient" Insights. It's unimportant that a child be raised by his own parent(s), only that he be raised by at least one caregiver committed to focusing all of his or her energy (literally) onto that child. Welcome news to single parents who deposit their kids at daycare.
Article comments
1 - Sarah eg.
A beautiful, incredible and amazing review! Funny as heck, too. Thanks for the spiritual insights.
2 - Chari
Hysterical review.
3 - CD
Great review. I'm an archaeologist working in the Andes so I've had a bunch of people recommend this book to me. Now I have a general idea of what I'm up against. I'm going to go read it now (at a local New Age bookshop; I can't bring myself to buy it) to see in detail how Redfield's view of Peru's present and prehistory compares to mine.
4 - Darchangels
Its time to deconstruct the new age myth