Regarding Bergmann's fascination with "what goes on in all those little towns" and "the ratio between the irrational and the rational in America" being tilted towards the irrational...
Didn't Tocqueville make the same observations, but 100 years earlier?
I love Crawford's point that 20th century techocratic psychology ignored the impact of war trauma on troubled WWI vets. However, I do wonder if it also true that the contradictions residing in the American soul also preceded the war, may have even played into our willingness to idealize the war.
It is hard to understate the impact of the Frankfurt School on postwar America. Marcusians are still powerful today even if they don't they are Marcusians.
At the risk of sounding fringy...this ties in ever-so-nicely with Crowleys’ “do what thou wilt” and the perceived war on the nuclear family leading to “the crowned and conquering child.” There has always been a certain underlining school of esoteric/alchemical thought that says oppression of the shadow-self is what is holding us back and that the alchemical wedding of the two opposing forces brings about the perfected man. Have you come across any correlations in your research that might hint at deeper connection other than mere coincidence?
James Lindsay of New Discourses has been exploring the origins of modern woke culture by going back to the primary and founding texts. He has uncovered a strong element of Gnostic esotericism in the belief systems of the far left. That notion of the alchemical marriage of opposites to create a new and more perfect being sounds exactly like Hegelian dialectic. I wonder how old the first idea is?
The byline the unherd editors choose (I assume?) Will get more clicks from random passersby but your title here is much more apt. This essay was a fantastic piece of work, excited to see where the rest of this project goes
"Sexual liberation was the goal of a therapeutic para-state whose organs sprang into existence almost overnight at the conclusion of the Second World War. Its political purpose was to forestall the possibility of fascism in the United States."
This immediately reminded me of the argument of R. R. Reno's "The Return of the Strong Gods," specifically regarding Karl Popper's Open Society Project and its implementation within the Bretton Woods Agreement. Weak societies (sans strong familial, religious, nationalistic, or ideological ties) are much less prone to the dangers of fascism and radicalism, as the thinking went. Unfortunately they seem to be creating the very monster they've run from all these years, ironically using totalitarian ESG and DEI efforts to hold closed the metaphorical door.
Wonderful read.
Regarding Bergmann's fascination with "what goes on in all those little towns" and "the ratio between the irrational and the rational in America" being tilted towards the irrational...
Didn't Tocqueville make the same observations, but 100 years earlier?
I love Crawford's point that 20th century techocratic psychology ignored the impact of war trauma on troubled WWI vets. However, I do wonder if it also true that the contradictions residing in the American soul also preceded the war, may have even played into our willingness to idealize the war.
I wonder if the both/and helps Crawford's thesis.
Great essay! The reverberations from The Frankfurt School will unfortunately be felt for many years to come. Talk about destructive!
It is hard to understate the impact of the Frankfurt School on postwar America. Marcusians are still powerful today even if they don't they are Marcusians.
At the risk of sounding fringy...this ties in ever-so-nicely with Crowleys’ “do what thou wilt” and the perceived war on the nuclear family leading to “the crowned and conquering child.” There has always been a certain underlining school of esoteric/alchemical thought that says oppression of the shadow-self is what is holding us back and that the alchemical wedding of the two opposing forces brings about the perfected man. Have you come across any correlations in your research that might hint at deeper connection other than mere coincidence?
James Lindsay of New Discourses has been exploring the origins of modern woke culture by going back to the primary and founding texts. He has uncovered a strong element of Gnostic esotericism in the belief systems of the far left. That notion of the alchemical marriage of opposites to create a new and more perfect being sounds exactly like Hegelian dialectic. I wonder how old the first idea is?
The byline the unherd editors choose (I assume?) Will get more clicks from random passersby but your title here is much more apt. This essay was a fantastic piece of work, excited to see where the rest of this project goes
I would like to interview you on this topic for my podcast. Respond to the email provided when I subscribed if interested, or respond to this comment
"Sexual liberation was the goal of a therapeutic para-state whose organs sprang into existence almost overnight at the conclusion of the Second World War. Its political purpose was to forestall the possibility of fascism in the United States."
This immediately reminded me of the argument of R. R. Reno's "The Return of the Strong Gods," specifically regarding Karl Popper's Open Society Project and its implementation within the Bretton Woods Agreement. Weak societies (sans strong familial, religious, nationalistic, or ideological ties) are much less prone to the dangers of fascism and radicalism, as the thinking went. Unfortunately they seem to be creating the very monster they've run from all these years, ironically using totalitarian ESG and DEI efforts to hold closed the metaphorical door.
C.S. Lewis very much understood and articulated the totalitarian drive and endpoint of the progressive project and was sounding the alarm in the 40s.
Unherd piece is fascinating. I can't help but wonder if Ellul ever knew how right he was.