Well, seems I had forgotten about this little "gem" over the past few years, but I was reminded about it by -- of all things -- a comedy website today: the Indigo, or Crystal, Child. This is a morally and ethically reprehensible idea that shows no real signs of losing ground from what I've seen, as with most bastardized new-age concepts that get pushed as dime store self-help guides.
I was first introduced to the notion of indigo/crystal children while looking into the rhetoric out there about not vaccinating children to avoid inducing autism or some other such rubbish (thankfully the study that led to that was revealed to be fabricated, not that it didn't do considerable damage to the health industry in the meantime), and if I recall correctly, it too was tied into Jenny McCarthy's uninformed, dangerous, and reprehensible attacks on science. Now, I'm relatively open-minded when it comes to this sort of parapsychology, and you could even say that I indulge in it from time to time -- I accept that many forms of psychic phenomena are legitimate and that we sorely lack knowledge in non-physical areas of the world (certainly, we have not yet proven beyond a shadow of doubt that these phenomena exist, but we can't conclusively disprove them, either -- until such a time, I choose to err on the side of the believer in general, but largely out of guarded optimism).
For those of you fortunate enough to have avoided being exposed to this tripe, have a look if you'd like: Here. You'll note quite quickly that most of these traits listed are signs of acute egocentricism (the inability to view the world from another's perspective and an inflated sense of self importance common in young children) and other social or behavioral disorders. Treating those personality traits as something special to be cultivated, rather than as potential symptoms that should be treated with behavioral or medicinal measures is immensely irresponsible. A child that rejects authority can be taught to understand that sometimes "Because I said so" is a perfectly acceptable reason (ie, when your boss asks you to do something, or when confronted by someone who may cause you physical harm if you don't listen). A child that is taught that rejecting authority (just, proper authority, that is -- I'm not advocating going along with anything detrimental or destructive here) is acceptable, however, becomes a risk for defiant, confrontational behavior as he never learns appropriate and inappropriate times to question authority. Matters of ego go hand in hand with this. With no one stepping in to force them to question whether they really are this "higher state of humanity" or not, a child's ego can grow to immense proportions and interfere with their ability to handle failure, rejection, and any number of other negative scenarios down the line.
It's natural to want to believe in the potential of humanity to do amazing things, and while it is true that some of the more forward thinking people in history have had -- to be diplomatic -- difficulties truly relating to others, assuming that every child who separates themselves from others will be something great is just outright foolishness. This is especially true when we look at our own offspring. We all want to assume that our genetic material is destined for greatness, and when we see a child so quick to question authority and challenge the world around them, it's easy to get lost in that assumption. There is a certain perception that if we aren't extraordinary, then we aren't worthwhile -- we become very forgiving of our faults if we see them as an opportunity to latch onto greatness. That's all that this "Indigo Child" concept is. At it's core, it is an attempt to redefine greatness to suit the reality of human flaws. The intent is noble enough, but the execution is all wrong. Nurturing and fostering this behavior is detrimental not only to the child, but to the society that will then have to deal with them.
As much as I support the exploration of psychic/spiritualistic concepts, this is one that I simply cannot condone. We should be fostering and nurturing the components of the human psyche that encourage growth and community, particularly as it concerns those youths who lack the innate sense of empathy and understanding to naturally integrate into society as equals.
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