Winding down my read of Global Brain. What an excellent piece of writing. Even though it got long at times it’s still worth it. I would try to force it on Athena but she still hasn’t touched my copy of The World is Flat. Chapter 19, The Kidnap of Mass Mind: Fundamentalism, Spartanism, and the Games Subcultures Play 1932 to 2030, alone make the book worthwhile. I found this little nugget in the above mentioned chapter.
Postmodern fundamentalists are masters at the craft of enemy creation and the manufacture of a siege mentality. Their world abounds in villains – one-worlders with black helicopters, Satanic secular humanists, Beelzububian New Agers, homosexual conspirators, Zionist bankers, Illuminati, Trilateral commissioners, Great Satans, real estate developers, mink farmers, abortionists, and genetic engineers. Bringing the sense of battle to a fever pitch is the myth that we are on the brink of the mother of all subculture wars, that of the final days in which an avenging Nature, Allah, or Jehovah will wipe this old, iniquitous world away. The impure and unbelieving (that means you and me) will die in manners horrible to contemplate. When all is stripped and cleansed through nuclear flame, greenhouse flood, or the bloodbath of the scimitar, the righteous will finally take their place at the right hand of God, of Nature, or of racial destiny.”
One of the interesting things about the book is that it was published in 2000; well before our national venture into international conflict and its resulting attendant dysfunctionality. Bloom illustrates how an ancient concept like vilification is getting a facelift to keep pace with our changing culture, but the underlying bone structure remains the same. The book is much more wide-ranging than the above quote. Well worth the time if you feel like doing some intellectual fine dining.
Ares
1 comment:
Ares, all fanatics are dangerous. The global warming -animal rights people scare me to death. Do you remember a story years ago when the marines were kept from cleaning up leaking napalm barrels because an endangered rodent had made nests under them? There is a group who thinks a zoo born polar bear should be killed because it is being raised by humans because it's mom rejected him. It won't grow up to be a real bear if it is raised by humans.
My particular sect of faith is considered fundamentalist. There are things to do and things not to do. Among them are drinking and smoking. Being a recovering alcoholic, this was a great fit for me. The sect has evolved some, we have changed some of the rules to reflect the trust in the sect members to make the right decisions. I haven't been bothered too much by the "rules" because I could see the reason for most of them and realized early on that pierced ears were outward signs and the real changes or non changes were on the inside.
I also saw the love the people had for one another. As one of "Marge's Kids" I had room to be different and learn to be what I was and where I fit.
My mission is to love them and let God, Nature, Allah and Jehovah sort them out.
I hope it is love and acceptance people feel from me. I do outreach to drug users and alcohlics as part of my fit. We all need to do what we can.
I know you and Athena have a commitment to be the best you can be and to help others along the way.
To me, the way to sort out people is to look at what they accomplish, the fruit of their lives so to speak.
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