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Patrick O'Neil's avatar

I'm still chary of accepting the idea of Wokeism as a religion--we should have a conversation about what sets religion apart from ideology, if anything. That said, the idea that Wokeism is a form of magic is more compelling, complete with ritual activities and incantations that can open up a space for an imagined liberation, freedom and re-invention. And of course for those in power, acting as sages and magi helps maintain order. I wonder if there is a parallel with the devolution of QAnon into notions of the resurrection of JFK--at the end of ideology on the left and right, there is only incantation and the belief in overcoming mere flesh.

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Sunshine's avatar

I have followed the writings of Adrian Pabst quite closely over the years. He has long been associated with an English grouping called Radical Orthodoxy, largely led by the theologians John Milbank and Catherine Pickstock--all interested in developing a more post-secular politics.

In contrast to many post-liberals favoring a powerful centralized state, Pabst appears to support a type of more decentralized, largely locally based politics rooted in particular places and people, perhaps not too different from the emerging perspective of Paul Kingsnorth. In fact Pabst has

recently argued that what he calls the Western-market-state is now morphing into a Beijing style state-market.

Pabst has also done deep dives into the philosophic assumptions behind liberalism and i believe he will continue to be an extremely valuable source for insights into that doctrine as well as the potential revival of political theology.

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N.S. Lyons's avatar

Thanks, that's interesting. I'm definitely planning to read his book once I can get to it. And definitely true on the convergence toward Beijing style-market state; that's another topic that's on the list.

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MarkS's avatar

Hmm ... my personal observation is that interest in the occult is significantly DOWN from what it was in, say, the 1970s, when pyramid power was everywhere: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_power

Greer's thesis seems like one of those many that sounds vaguely plausible but has no actual data to back it up.

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N.S. Lyons's avatar

I have no hard data whatsoever, but in my experience the number of people I know or know of identifying as witches (or similar) has really taken off (especially after 2016, when it seemed to merge vaguely with the overall anti-Trump resistance). Whether it's as high as the 1960s and 70s, when activists vowed to levitate the Pentagon with their psychic powers, I have no idea.

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MarkS's avatar

And TM and the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi! (Sorry, it's all coming back to me.) I had an ex-girlfriend who was utterly convinced that she could levitate herself while meditating.

Anyway, whatever Dire Consequence is supposed to follow a rise in belief in magic, it didn't happen then ...

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