Nationalism feeds global tyranny! The elites who speak different languages and wave different flags are all posturing in order to divide the people they should be serving. Don't be duped. Those clamoring for a new world order at the WEF and WHO etc. are deceiving anyone who thinks they are against nationalism and therefore we must embrace nationalism in order to survive. The opposite is true. Actually these mouthpieces work for elite hidden forces pulling the strings of nationalism. They are the enemies of common humanity, a humanity that transcends artificial borders of nation-states. Don't let your attachment to cultural difference blind you to the fact that cultural difference can prosper in a world without fake nation-states...from Let's Burn the Flags of All Nations: "Nationalism is a dead-end / The nation-state is a criminal enterprise / Patriotism is a trick / For as long as we identify with nation-states / We know ourselves only by what we oppose / Not by who we are / And who are we / For a few years we're alive on this planet / Same heart, same mind same eyes..."
I can honestly and truthfully confess “I am a disciple of the Messiah of the Hebrews” without saying that I have faith in Christianity (or Judaism) and without calling myself a Christian (or a Jew). As for the Hebrew Messiah, I’m pretty sure that his given name wasn’t Jesus. That’s a name that has come down to us in English from a Greek translation of the Messiah’s Hebrew name.
Instead of nationalism, I believe that humans need to learn to practice a form of political spirituality in much smaller groups than churches (whether local & independent or international) or countries or even small communities. I believe that politics divorced from spirituality is as impotent as spirituality divorced from politics. I recently read about this book -- “Love & Revolution: Creating Conscious Tribes” by Mark El Activista Místico -- on winter oak, and maybe even it was you who referenced this book.
I believe that the formation of conscious tribes could be made most effective by incorporating into these tribes the worship of the God of the Messiah of the Hebrews. I believe that there is an undying desire within the human soul for LOYALTY to a sovereign. I kindly suggest that the greatest of all sovereigns is this God, who seeks those who strongly desire (of our own free will and agency) to worship this God in spirit and in truth.
As for this global tyranny and criminocracy all humans are struggling against -- with the exception of the tyrants and the criminals running the organization -- you wrote the essay “The Mortal God Drops Its Mask”. I don’t believe that we humans can defeat this Mortal God without the assistance of the God of the Messiah of the Hebrews.
Those who want to return to better days of traditionalism forget that the past was also full of horrible things. Tribalism divided us.
I hope that we get to the point where we stop thinking in old religion, that worships the centralized authority of a god(s) and move towards one that sees that god is all over in the life surrounding us.
If you really are interested in the whole oyster of this current darkness alive, well and infesting the Earth since it's inception...The Book you require is called 'Committee of 300'. It costs upwards of Five Hundred Pounds English...Or, roughly equal amt. Dollars American. Some Libraries will lend it and others only allow it to be read 'In-House'.
I like the part that tells that traditions like taoism or hinduism, and I shall add, budhism are closed for those who want to adventure there.
This is so true, specially for westerners like us, the way we think is totally conditioned by our culture, consciously or not, our axioms, our taken for granted etc...
But even then, many westerners tried or try to learn those eastern traditions and what results is a terrible chimera full of nonsense. The biggest example of it is the new ageism which exists since at least the 80s.
New ageism has its known cliches like "Get your full potential" or "be enlightened!"... all this is effect of this desert we live. No community, no meaning, no connections. It's funny and worth noting that corporations and professionals are friendly with the new ageist way of thinking, we see many barbarities supported by corporations to calm down its employees and even the employers themselves things like "Gestalt" or "yoga".
Even Joseph Campbell's Hero Journey was coopted by corporatism and Hollywood as David Graeber once observed.
Walter Benjamin observed this retreat to irrational solipsistic "mysticism" already in Weimar Germany, in the end of this period actually, nearing Hitler's power, that period was one of decadence, not so different from ours.
I will post an excerpt of what he wrote, sorry for it being too big, because it is to good to not post
"With this tremendous development of technology, a completely new poverty has descended on mankind. And the reverse side of this poverty is the oppressive wealth of ideas that has been spread among people, or rather has swamped them entirely – ideas that have come with the revival of astrology and the wisdom of yoga, Christian Science and chiromancy, vegetarianism and gnosis, scholasticism and spiritualism. For this is not a genuine revival but a galvanisation. We need to remind ourselves of Ensor’s magnificent paintings, in which the streets of great cities are filled with ghosts; philistines in carnival disguises roll endlessly down the streets, wearing distorted masks covered in flour and cardboard crowns on their heads. These paintings are perhaps nothing so much as the reflection of the ghastly and chaotic renaissance in which so many people have placed their hopes. But here we can see quite clearly that our poverty of experience is just a part of that larger poverty that has once again acquired a face – a face of the same sharpness and precision as that of a beggar in the Middle Ages. For what is the value of all our culture if it is divorced from experience? Where it all leads when that experience is simulated or obtained by underhanded means is something that has become clear to us from the horrific mishmash of styles and ideologies produced during the last century – too clear for us not to think it a matter of honesty to declare our bankruptcy. Indeed (let’s admit it), our poverty of experience is not merely poverty on the personal level, but poverty of human experience in general. Hence, a new kind of barbarism."
RE: And a spirituality with universal scope, but aware of the importance of cultural, political and economic self-determination, could not readily be co-opted to serve an imperial-globalist agenda.
Not so sure about that. If the ruling class can take a political philosophy such as anarchism, and turn it essentially into its opposite (chearleading for globalist agenda), then they can co-opt anything. What I see missing among the (health) freedom movement is a specific focus on the study of propaganda: how it works, how to spot it etc. One could argue that the word itself is a globalist term as it was originally used to "propagate the faith" of the Catholic (i.e. "universal") Church which can be argued was the prototype, with at least ideological control centered at the Vatican, for the globalism we see today.
Yes, I agree. An understanding of propaganda and deceit and recuperation needs to be built into any philosophy that aspires to resist co-option. Too many political traditions remain trapped in a state of naivety that is ill-adapted to 21st century reality!
Indeed - recognition of the threat represented by global tyranny is key, regardless of differences. What Upton is saying, in case I didn't explain it properly, is that perennialism has (like so many other philosophies) been distorted in order to be used by the globalists - and also that it is an awareness, rather than a faith.
Nationalism feeds global tyranny! The elites who speak different languages and wave different flags are all posturing in order to divide the people they should be serving. Don't be duped. Those clamoring for a new world order at the WEF and WHO etc. are deceiving anyone who thinks they are against nationalism and therefore we must embrace nationalism in order to survive. The opposite is true. Actually these mouthpieces work for elite hidden forces pulling the strings of nationalism. They are the enemies of common humanity, a humanity that transcends artificial borders of nation-states. Don't let your attachment to cultural difference blind you to the fact that cultural difference can prosper in a world without fake nation-states...from Let's Burn the Flags of All Nations: "Nationalism is a dead-end / The nation-state is a criminal enterprise / Patriotism is a trick / For as long as we identify with nation-states / We know ourselves only by what we oppose / Not by who we are / And who are we / For a few years we're alive on this planet / Same heart, same mind same eyes..."
That is pretty much what I was trying to say!
The more the merrier...
Methinks you said it quite well indeed
Exactly. Or the Saudis. Or the Emirates. Or Brooklyn. Whoever the borg has assimilated is clean and can do no wrong.
Hi Paul. Thank you for another excellent essay.
I can honestly and truthfully confess “I am a disciple of the Messiah of the Hebrews” without saying that I have faith in Christianity (or Judaism) and without calling myself a Christian (or a Jew). As for the Hebrew Messiah, I’m pretty sure that his given name wasn’t Jesus. That’s a name that has come down to us in English from a Greek translation of the Messiah’s Hebrew name.
Instead of nationalism, I believe that humans need to learn to practice a form of political spirituality in much smaller groups than churches (whether local & independent or international) or countries or even small communities. I believe that politics divorced from spirituality is as impotent as spirituality divorced from politics. I recently read about this book -- “Love & Revolution: Creating Conscious Tribes” by Mark El Activista Místico -- on winter oak, and maybe even it was you who referenced this book.
I believe that the formation of conscious tribes could be made most effective by incorporating into these tribes the worship of the God of the Messiah of the Hebrews. I believe that there is an undying desire within the human soul for LOYALTY to a sovereign. I kindly suggest that the greatest of all sovereigns is this God, who seeks those who strongly desire (of our own free will and agency) to worship this God in spirit and in truth.
As for this global tyranny and criminocracy all humans are struggling against -- with the exception of the tyrants and the criminals running the organization -- you wrote the essay “The Mortal God Drops Its Mask”. I don’t believe that we humans can defeat this Mortal God without the assistance of the God of the Messiah of the Hebrews.
It was W.D. James who wrote “The Mortal God Drops Its Mask” - an excellent essay.
https://wdjames.substack.com/
Thanks, Paul, for the correction.
Interesting piece from a perspective I hadn't noticed, let alone considered. Consistency is a comfort in these times. Thank you for yours..
The wisdom of trees and plants are really all I can safely and sanely worship. The rest I have no deference for.
Those who want to return to better days of traditionalism forget that the past was also full of horrible things. Tribalism divided us.
I hope that we get to the point where we stop thinking in old religion, that worships the centralized authority of a god(s) and move towards one that sees that god is all over in the life surrounding us.
Somebody is thinking and that's refreshing.
If you really are interested in the whole oyster of this current darkness alive, well and infesting the Earth since it's inception...The Book you require is called 'Committee of 300'. It costs upwards of Five Hundred Pounds English...Or, roughly equal amt. Dollars American. Some Libraries will lend it and others only allow it to be read 'In-House'.
I like the part that tells that traditions like taoism or hinduism, and I shall add, budhism are closed for those who want to adventure there.
This is so true, specially for westerners like us, the way we think is totally conditioned by our culture, consciously or not, our axioms, our taken for granted etc...
But even then, many westerners tried or try to learn those eastern traditions and what results is a terrible chimera full of nonsense. The biggest example of it is the new ageism which exists since at least the 80s.
New ageism has its known cliches like "Get your full potential" or "be enlightened!"... all this is effect of this desert we live. No community, no meaning, no connections. It's funny and worth noting that corporations and professionals are friendly with the new ageist way of thinking, we see many barbarities supported by corporations to calm down its employees and even the employers themselves things like "Gestalt" or "yoga".
Even Joseph Campbell's Hero Journey was coopted by corporatism and Hollywood as David Graeber once observed.
Walter Benjamin observed this retreat to irrational solipsistic "mysticism" already in Weimar Germany, in the end of this period actually, nearing Hitler's power, that period was one of decadence, not so different from ours.
I will post an excerpt of what he wrote, sorry for it being too big, because it is to good to not post
"With this tremendous development of technology, a completely new poverty has descended on mankind. And the reverse side of this poverty is the oppressive wealth of ideas that has been spread among people, or rather has swamped them entirely – ideas that have come with the revival of astrology and the wisdom of yoga, Christian Science and chiromancy, vegetarianism and gnosis, scholasticism and spiritualism. For this is not a genuine revival but a galvanisation. We need to remind ourselves of Ensor’s magnificent paintings, in which the streets of great cities are filled with ghosts; philistines in carnival disguises roll endlessly down the streets, wearing distorted masks covered in flour and cardboard crowns on their heads. These paintings are perhaps nothing so much as the reflection of the ghastly and chaotic renaissance in which so many people have placed their hopes. But here we can see quite clearly that our poverty of experience is just a part of that larger poverty that has once again acquired a face – a face of the same sharpness and precision as that of a beggar in the Middle Ages. For what is the value of all our culture if it is divorced from experience? Where it all leads when that experience is simulated or obtained by underhanded means is something that has become clear to us from the horrific mishmash of styles and ideologies produced during the last century – too clear for us not to think it a matter of honesty to declare our bankruptcy. Indeed (let’s admit it), our poverty of experience is not merely poverty on the personal level, but poverty of human experience in general. Hence, a new kind of barbarism."
Source: Experience and Poverty 1933 - https://www.atlasofplaces.com/essays/experience-and-poverty/
RE: And a spirituality with universal scope, but aware of the importance of cultural, political and economic self-determination, could not readily be co-opted to serve an imperial-globalist agenda.
Not so sure about that. If the ruling class can take a political philosophy such as anarchism, and turn it essentially into its opposite (chearleading for globalist agenda), then they can co-opt anything. What I see missing among the (health) freedom movement is a specific focus on the study of propaganda: how it works, how to spot it etc. One could argue that the word itself is a globalist term as it was originally used to "propagate the faith" of the Catholic (i.e. "universal") Church which can be argued was the prototype, with at least ideological control centered at the Vatican, for the globalism we see today.
Yes, I agree. An understanding of propaganda and deceit and recuperation needs to be built into any philosophy that aspires to resist co-option. Too many political traditions remain trapped in a state of naivety that is ill-adapted to 21st century reality!
Indeed - recognition of the threat represented by global tyranny is key, regardless of differences. What Upton is saying, in case I didn't explain it properly, is that perennialism has (like so many other philosophies) been distorted in order to be used by the globalists - and also that it is an awareness, rather than a faith.