One thing I've often thought about is the scientific method and reason is a lot like mathematics. It's great for figuring some things out, and it can be used by a priest or a physicist just as effectively, but we'd consider anyone a fool who was trying to use mathematics to figure out why their child is sad or their husband or wife loves them.
Maybe we'd call someone a fool to solve those problems with mathematics, but we'd consider them eminently reasonable to solve those problems with psychiatry, which would potentially offer complete, internally-sound materialistic explanations ("your child has a seratonin deficiency" or "your wife has lots of oxytocin").
The not-incredibly-insane assertion that a materialist, structuralist answer to everything in the observable universe CAN be found is a big reason why huge, monotheistic faiths continue declining in the modern era in developed nations where liberalism is firmly entrenched.
Jul 10, 2022·edited Jul 10, 2022Liked by Rhyd Wildermuth
This is a really cool and incredibly creepy essay/subject matter. I was watching some stuff from the parade shooter the other day, and in one of his videos he talks about "what he has to do" and he sounds elated and terrified and as if he really has no choice - as if he knows he's going to do it without even making a decision. Of course, you can say he was simply losing it and knows it and clearly he was, but it is striking to think back on that video while reading this essay.
That really bizarre and terrifying sense of "clarity" is also very evident in those who decide to kill themselves. It seems a kind of acquiescence or surrender, and it also seems to parallel the odd moment of euphoric peace caused by opiates within the body just at the moment of surrender in death (Peter Grey mentions this--animals create hormones to paralyse themselves when they are being killed or eaten by another animal).
It could all be explained psychologically as a moment where the person has decided to no longer struggle, but of course psychology can never tell us what (or who) that struggle was against...
This comment brings to mind a particularly disturbing experience of watching a starling captured by a sparrowhawk on our garden decking. There was a moment when the small bird stopped struggling and just looked up to the hawk's face. As far as I could tell, there was nothing in that face but yellow intent. Still there was something about the tilt of the starling's beak that looked like it was deliberately surrendering. Like it was saying 'I don't understand why, but OK.' As if it was looking at an enraged parent, not a predator. While the hawk tore chunks out of its chest.
Thinking also about recent conversations with an anthropologist colleague about people we both worked with in Vietnam. There's a word we translate as 'spirit' but a certain goddess-figure is not a spirit because she doesn't eat humans. The tiger is a spirit, though, because it does.
Scary. Though perhaps sitting here finding it scary is just another kind of temptation.
What a great essay. There's a lot here, so I think I'm going to have to reread it later; but thanks for mentioning my piece again.
I like that you mention that this probably doesn't conflict with materialism. I didn't get directly into this, but I personally see no direct conflict at all. Human are incredibly social and our minds are very porous to one another and the world around us. I see no reason to doubt that patterns of neural activation in one person can be spread to others, nor that these patterns will face darwinian selection pressures leading them to develop their own entity-like characteristics.
All that belief in demons necessarily conflicts with is a shallow sort of scientism really.
I particularly like your discussion of shame and the central place that you give it. I have a piece about humility that I mean to write, and you called to mind the deep difference between humility and being humbled.
Thanks for writing your piece. As I mention, I'd been struggling to let myself write about this and subsequent matters and your essay on Demons helped "push" me to do so. :)
Its difficult one to talk about, as you say. I paused and second-guessed a lot more than usual while writing, even though I deliberately wrote 'I am not going to be prudent' at the start of the first draft as a reminder to myself as much as anything else.
The way you wrote that reminded me immediately of Jung's statement in his speech, "Wotan" (which will show up in subsequent essays on this subject):
"We are always convinced that the modern world is a reasonable world, basing our opinion on economic, political, and psychological factors. But if we may forget for a moment that we are living in the year of Our Lord 1936, and, laying aside our well-meaning, all-too-human reasonableness, may burden God or the gods with the responsibility for contemporary events instead of man, we would find Wotan quite suitable as a casual hypothesis."
You are an original and interesting thinker and writer weaving together disparate concepts and viewpoints free from snotty liberal elitism. The scripture that came to mind in response to the genius/eudaemon concepts was “but he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him” 1 Corinthians 6:17. Your reference to Jack Parsons became a quick trip down an interesting rabbit hole. Speaking of the demonic secretly working in high levels - back in the late seventies during a lay over at O’Hare airport I went for a walk outside. As I was going along I felt a wave of what can only be described as Satanic evil strike me from behind. I turned around and walking behind was Henry Kissinger and two bodyguards. I immediately turned right and distanced myself.
Ah, I can imagine! My current life brings me in contact with European politicians for reasons I'm still confounded by, but I've encountered a few who really make you feel a bit ill when you're in their proximity. I know better than to actively try to 'see' what's causing it; it's enough to know it's there and listen to the voice that says, 'hey, not good, get away.'
Related to this, I plan to write soon about the silliness that happened in US neopaganism regarding 'hexing' Trump and Putin, and how really small the magical imaginations are of those who dreamed up these ideas.
According to my tradition Putin and Trump’s proper response to a “hex” is this - “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” Of course part of doing good to those who mistreat you or others is to say no and do the boundary thing, resist evil as that’s the love they need to hear, anger has its place - can be an energy of love - but not vindictiveness or bitterness. Let’s be happy warriors - “You shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace”!
Here’s what’s hilarious: that formula is the easiest way to break a curse or turn the evil eye back onto its user. It’s also extremely effective as a basis of prosperity magic, for instance blessing a manager you don’t like to get a better job elsewhere so you can take their job. Basically win-win.
But another very effective way to be protected from a relatively small group of internet-obsessed Woke urbanite “witches” is to have hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of people praying for your safety every Sunday, which Trump of course had.
So Trump had way more “witches” on his side! This is the request this man “witch” is making that Trump leaves politics and some one like DeSantis take his place if only to lessen the drama and frothing hate Trump elicits on both sides.
As you note, Pope Francis in his discussion of guardian angels, stated: "There is a danger of not going on that journey...And so many people don't know how to make the journey or are afraid of taking risks and they are stalled. But we know that the rule is that those who are stalled in life end up corrupted."
I think the literal fear of taking risks is another powerful factor which must be examined closely and is also a key determinant along with shame and embarrassment of inaction and hesitation or as you put it so wonderfully a"constipation" of the will, potentially leading to ressentiment.
Not too long ago (I'm an old guy) I was literally afraid to first sit or lay on the ground to begin some exercise routines because I feared not being able to get up, along with then imagining feeling embarrassed by such a potential occurrence. One day I just said "to hell with it" and laid on the floor and experienced a tear of relief that I hadn't disappeared from the face of the earth!--and then continued on with my floor exercises.
As you also said "sometimes we don't want to do really hard things... yet " we also want to feel better and more alive than we currently feel." And for me it was precisely in that contradiction where what we call fear as well as shame and embarrassment arises and must be confronted.
The work/writing you are doing on ressentiment is so, so important especially since the external social conditions which contribute to its explosion also seem to be accelerating.
I like this a lot, and it's definitely true. The utter terror I felt about going to a gym the very first time in hindsight was ridiculous, but it was enough to stymie me for a long time. It's so simple once you get past that, but it's super hard to get to that point.
My suspicion is that people are becoming more aware of mass formations in general because they are happening more frequently, and egregores are a useful framework for understanding them.
It is perhaps worth pointing out, with regards to the implications of the Gospel, that a significant change happened at the cross. Prior to that the accuser claims, at least, to have some authority (Matthew 4:9). But after Christs work was finished the authority is said to have changed hands (Matthew 28:18, Colossians 2:15). The implications of this are far deeper than most assume. Beneath every sinful deed is a temptation, and beneath every temptation is a lie - often buried deep in the subconscious.
With respect to spirits - the ideas associated with this, as you described, have unfortunately yet to be separated from the midlevel understanding of ghostly entities. The German word (which Luther used) is "Geist," which directly translates to ghosts (hence "Holy Ghost"). Consider this word in a different context, as part of "Zeitgeist," for example - which means "spirit of the age," and you'll find a very different perspective. For example the spirit of the age we're in, many would say, is the spirit of relentless progress.
This is not a matter, when done correctly, of "de-mythologizing," but rather of distilling the archetypal truths the myths were designed to reveal. The worshippers of Hermes (my favorite member of the Pantheon), for example, related to his "spirit" of wisdom; of hidden knowledge (hermetically sealed); of self-sufficiency (Hermit), of commerce and of guidance - among other things (mischief, anyone?). All of these traits are worshipped just as much today - though we have lost touch with the stories which for so long have helped us avoid the pitfalls of these inclinations.
If I keep on much longer I may have to write an essay of my own, so I'll leave you with one last thought. The key which unlocks shame is, counterintuitively, to embrace it. What leverage does that leave for the trolls?
For this we have the best of all imaginable examples:
Thanks for the kind words. :)
One thing I've often thought about is the scientific method and reason is a lot like mathematics. It's great for figuring some things out, and it can be used by a priest or a physicist just as effectively, but we'd consider anyone a fool who was trying to use mathematics to figure out why their child is sad or their husband or wife loves them.
Not so fast.
Maybe we'd call someone a fool to solve those problems with mathematics, but we'd consider them eminently reasonable to solve those problems with psychiatry, which would potentially offer complete, internally-sound materialistic explanations ("your child has a seratonin deficiency" or "your wife has lots of oxytocin").
The not-incredibly-insane assertion that a materialist, structuralist answer to everything in the observable universe CAN be found is a big reason why huge, monotheistic faiths continue declining in the modern era in developed nations where liberalism is firmly entrenched.
This is a really cool and incredibly creepy essay/subject matter. I was watching some stuff from the parade shooter the other day, and in one of his videos he talks about "what he has to do" and he sounds elated and terrified and as if he really has no choice - as if he knows he's going to do it without even making a decision. Of course, you can say he was simply losing it and knows it and clearly he was, but it is striking to think back on that video while reading this essay.
That really bizarre and terrifying sense of "clarity" is also very evident in those who decide to kill themselves. It seems a kind of acquiescence or surrender, and it also seems to parallel the odd moment of euphoric peace caused by opiates within the body just at the moment of surrender in death (Peter Grey mentions this--animals create hormones to paralyse themselves when they are being killed or eaten by another animal).
It could all be explained psychologically as a moment where the person has decided to no longer struggle, but of course psychology can never tell us what (or who) that struggle was against...
Pleased to find this.
This comment brings to mind a particularly disturbing experience of watching a starling captured by a sparrowhawk on our garden decking. There was a moment when the small bird stopped struggling and just looked up to the hawk's face. As far as I could tell, there was nothing in that face but yellow intent. Still there was something about the tilt of the starling's beak that looked like it was deliberately surrendering. Like it was saying 'I don't understand why, but OK.' As if it was looking at an enraged parent, not a predator. While the hawk tore chunks out of its chest.
Thinking also about recent conversations with an anthropologist colleague about people we both worked with in Vietnam. There's a word we translate as 'spirit' but a certain goddess-figure is not a spirit because she doesn't eat humans. The tiger is a spirit, though, because it does.
Scary. Though perhaps sitting here finding it scary is just another kind of temptation.
What a great essay. There's a lot here, so I think I'm going to have to reread it later; but thanks for mentioning my piece again.
I like that you mention that this probably doesn't conflict with materialism. I didn't get directly into this, but I personally see no direct conflict at all. Human are incredibly social and our minds are very porous to one another and the world around us. I see no reason to doubt that patterns of neural activation in one person can be spread to others, nor that these patterns will face darwinian selection pressures leading them to develop their own entity-like characteristics.
All that belief in demons necessarily conflicts with is a shallow sort of scientism really.
I particularly like your discussion of shame and the central place that you give it. I have a piece about humility that I mean to write, and you called to mind the deep difference between humility and being humbled.
Thanks for writing your piece. As I mention, I'd been struggling to let myself write about this and subsequent matters and your essay on Demons helped "push" me to do so. :)
Its difficult one to talk about, as you say. I paused and second-guessed a lot more than usual while writing, even though I deliberately wrote 'I am not going to be prudent' at the start of the first draft as a reminder to myself as much as anything else.
The way you wrote that reminded me immediately of Jung's statement in his speech, "Wotan" (which will show up in subsequent essays on this subject):
"We are always convinced that the modern world is a reasonable world, basing our opinion on economic, political, and psychological factors. But if we may forget for a moment that we are living in the year of Our Lord 1936, and, laying aside our well-meaning, all-too-human reasonableness, may burden God or the gods with the responsibility for contemporary events instead of man, we would find Wotan quite suitable as a casual hypothesis."
What a great quote!
You are an original and interesting thinker and writer weaving together disparate concepts and viewpoints free from snotty liberal elitism. The scripture that came to mind in response to the genius/eudaemon concepts was “but he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him” 1 Corinthians 6:17. Your reference to Jack Parsons became a quick trip down an interesting rabbit hole. Speaking of the demonic secretly working in high levels - back in the late seventies during a lay over at O’Hare airport I went for a walk outside. As I was going along I felt a wave of what can only be described as Satanic evil strike me from behind. I turned around and walking behind was Henry Kissinger and two bodyguards. I immediately turned right and distanced myself.
Ah, I can imagine! My current life brings me in contact with European politicians for reasons I'm still confounded by, but I've encountered a few who really make you feel a bit ill when you're in their proximity. I know better than to actively try to 'see' what's causing it; it's enough to know it's there and listen to the voice that says, 'hey, not good, get away.'
Related to this, I plan to write soon about the silliness that happened in US neopaganism regarding 'hexing' Trump and Putin, and how really small the magical imaginations are of those who dreamed up these ideas.
According to my tradition Putin and Trump’s proper response to a “hex” is this - “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” Of course part of doing good to those who mistreat you or others is to say no and do the boundary thing, resist evil as that’s the love they need to hear, anger has its place - can be an energy of love - but not vindictiveness or bitterness. Let’s be happy warriors - “You shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace”!
Here’s what’s hilarious: that formula is the easiest way to break a curse or turn the evil eye back onto its user. It’s also extremely effective as a basis of prosperity magic, for instance blessing a manager you don’t like to get a better job elsewhere so you can take their job. Basically win-win.
But another very effective way to be protected from a relatively small group of internet-obsessed Woke urbanite “witches” is to have hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of people praying for your safety every Sunday, which Trump of course had.
So Trump had way more “witches” on his side! This is the request this man “witch” is making that Trump leaves politics and some one like DeSantis take his place if only to lessen the drama and frothing hate Trump elicits on both sides.
As you note, Pope Francis in his discussion of guardian angels, stated: "There is a danger of not going on that journey...And so many people don't know how to make the journey or are afraid of taking risks and they are stalled. But we know that the rule is that those who are stalled in life end up corrupted."
I think the literal fear of taking risks is another powerful factor which must be examined closely and is also a key determinant along with shame and embarrassment of inaction and hesitation or as you put it so wonderfully a"constipation" of the will, potentially leading to ressentiment.
Not too long ago (I'm an old guy) I was literally afraid to first sit or lay on the ground to begin some exercise routines because I feared not being able to get up, along with then imagining feeling embarrassed by such a potential occurrence. One day I just said "to hell with it" and laid on the floor and experienced a tear of relief that I hadn't disappeared from the face of the earth!--and then continued on with my floor exercises.
As you also said "sometimes we don't want to do really hard things... yet " we also want to feel better and more alive than we currently feel." And for me it was precisely in that contradiction where what we call fear as well as shame and embarrassment arises and must be confronted.
The work/writing you are doing on ressentiment is so, so important especially since the external social conditions which contribute to its explosion also seem to be accelerating.
I like this a lot, and it's definitely true. The utter terror I felt about going to a gym the very first time in hindsight was ridiculous, but it was enough to stymie me for a long time. It's so simple once you get past that, but it's super hard to get to that point.
It seems all the podcasts I am listening to lately are talking about egregores - I am just wondering if there is a connection here?
My suspicion is that people are becoming more aware of mass formations in general because they are happening more frequently, and egregores are a useful framework for understanding them.
Egregores are fascinating. Mind telling us which podcasts? :)
I need to re-read this and mull it over. But I am learning from you. Thank you for a great piece.
Well done!
It is perhaps worth pointing out, with regards to the implications of the Gospel, that a significant change happened at the cross. Prior to that the accuser claims, at least, to have some authority (Matthew 4:9). But after Christs work was finished the authority is said to have changed hands (Matthew 28:18, Colossians 2:15). The implications of this are far deeper than most assume. Beneath every sinful deed is a temptation, and beneath every temptation is a lie - often buried deep in the subconscious.
With respect to spirits - the ideas associated with this, as you described, have unfortunately yet to be separated from the midlevel understanding of ghostly entities. The German word (which Luther used) is "Geist," which directly translates to ghosts (hence "Holy Ghost"). Consider this word in a different context, as part of "Zeitgeist," for example - which means "spirit of the age," and you'll find a very different perspective. For example the spirit of the age we're in, many would say, is the spirit of relentless progress.
This is not a matter, when done correctly, of "de-mythologizing," but rather of distilling the archetypal truths the myths were designed to reveal. The worshippers of Hermes (my favorite member of the Pantheon), for example, related to his "spirit" of wisdom; of hidden knowledge (hermetically sealed); of self-sufficiency (Hermit), of commerce and of guidance - among other things (mischief, anyone?). All of these traits are worshipped just as much today - though we have lost touch with the stories which for so long have helped us avoid the pitfalls of these inclinations.
If I keep on much longer I may have to write an essay of my own, so I'll leave you with one last thought. The key which unlocks shame is, counterintuitively, to embrace it. What leverage does that leave for the trolls?
For this we have the best of all imaginable examples:
https://twitter.com/ajsawyer716/status/1546460761043632128?s=20&t=-L4nwjfSLp35tuObKmbh8w
Cheers and God bless!
-Andrew