We'd talk anarchist theory and social justice, go to panels and actions, and spend the holidays together. Now the friend I once loved is lost to Christian extremism.
This is so insightful - thank you for sharing. I hadn't really thought about shame as a pathway to regressive radicalisation, but it makes all the sense. Perhaps the empire leverages shame to push people to the desire to relinquish their spirit/soul/psyche/body/energy/self, which it then happily takes off their hands, like a demon buying a soul. This transaction is thankfully unimaginable to most of us, and many beings would do almost anything to avoid it; yet you're right, and I have noticed it in my own being, that when I am ashamed, the will to surrender grows stronger.
And thank you for your insight! You really are helping me think more though this in a really powerful way.
I think Catholicism and Christianity overall relies on guilt and shame as motivators and ironically it makes us bad at both making and taking legit criticism and do better not for superficial reasons or to Get Into Heaven, but so we can be better to ourselves and each other. I think it is of value to unpack that and how our reactions rooted in fear, shame etc make us act or react in certain ways.!
Yes!! They lead us always away from the world, in the name of "heaven" - which I think is actually one of the most dangerous ideas humans have. It is truly bizarre and a very strong indicator of at least inaccuracy that a moral code should have selfishness and disconnection as a consequence - as you say, we should be and do better for each other, ourselves, and the world of which we are part, not to secure a cosmic promotion. The shame also follows this pattern, implicitly telling us to forsake ourselves, our bodies, each other, this world, and choose piousness, and laws, and heaven, and god, which is obviously incredibly useful to the imperial venture, as it serves to erode the natural resistance any living being would have to its destructiveness.
This is so insightful - thank you for sharing. I hadn't really thought about shame as a pathway to regressive radicalisation, but it makes all the sense. Perhaps the empire leverages shame to push people to the desire to relinquish their spirit/soul/psyche/body/energy/self, which it then happily takes off their hands, like a demon buying a soul. This transaction is thankfully unimaginable to most of us, and many beings would do almost anything to avoid it; yet you're right, and I have noticed it in my own being, that when I am ashamed, the will to surrender grows stronger.
And thank you for your insight! You really are helping me think more though this in a really powerful way.
I think Catholicism and Christianity overall relies on guilt and shame as motivators and ironically it makes us bad at both making and taking legit criticism and do better not for superficial reasons or to Get Into Heaven, but so we can be better to ourselves and each other. I think it is of value to unpack that and how our reactions rooted in fear, shame etc make us act or react in certain ways.!
Yes!! They lead us always away from the world, in the name of "heaven" - which I think is actually one of the most dangerous ideas humans have. It is truly bizarre and a very strong indicator of at least inaccuracy that a moral code should have selfishness and disconnection as a consequence - as you say, we should be and do better for each other, ourselves, and the world of which we are part, not to secure a cosmic promotion. The shame also follows this pattern, implicitly telling us to forsake ourselves, our bodies, each other, this world, and choose piousness, and laws, and heaven, and god, which is obviously incredibly useful to the imperial venture, as it serves to erode the natural resistance any living being would have to its destructiveness.
Might print and frame this comment for real! Thank you!!
hehe i’m happy you liked it and i hope it was useful! <3 ^.^