Yeah, I know exactly what you’re talking about … my family and their friends — writers, artists, musicians, filmmakers, actors, dancers, etc.

Unfortunately, round about 1981/82, two of them decided, after a trip to India … to find themselves (because the money just wasn’t spiritually satisfying on its own and they needed an excuse that would make them feel good about being self-absorbed and spiritually vacuous) … to become followers of a guru ¹.

And, as a result, I got to know the overprivileged, overpaid, self-satisfied New Age crowd far more intimately than any sane person ever needs to — I lived in North London in the early 1980s … there were a lot of them about.

Someone once, rather witheringly, observed that NW1 (the London postcode) was a state of mind rather than a place — I had to correct her … because, as anyone who knew the area was aware, it was more of an état d’esprit ³.

The late 1980s to early1990s were good: Rave was a different animal … the bastard offspring of the Flower Power movement and the Punks — we don’t need your permission, we don’t need a venue, we don’t need any instruments, just nice people and good music … less shit-chatting and more dancing.

The late 1990s to early 2000s were very similar.

The late 2000s to early 2010s were kinda similar, but there was a lot of New Age creep into it — you had to put up with the bastard offspring of the Yuppies elbowing their way onto the scene, with their crystals and dreamcatchers, chai and namastes.

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¹ Tossers! ²

² The original ‘me’ generation.

³ Which tells you all you need to know about the people in question — fucking pseuds, the lot of them.