Interesting article, I haven't even read the whole thing yet and I'm already poking around the rest of that site.
This line stood out:
"At this point the writers would diverge like holiday fireworks, exploding in a hundred directions — every direction except that of debating the original issue using evidence."
This describes a lot of AW threads that end up with the padlock icon (and for the most part we're pretty tame here!).
Interesting article, yes.....but since when does New Age lack plausibility?
Having brushed by the New Age Movement (or having been immersed in it, depeding on exactly what is considered "New Age"), I Consider Myself The Authority On The Movement.
Much of the New Age is based on age-old Eastern religions/philosophies (but often with a dose of Christianity added), and tends to cloud its origins, thus the name "New Age" as if if had new ideas.
New Age is the daiquiri of religions. It'll give you a good buzz, but you won't know what from - with all the sugar and fruit in it you won't even taste the active ingredients.