Absolutely brilliant - one of, if not THE - best political posts I've ever seen from you, Marco.
We have a very very similar geographic parallel here in the US.
If you look at the greatest support for authoritarian regimes, it is in the Southeast and parts of the midWest.
In both cases, there are strong fundamentalist evangelical Christian traditions. In these geographic areas, there is a strong culture of patriarchal, authoritarian parenting and education, powerful militaristic sentiments and very strong orientation toward authoritarian leadership at the local and state levels.
I've lived in the American Southeast since 2001, and can say, without hesitation, despite the recent phenomenon of young men being drawn to Trump's atavistic cultural attitudes, there is a rather amazing phenomenon of the most racist, biased, prejudiced, authoritarian impulses being found with the oldest members of the population, and declining exponentially among younger and younger people.
It is quite common in Greenville, SC (one of the most reactionary parts of the deep south - where I lived for 8 years) to hear large groups of teenagers voice the most pluralistic, open minded acceptance of minorities, LGBTQ, "woke," DEI and other progressive attitudes (though often without the extremist limitations of elitist progressives).
Perhaps even more interesting, many have not simply rejected religion altogether (though there i a large group of "recovering Baptists" in Greenville, who were tired of hearing threats, for the most minor behavioral transgressions, of eternal torture in Hell), but opened greatly to the "spiritual but not religious" movement.
I haven't looked as closely around the world, but I suspect there are similar trends globally, as the world overall - in the course of the next century or so - moves more and more into the subjective and perhaps after that, spiritual age.
Yes, I believe that Christian evangelical fundamentalism has contributed to the rise of far-right extremist ideologies in the U.S. It serves as another channel for expressing the same underlying spirit, though under a religious guise. As far as I can see many are experiencing an atheist materialist phase before discovering a non-religious spirituality. This transition is likely a positive development; I suppose it's part of the process.
In Europe, religious extremism tied to politics has, so far, remained within certain boundaries. Hostile forces manifest primarily through cases of sexual abuse within churches. However, it’s wise to keep this to ourselves. I would not be surprised to see the next pope be an extremely conservative figure meddling in politics. We will know very soon...
I wonder about the next Pope. So far, in terms of who they're considering, it looks like he may be surprisingly progressive. One is a French priest - but he doesn't speak Italian fluently so they're not sure yet!!
I was always impressed with how clearly Sri Aurobindo spoke of the positive (and necessary) effects of materialism (both in the Life Divine and the Human Cycle).
It makes a lot of sense to me. I was VERY mystically inclined as a child (perceptions of other worlds, subtle energies, and much more) but whatever little exposure I had to institutional religion, I found utterly empty, silly and boring (I grew up in the nominally Christian Unitarian church - begged my parents to let me stop going when I was 11).
It's funny - I know very well, viscerally, from the inside, what it's like to be an atheist - which may be why I feel so comfortable talking to them about religion and philosophy. Whereas, though I intellectually can kind of understand what it's like to be a fundamentalist, I just can't imagine, from inside, what it feels like to actually believe that Jesus is literally "sitting at the right hand of the Father," and that there is a literal hell and literal heaven that are concrete and eternal. (on the other hand, the temporary hells and heavens of the Tibetan and Vedic traditions make total sense to me)
Anyway, I'm once again very optimistic - you may be able to tell from reading about it, but if you were here, the change here in just the last week or so is amazing. Even hard core MAGA supporters are starting to see that Trump is lying about Abrego Garcia. The Red/Trump supporting states are already realizing they're going to be affected first by the insane tariffs, and people around the country in the "Resistance" movement are FINALLY speaking up about all the corporate Democrats and even seeing that Bernie's "Social democrat mid 20th century" style is not what we need in the 21st century.
Yes, I wouldn't be surprised either that a very progressive pope will be next. I'm not even following the papal conclave and don't know who the candidates are, which shows just how little interest I have in these matters. :)) I hope for the best but prepare for the worst because, as you know, I was born in that environment. In Italy, the Catholic Church's grip on the collective mind is quite strong. Precisely for this reason, this contributed to the country having the most robust communist party in the Western bloc before the fall of the Soviet Union. Its academics are among the most stubborn materialistic and rationalistic intellectuals, often militant atheists, without even understanding the reasons behind their beliefs. Counteraction? Italy has a fascist prime minister in power once again since WWII. That's one of the reasons why I feel more comfortable in Germany, where there is a strong religious belief system as well, but it is somewhat less public and is lived more privately. This is due to the coexistence of Catholics and Protestants, and there is no pope in Berlin (other than a Chancellor that just failed to be elected) and that journalists feel compelled to mention in the news every day.
"Whereas, though I intellectually can kind of understand what it's like to be a fundamentalist, I just can't imagine, from inside, what it feels like to actually believe that Jesus is literally "sitting at the right hand of the Father," and that there is a literal hell and literal heaven that are concrete and eternal."
I can't tell from the inside either, but I can say that even in a strongly Catholic country like Italy, and even less so in Germany, those who truly believe in a literal interpretation are a minority. However, I had some close friends who came from that kind of environment and realized that the real challenge isn't just overcoming the belief, but much more the subsequent struggle to overcome the child-hood conditioning connected to a deep sense of guilt for their "sins" and a fear of being punished with eternal hell, even though they were rationally completely aware that it is nonsense. My impression is that this may be also connected to some form of possession.
I share your belief that there is much that can inspire hope. The US has a unique opportunity to change the tide, but it must arise from grassroots efforts. Trump would never have come to power without the support of a large popular base. For the same reason, Trumpism can't be dethroned if it continues to enjoy the approval of that base. The only way to remove him is through a mass awakening from the bottom up. Then true progress is possible. Don't waste this opportunity!
“ The only way to remove him is through a mass awakening from the bottom up. Then true progress is possible. Don't waste this opportunity!”
I’ll be busking (playing my keyboard) in downtown Asheville this weekend. We’ll start the awakening then and by the end of May Trump will be impeached!
How’s that for taking advantage of the opportunity!!!
BTW, I don't understand what impeachment is supposed to achieve. Doesn't it automatically position JD Vance for the presidency? If that’s the case, what’s the point? What's the plan? Where is the Democrats' "Project 2026/2028"?
I'm only joking about the impeachment: (and everything below as well)
My daydream?
185 Republican RepresentIves and 40 Republican Senators switch affiliation to Independent, giving the Democrats control of both houses.
Impeachment proceedings begin immediately, impeaching BOTH Trump and Vance, and Alexandra Octavia Cortez becomes president. Canada and Mexico immediately agree to join and new North American union, provide universal health care, universal basic income, physical/vital/mental/psychic/spiritual/supramental education throughout, a de-growth economy based on the sharing economy (with a strong foundation in EF Schumacher version of the Catholic socio-economic doctrine of subsidiarity, informed by The Human Cycle and The Ideal of Human Unity.
Expect to get this all done by the beginning of 2026!
Absolutely brilliant - one of, if not THE - best political posts I've ever seen from you, Marco.
We have a very very similar geographic parallel here in the US.
If you look at the greatest support for authoritarian regimes, it is in the Southeast and parts of the midWest.
In both cases, there are strong fundamentalist evangelical Christian traditions. In these geographic areas, there is a strong culture of patriarchal, authoritarian parenting and education, powerful militaristic sentiments and very strong orientation toward authoritarian leadership at the local and state levels.
I've lived in the American Southeast since 2001, and can say, without hesitation, despite the recent phenomenon of young men being drawn to Trump's atavistic cultural attitudes, there is a rather amazing phenomenon of the most racist, biased, prejudiced, authoritarian impulses being found with the oldest members of the population, and declining exponentially among younger and younger people.
It is quite common in Greenville, SC (one of the most reactionary parts of the deep south - where I lived for 8 years) to hear large groups of teenagers voice the most pluralistic, open minded acceptance of minorities, LGBTQ, "woke," DEI and other progressive attitudes (though often without the extremist limitations of elitist progressives).
Perhaps even more interesting, many have not simply rejected religion altogether (though there i a large group of "recovering Baptists" in Greenville, who were tired of hearing threats, for the most minor behavioral transgressions, of eternal torture in Hell), but opened greatly to the "spiritual but not religious" movement.
I haven't looked as closely around the world, but I suspect there are similar trends globally, as the world overall - in the course of the next century or so - moves more and more into the subjective and perhaps after that, spiritual age.
Yes, I believe that Christian evangelical fundamentalism has contributed to the rise of far-right extremist ideologies in the U.S. It serves as another channel for expressing the same underlying spirit, though under a religious guise. As far as I can see many are experiencing an atheist materialist phase before discovering a non-religious spirituality. This transition is likely a positive development; I suppose it's part of the process.
In Europe, religious extremism tied to politics has, so far, remained within certain boundaries. Hostile forces manifest primarily through cases of sexual abuse within churches. However, it’s wise to keep this to ourselves. I would not be surprised to see the next pope be an extremely conservative figure meddling in politics. We will know very soon...
I wonder about the next Pope. So far, in terms of who they're considering, it looks like he may be surprisingly progressive. One is a French priest - but he doesn't speak Italian fluently so they're not sure yet!!
I was always impressed with how clearly Sri Aurobindo spoke of the positive (and necessary) effects of materialism (both in the Life Divine and the Human Cycle).
It makes a lot of sense to me. I was VERY mystically inclined as a child (perceptions of other worlds, subtle energies, and much more) but whatever little exposure I had to institutional religion, I found utterly empty, silly and boring (I grew up in the nominally Christian Unitarian church - begged my parents to let me stop going when I was 11).
It's funny - I know very well, viscerally, from the inside, what it's like to be an atheist - which may be why I feel so comfortable talking to them about religion and philosophy. Whereas, though I intellectually can kind of understand what it's like to be a fundamentalist, I just can't imagine, from inside, what it feels like to actually believe that Jesus is literally "sitting at the right hand of the Father," and that there is a literal hell and literal heaven that are concrete and eternal. (on the other hand, the temporary hells and heavens of the Tibetan and Vedic traditions make total sense to me)
Anyway, I'm once again very optimistic - you may be able to tell from reading about it, but if you were here, the change here in just the last week or so is amazing. Even hard core MAGA supporters are starting to see that Trump is lying about Abrego Garcia. The Red/Trump supporting states are already realizing they're going to be affected first by the insane tariffs, and people around the country in the "Resistance" movement are FINALLY speaking up about all the corporate Democrats and even seeing that Bernie's "Social democrat mid 20th century" style is not what we need in the 21st century.
Yes, I wouldn't be surprised either that a very progressive pope will be next. I'm not even following the papal conclave and don't know who the candidates are, which shows just how little interest I have in these matters. :)) I hope for the best but prepare for the worst because, as you know, I was born in that environment. In Italy, the Catholic Church's grip on the collective mind is quite strong. Precisely for this reason, this contributed to the country having the most robust communist party in the Western bloc before the fall of the Soviet Union. Its academics are among the most stubborn materialistic and rationalistic intellectuals, often militant atheists, without even understanding the reasons behind their beliefs. Counteraction? Italy has a fascist prime minister in power once again since WWII. That's one of the reasons why I feel more comfortable in Germany, where there is a strong religious belief system as well, but it is somewhat less public and is lived more privately. This is due to the coexistence of Catholics and Protestants, and there is no pope in Berlin (other than a Chancellor that just failed to be elected) and that journalists feel compelled to mention in the news every day.
"Whereas, though I intellectually can kind of understand what it's like to be a fundamentalist, I just can't imagine, from inside, what it feels like to actually believe that Jesus is literally "sitting at the right hand of the Father," and that there is a literal hell and literal heaven that are concrete and eternal."
I can't tell from the inside either, but I can say that even in a strongly Catholic country like Italy, and even less so in Germany, those who truly believe in a literal interpretation are a minority. However, I had some close friends who came from that kind of environment and realized that the real challenge isn't just overcoming the belief, but much more the subsequent struggle to overcome the child-hood conditioning connected to a deep sense of guilt for their "sins" and a fear of being punished with eternal hell, even though they were rationally completely aware that it is nonsense. My impression is that this may be also connected to some form of possession.
I share your belief that there is much that can inspire hope. The US has a unique opportunity to change the tide, but it must arise from grassroots efforts. Trump would never have come to power without the support of a large popular base. For the same reason, Trumpism can't be dethroned if it continues to enjoy the approval of that base. The only way to remove him is through a mass awakening from the bottom up. Then true progress is possible. Don't waste this opportunity!
“ The only way to remove him is through a mass awakening from the bottom up. Then true progress is possible. Don't waste this opportunity!”
I’ll be busking (playing my keyboard) in downtown Asheville this weekend. We’ll start the awakening then and by the end of May Trump will be impeached!
How’s that for taking advantage of the opportunity!!!
Or, maybe not quite so fast……
Great, send us a video of that busking awakening!
BTW, I don't understand what impeachment is supposed to achieve. Doesn't it automatically position JD Vance for the presidency? If that’s the case, what’s the point? What's the plan? Where is the Democrats' "Project 2026/2028"?
I'm only joking about the impeachment: (and everything below as well)
My daydream?
185 Republican RepresentIves and 40 Republican Senators switch affiliation to Independent, giving the Democrats control of both houses.
Impeachment proceedings begin immediately, impeaching BOTH Trump and Vance, and Alexandra Octavia Cortez becomes president. Canada and Mexico immediately agree to join and new North American union, provide universal health care, universal basic income, physical/vital/mental/psychic/spiritual/supramental education throughout, a de-growth economy based on the sharing economy (with a strong foundation in EF Schumacher version of the Catholic socio-economic doctrine of subsidiarity, informed by The Human Cycle and The Ideal of Human Unity.
Expect to get this all done by the beginning of 2026!
Well written overview. Who said “the past is not over, it is not even past”?