Leader Worship and the Rush to Destruction

Those who have taken a look at the background materials on this site will know that one of the dangers I see threatening humanity is a widespread psychological malfunction I have called the false religion. This isn't a religion in the old sense, it has no personal god, it isn't an overt competitor with other religions. Indeed, believers in normal religions often are also believers in the core doctrines of the false religion. In fact, because we are immersed in the false religion from birth (it having now taken over as the unofficial religion of the state), we all probably have been suckered by one or another of its beliefs, even if we saw through most of them and even if we later wised up when we looked closely at the evidence.

Perhaps Jung understood it in talking about an expansion of the ego - a belief that the individual, or the human species, has infinitely perfectible nature and powers, instead of being limited, as are all creatures, by the restrictions of our evolution, our environment, and our instincts. The framers of the American Constitution also understood it when they designed a structure that could work in spite of human frailty, rather than gambling on a mass spiritual transformation. So it clearly is a mistake to think the false religion has a single, identifiable manifestation. Human hopes and dreams can outrun reality in a thousand different ways - and how hard it is to reign them in when they are framed in words that uplift the heart and enthuse the spirit, even as they guarantee that the hopes must end in disappointment and tragedy. The false dream can infect any group or any organisation, and it does infect many, all at once. Over the top? Too alarmist? The following video was put together by a black person, Kevin Jackson of theblacksphere.net, so if you want to accuse me of racism for the following, please don't bother. It scares me, and it should scare you too.

I recall reading once that someone in Germany in the early 1930s predicted many of the terrible consequences of Nazi control, but was disbelieved because his predictions were too outlandish. They came true just the same. This video highlights one of the main features of the malfunctioning psyche, which collectively leads to false religion (as Nazism certainly was); namely worship of a Great Leader. I recall watching as the victory of Obama was covered on television, and although at that time I had little concrete knowledge of the man, I sat horrified as I saw the looks of god-worship on face after face as the reporters interviewed people in the crowd. I am devastated, but after that, not surprised, to see the horrifying brainwashing of children recorded in this video by Kevin Jackson.

The eighteenth century saw two revolutions that are with us today: the American, based on pragmatism, a desire to end the tyranny of one over another, and simply ensuring that ordinary fallible people can - imperfectly, but acceptably, live in the same society together and compete and cooperate, as needed, to build worthwhile lives and a working society. Then there was the French, based on dreams of a perfect tomorrow and an equality of all - in conflict with the very nature of human beings as competitive status-seekers. Which dream actually works? Our problem is that the visionary dream, the perfection of a world without status or competition, with no enemies, only friends all working together, is impossible - and yet it is so captivating, so enticing, so uplifting; whilst the plodding, practical dream of protecting each from the tyranny of others, allowing each to seek status and wealth, that dream, unsatisfactory as it might seem, works. It creates not-quite-perfect systems populated by (as they necessarily must be) not-quite-perfect people. But they get along somehow, they each have some room for personal hopes, dreams, and growth: "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

The modern western societies have been (but perhaps are now ceasing rapidly to be) the best, the most conducive of human happiness and flourishing, that have ever existed. And yet how fragile the understanding of the real underpinnings of that success! In Kevin's video we see the evil seed being watered by the foolish. Carter, this has nothing to do with race! This is a weakness of the free society: it tolerates all, and so it tolerates its mortal enemy, the tyranny that will insist on moulding individuals according to its vision of how they must be. People are not equal in skills, intelligence, strength, or vision, so equality of outcome can only be obtained by totalitarianism. And that is why all the equality movements throw up a Great Leader who is more equal than all the rest. Be warned; let us make sure that Kevin's video isn't showing us our future, but is instead a warning of what we have to prevent.