It is often said that western civilization is a fusion of Athens and Jerusalem (and sometimes Rome), in reference to the genealogy of our religion and politics. Interesting that the two most important names associated with these cities -- Socrates and Jesus -- were both subject to cancellation, big time.
Dennis Prager has often remarked that the most dynamic and successful religion over the past century has been leftism, irrespective of whether one counts converts or victims.
Leftism is dynamic, in that it readily changes form in order to adapt to contemporary needs, while keeping the substance in tact. "Cancel culture" is its latest form, but it's the same old human sacrifice -- the same sadism expressed toward atheists who refuse to honor the gods of the state.
If theology is the queen of the sciences, then philosophy must be king or something. If so, then -- extending the metaphor -- the royal line of the latter begins with Socrates. Whitehead quipped that western philosophy is but a footnote on Plato, but Plato is a footnote on Socrates (if not in form, then in substance, more on which as we proceed; suffice it to say that the essence of philosophy is a way of life, of endless seeking after and loving wisdom).
So, you can say that western philosophy is founded on a cancellation -- as is Christianity. For that matter, Judaism is founded on Abraham's near-cancellation of Issac. In this context, I suppose we could say that ritual circumcision is a kind of symbolic auto-cancellation, but that's another story, mohels away from this one.
It seems that where religiosity is, sacrifice isn't far behind. At the moment, we're in the middle of Lent, and what is Lent but a voluntary sacrifice to God, for the sake of increased purity? This is on the perfectly trans-logical grounds that God and impurity don't really mix: the more of one, the less of the other.
Again, the trial of Socrates is one of the most famous cancellations in history. Why was he cancelled by the progressive mob of the day? The usual reasons: atheism, corrupting the minds of the youth, refusing to honor the popular gods of of the state.
At his trial, Socrates describes a familiar sounding breakdown in the educational establishment, such that many of his accusers had been indoctrinated to believe Orange Robed Man Bad! (http://cotechnoe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Socrates.jpg)
they approached you at the most impressionable age, when some of you were children or adolescents, and they literally won their case by default, because there is no one to defend me.
Socrates goes on to read the indictment of his thoughtcrimes: first, he "is guilty of criminal meddling," insofar as
he inquires into things below the earth and in the sky, and makes the weaker argument defeat the stronger, and teaches others to follow his example.
This is reminiscent of how, in our day, one will be cancelled if one presumes to, say, defeat the stronger arguments of Antiracism with the science of IQ, or mock the arguments of feminism with the fake science of sexual differences, or ridicule Transgendersim with recourse to mere biological reality.
More generally, mocking the stupidity of the ruling class is reason enough to be cancelled. Socrates:
And by dog, gentlemen, for I must be frank with you, my honest impression was this. It seems to me, as I pursued my investigation at the god's command, that the people with the greatest reputations were almost entirely deficient, while others who were supposed to be their inferiors were much better qualified in practical intelligence.
This, of course, is why both sides of our ruling class agreed that Trump had to go. You can't just go around saying that smelly Walmart shoppers and inbred deplorables have more practical intelligence than a Puerto Rican barmaid or a demented tool on China's payroll.
Socrates also got in trouble for mocking the artists and celebrities of his day, as if "the very fact that they were poets made them think that they had a perfect understanding of all other subjects, of which they were totally ignorant."
Fasting forward to today, you can't just go around making fun of some Poet Laureate of the Left Side of the Bell Curve, whose soothing words speak of that sacred place
Where a skinny Black girl / not that there's anything wrong with being a fat Black girl / descended from slaves, like everyone else on earth / and buoyed by affirmative action / can dream of advancing the cause of the racist left / and vilifying whiteness.
13 comments:
Socrates also got in trouble for mocking the artists and celebrities of his day, as if "the very fact that they were poets made them think that they had a perfect understanding of all other subjects, of which they were totally ignorant."
I guess things never really do change. I was unfortunate enough to catch some of the Grammys last night (kids were playing elsewhere); the Left would have us believe that WAP is fine family entertainment and its performers excellent role models for young women. They are very empowered, you see, so we must all bow to their perfect understanding about how to achieve excellence in "music" and in life.
Socrates would have a field day with a song like WAP. May drink the Hemlock before the second chorus.
Ted said "...May drink the Hemlock before the second chorus."
I don't think Socrates would see the wisdom in letting things drag out that long.
No kidding.
That Wet Ass Pussy song seems pretty crass. I mean everyone knows a woman will get a wet butt if the foreplay goes on for long enough.
Of such times are the perfumed memories of honeymoons made of.
DEVO, in their 1977 song "Girl U Want" put it more delicately yet still salaciously:
She sings some song while you can't see
She sits in the top of the greenest tree
She sends out an aroma of undefined love
It drips on down in a mist from above
Look at you with your mouth watering
Look at you with your mind spinning
Why don't we just admit it's all over
She's just the girl you want
There is nothing better than WAP. Not the song, I mean the thing of itself.
I sometimes wonder what Nixon would say if he could see China today. And his USAs response.
Bill Maher (not a fan) giving spiels about how the USA is getting its ass kicked by agnostic/socialistic China. News that Russia would rather partner with China instead of the USA in future space endeavors. American kids learning that all the cool stuff is being built in China.
When I was a kid China was a political/economic/cultural clusterfuck. The difference is certainly a little more freedom, a little more capitalism. But far more important is that the Chinese powers-that-be remembered. They remembered their time under Mongol and Japanese rule, being at the mercy of small-nation overlords who'd been willing to absorb, steal, and use whatever technologies they could get their barbaric little hands on. If only Americans had such practical memories.
In these end times with Eve globally rebelling against her role in the laws of creation by vociferously spurning any uninvited amorous overtures from Adam, could there have been a grain of wisdom to Genesis 3:16
Seems like everyone is amazed that the Pope is Catholic.
... especially the Catholics.
The Pope is an exalted person, God's deputy here on Earth. Therefore please limit any comments regarding to the Pope to positive things.
Any person criticizing the Pope will provide evidence of their authority to do so, and evidence of their good character and pious attendance to the Church, as well as documents delineated what has been tithed.
We don't want any Lutherans throwing tomatoes either. Take your heresies and go.
No heresies are allowed. Catholic doctrine is the true religion; repent of all others.
Thank you.
Religious freedom of speech means never having to say you're sorry about hating on Muslims.
For a picture of what china is really like see serpentza on youtube. Local police beating up street vegetable sellers, buildings collapsing, muddy roads, villages with almost no food... usee to be fun before xi got it and fucked his people .
Ha .... youre ignorance of islamist reality is huge. Read mossab hassan yousef " son of hamas" or watch his interviews as he deconstructs islam.
There are plenty of good muslims, but lets be realistic, those that follow mohammeds example ( isis, and islamists in europe) are in control of many neighborhoods. 40% of under 25 muslims in france beleive blasphemy shld be punishable by death. It IS in pakistan and some other countries.
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