I don't know which two of the three fantasies you say preceded the New Age.  I only know what I read in the article.  If you like I can find the relevant parts and post them for you in a couple of days (when I get back to Victoria which I have to leave this afternoon again). 

But what you're calling "many hours of interest" looks a lot like confusion, even fear and paranoia for many.  Yes, some people will fall for all sorts of things but that doesn't excuse the purveyors of the nonsense, as you put it.  And I'd hardly call it an act of humanitarianism to trick people just because the trickees seem to like the excitement.  I'm surprised that you would.