When politics replaces religion as a key to peoples' lives, trouble is inevitable.
How else can Georgia Republicans giving Herschel Walker a standing ovation the day after the latest revelations about him? I know, technically they are simply accusations, but those accusations about his paying for a girlfriend's abortion are backed up by paperwork. And one of the man's sons has had enough and is quite scathing about his father's tendency to lie and be unfaithful
In many ways, this is not different from the Angry White People continuing to support Trump, despite the sheer volume of accusations, clear misdeeds, lack of caring about the very people who vote for him, and more.
Once you embrace winning at all costs and turning away from demanding any sort of moral or ethical accountability by your candidates, I guess "standing against the libs" becomes a core religious belief.
Most Americans don't go to church services at all, or only occasionally, but why bother when they can turn to the Church of Fox News and receive the spiritual sustenance they desire? Or, for that matter, some may turn to the Church of MSNBC. And don't forget the Church of the NFL.
There is a lot of punditry lately exploring why young men are so disconnected from society, from women, and from gainful employment. Young men are a danger across the planet, particularly when they are not engaged in some sort of meaningful work or simply attempting to support their families. Young men have a lot of energy and that energy needs some sort of outlet.
Perhaps the most insidious effect from the Trump presidency and continued presence in our lives is that organized religion -- not always a helpful institution anyway, so rather vulnerable -- has failed spectacularly to uphold any core beliefs and has become irrelevant to our lives. People are abandoning religious institutions in droves as they look for some institution that addresses their immediate concerns.
That is why Florida is eager for help from the hated federal government. The sheer level of pain and disaster has temporarily overcome the quasi-religion of politics.
The "time out" won't last long.
Politics and the high priests of both parties -- mostly ancient mariners clinging to myths and outdated power -- find plenty of willing believers. They have decided that we are in a fight to the death over... something. Even being in close proximity with someone of the opposing political party is problematic.
I assume this was how life was through much of human history, with otherwise rational humans being quite willing to slaughter Jews, for instance, since they "were the enemy." I read that Putin went a bit nutty in his latest speech, accusing the West of Satanism. Look, if we are battling the ultimate evil, are there any limits on what we are willing to do?
Religion produces zealots, who often kill and maim the innocent, but all for the larger cause.
How are modern politics any different? The zealots get all the oxygen in our patchwork media landscape and we are all called to declare for one set of zealots or another.
Nothing will change until enough people resist the call to join the latest cult.
No comments:
Post a Comment