Not so sure Marvell Comics has rewritten the American Mythos just yet…
Judging by Twitter, cable news, or our politicians, LGBTQ identity is once again at the front of the culture wars in America, which is ironic given how little debate there is among everyday Americans. A closer look at how this issue is being weaponized reveals something interesting about our current moment.
When it comes to transgender debates, leftist journalists, politicians, and activists have positioned themselves as the defenders of LGBTQ rights against a bigoted anti-gay Republican Party. But in overlaying the transgender issue with gay rights writ large, progressive activists are conflating two issues, one of which is no longer controversial. It’s a category error that allows them to posture as warriors in a war that has already been won, while what they are actually doing is waging a new war that has little purchase even on their own side.
Ok, but this title of “Nation” is completely arbitrary. The EU fulfills very similar functions as the United States Government, and California or Texas or Oregon fulfills similar roles as France, Hungary and Poland, for example. It’s very possible to have a very healthy “National” Identity as a Kentukian, and this is how it was when America was a healthier Amber. People had much more pride in their State identity 50 years ago, and even moreso 100 and 200 years ago. It’s only during the rise of unhealthy Nationalism that the Federal Government took a bigger and bigger role.
The destruction of a Healthy Amber identity is part getting rid of State identities and part commercialization of identity in the hands of corporations. So now we have groups fighting over control of the identity of all the United States in an “all or nothing” culture struggle, when we very easily could have 50 different National identities.
Lets do this thought experiment - what if the confederacy had won? Would we have slavery in the south today? Probably not. South Africa is probably close to what might have happened. International pressure and economics would have left the southern confederacy a poor backwater that would have to comply to international pressures because it would be economically weak. Slavery was already on the way out with inventions like the cotton gin and if the this imaginary confederacy didn’t adjust to changing technology, it would have collapsed when textiles moved to asia anyway.
I could also argue that the reason southern states were not pressured more by the international community and were able to get away with Jim Crow and all the rest is because they were part of The United States, and there was a nudge nudge wink wink in the Federal Government to let the Southern States get away with things, and this also protected the south from international pressures. It’s only a story through a certain lens that the Federal Government saved the Negro from Jim Crow, and there are a lot of holes in that story line.
Yes, I think the entire western world and probably most of the modern world will have to revisit this and learn it again or frankly they’ll go mad.
I’m a Disney anti-fan myself. I don’t think they have what it takes to make a “Saga” or anything that will last the test of time. They don’t even want it to, lol. They don’t want us to watch the same tales again and again and again as people do with great tales - they want us to buy the newest one every year. I can read stories like the Lord of the Rings or Dune again and again, and similar with watching Shakespeare or other great world literature. I think it’s important to see a play every once in a while at a University or High school, or other live performance.
I think one problem with the postmodern age is it mad entertainers into mega professionals, and if a band couldn’t attract 10,000 people it wasn’t worth listening to. That’s a shame. There needs to be more music played live at the community or even family level. People need to entertain themselves and relearn the art of telling stories. Maybe that’s why Dungeons and Dragons is getting more popular now? It scratches the itch for participatory story telling.
I completely agree with your beautiful description of the “creative sludge” that a new Mythos can emerge from. I see signs of this story peeking out. I will use Frozen as an example.
@raybennett, where Disney has many faults, stories not being watched over and over by children is not one of them
Frozen 1 was a story of a young girl’s power. Being raised in the modern world and disconnected from her indigenous roots, Elsa’s powers became dangerous. She was forced to repress her subtle body until she couldn’t any longer and it erupted, creating a potential world ending climate event. The resolution finally being discovered as the affirmation of tribal bond (sisterly love not romantic love).
In Frozen 2, it starts with the danger of Elsa’s subtle body power now under control, it’s relegated to being used for entertainment in the modern world, until she is called by a mysterious voice. She follows this voice and it leads her on a journey to the Subtle Realm where she discovers her indigenous culture. She abdicates her throne to her beloved sister Anna (the powerless, ordinary sister) and returns to her tribe with the intention of creating a new relationship between the indigenous and modern world.
The American Mythos is the myth of the modern world, which is maybe more of a catalyzing myth for the evolution and integration of deep myth born in the Subtle Realms of our humanness. This Realm is weird and wonderful, but it is easy to get trapped in pre/trans dilemmas. I think we are so afraid of that danger that we, like Elsa’s parents, have force it into hiding.
Is the Trans issue a progressive weapon or a call back into subtle body and freedom to express the Mythos of shape shifting…
Back to Marvel, this is the issue with Raven/Mystique. Her true shape shifting self is so threatening to the modern world that even Charles/Professor X encourages her to hide it. This repression results in her unhealthy development and opens up her shape shifting power to being weaponized by Magneto.
If we were to create more space in our culture for the Subtle Realm, allow these kids to explore their identities in free and healthy ways this issue of gross body shape shifting may resolve itself.
I do hear that you do not see what many see in the conservative and Republican culture around bigotry. I do try to take a step back and question if it’s all my projection. At this point, I still see shadow bigotry in conservative culture. This is always the challenge with shadow and projection, you can’t see your own except through the reflection in others, who they themselves have shadow and projection. This is why blaming and debating don’t work. You cant debate or shame someone into shadow recognition. I do think there is an unhealthy shadow dynamic between the right and the left, both filled with shadow and projection. I do appreciate your pointing to progressive shadow.
You’ve packed a lot into this short sentence. And the answer is yes, yes, and not really.
The Mythos is, at least in my view, is no different than any other historical myth used to justify what someone wants - I’m descended from royalty so…, my ancestors were oppressed so…, I’m really a shape shifter so… Some would call this Magical Thinking.
People do have genuine internal/subtle issues to deal with. Perhaps a small girl has the personality of a tall man, and is frustrated by the lack of instant recognition of her leadership and aggressive drivesthat being a large male would instantaneously garner. Is she oppressed?
Perhaps a large boy is frustrated that they are constantly referred too as large, strong and athletic when their dream is to become a chess master. Is he being victimized?
Fat is one of the more recent Intersectionality classes we see being added to the roster of preferred classes. When are short, tall, fast, slow, above average intelligence, below average intelligence, exactly average in every way, anxious, no reactive, brown haired, purple haired each be added to the Equity Allies roster of ranked Intersectionality?
Everyone wants to have a great life, to be seen for our successes, talents, hard work and not for our weaknesses, failures or laziness.
Should the State have funded a penis enlargement for me as a child so I could express my true self as a porn star? Or the State fund strength enhancement so I could dunk a basketball?
These are all decisions that I can make today as an adult, and fund if I have the means now that technology enables. At what age should I be able to make these decisions. Should my parents have been able to have my penis enlarged when I was 11 so I would be a “little stud” and have a penis reveal party? Should cultures be allowed to practice genital mutilation on their girls or circumcise their boys?
And if this age is below the age of majority - 18 in the US, should we abolish the entire concept of “minor”, which would then bet the need for “family” or “parent”. Perhaps these are all outdated non-Integral concepts?
Mythos, Magical Thinking is primal, powerful and universal throughout history of humanity. I don’t know anyone, lest of all conservatives, that discount it. I assume “subtle” is somewhat analogous, but of course “Trans Rational” mysticism for Integralists as opposed to being “Pre Rational” mysticism for anyone not an Integralist, aka those conservatives. I’m quite sure I’m all twistered up in the subtleties of the Pre/Trans Fallacy.
None the less, do we let our 7 year old child leave home to crusade against evil forces with his trusty steed (family dog) as the Mythical Paladin? Or jump off the rooftop since she’s Spider Woman? Or do we foster this Mystical Power as they also develop Reason and Agency? Can we do this without crushing their spirit?
None the less, do we let our 7 year old child leave home to crusade against evil forces with his trusty steed (family dog) as the Mythical Paladin? Or jump off the rooftop since she’s Spider Woman? Or do we foster this Mystical Power as they also develop Reason and Agency? Can we do this without crushing their spirit?
I think these are very import questions. New generations will manifest this energy in new ways. I think for many the gender identity explosion is a mystical quest, journeys into the belly of the sacred. I think we need to hold this with a far greater respect than what I see coming out of the conservative community. That said, I think keeping this conversation located only in the gross realm as the progressives do offers dangers as well.
Looking at the difference between control systems and developmental drivers is at the core. Control systems assume we know where we are going. I think both conservative and progressives are opperating through control systems but wanting to go different places. Both villify by making the others destination an eggagerted foolish trip.
I want more developmental drivers in place. Trusting the creative force of the universe to take us on her journey, with the destination unknown, but knowing the process will keep bringing us closer to the sacred.
Aren’t conservatives the ethnocentric literal mythic knuckle draggers stuck in a Literal Mythic fantasy world where Mose parted the Red Sea, Virgin Mary gave birth to God and all that malarkey? LOL
Even Atheists will quickly point out that Christian or Jewish or Islamic or Hindu or Buddhist mythological visions are extremely similar to the Assyrians, Sumerians, Egyptians, Greeks that came before so not really anything special at all. Then we spin into the 20th century with Jungian archetypes which seemingly are very similar to those on Tarot Cards or Greek and Norse Temples. Are the Hollywood mythical creations really that different, if we knew enough of our own history to compare?
In the conservative landscape we might call this a Mythical Expertocracy. Large portions of the population may suffer from a “lack of meaning” where as others might call it “lack of faith”. Faith is valuable in the not knowing and how to be with it. Perhaps faith might be little more than being able to self-sooth oneself when not knowing. Will my wife’s health sustain, will mine, will our investments grow, will our kids be able to sustain through life’s challenges.
Would being ok with not knowing, with the unknown be considered transcendent? Can I find this peace just as the ancients did? Or does it have to come from a self proclaimed “prophet” with a youtube channel? Maybe yes and yes perhaps?
Well, kids watch everything again and again. That’s what they do. If women enjoy Frozen as adults, that’s a higher hurdle of course. But what I consider great stories are ones everyone watches, reading or listening to again and again over the several hundred years. While Disney does have some good ones, most do not merit an investment of $30 to watch them over and over throughout the years.
I completely understand what you are saying about Frozen, though. Yes, definitely the general public needs to be exposed more to these subtle realms.
And here we see an example of a person who is struggling to reconcile - essentially - the Father, Son and Holy Ghost - but in different terminology and outside of a strictly Christian mythos. Father - spirit, Son - physical, Holy Ghost - “subtle” realm.
Yes, we should “let our 7 year old child leave home to crusade against evil forces with his trusty steed” - in the subtle realm. In that realm between the strictly imaginary and the strictly physical - that is where transformative change happens. Then after taking on that persona over the summer and spends the summer getting stronger, he returns to school in September and is able to stand up to the class bully and becomes the hero of the 2nd Grade.
If he instead believes “Oh, this is just fantasy and doesn’t really happen” - he returns to school and continues to be bullied. Kids jump off roofs - and learn the reality of physical boundaries. I know I did when I was in the 5th grade. We were playing in that magical world of imagination in reality. Growing up me end my friends lived there 3 months of every year and all weekends and after school. Yes, there were trips to the emergency room.
What I see as a big mistake is keeping all this mythical play on the computer or TV screen. Now as a kid you fight evil by pressing keys on a keyboard, not jumping off your neighbor’s car port or having a battle royale in a construction site with wooden swords and plywood shields. The act of being a hero is becoming more and more a completely imaginary act in a completely imaginary world in a computer drive, often in the form of a character that isn’t even the players same gender, lol.
BEAUTIFUL write-up @raybennett . Brings back a flood of childhood memories.
It’s all fun-and-games until Spider Man jumps off the peak of the roof instead of the low side.
My parents had a rule - no complaints from the neighbors, school or cops - which we managed most of the time. LOL
That’s the Metaverse for you. Is it good or bad or just different?
You sure learn a lot about focus, intention, accuracy, quickness, situational awareness and first aid from those Battle Royales (it is capitalized) against Billie (never like him) and his sidekick Steve (great guy when Billie wasn’t around). Perhaps most importantly we developed a profound understanding of fair play. It was even a sweeter victory when you had Billie cornered and didn’t pepper him with rocks, just as the gratitude you felt when he didn’t pepper you when cornered.
Not sure having young boys playing first person shooter or skull crushing fantasy games day in day out teaches them transcendent or even realistic life lessons.
Depends on the game, and again - we aren’t talking about “realistic” life lessons here, but in between realistic and complete fantasy.
It’s also very much becoming science based as well. When you do a good or charitable act, you get a dopamine hit and improved self esteem. It doesn’t matter if it is real or imaginary - your endocrine system doesn’t know the difference. So 10 year olds fighting out their little battle in the construction site reinforces the identity they are playing in their subconscious. In the same way, immersion first person “shooter” games reinforce the identity of the player playing it. The BIG problem is that most games have a “dark” setting with ambiguous morality that can reinforce negative aspects of identity, even in adults. Rather than being a Hero or King, they may reinforce their inner sadist or masochist when the game allows or even rewards that behavior.
Where I find these computer realms may be useful is in acting out shadow desires and fantasies that are completely unacceptable or impossible to act out in the real world. The risk there is addiction to that deviancy while the possible reward is “getting it out of your system”. I think the danger is greater the younger the individual is and the less “rooted” they are in the real world. Reality has to have a greater appeal than the computer world or the individual will spiral into the Metaverse Void.
The problem with the Metaverse is that is is designed from the bottom up to replace reality and use and reward addictive behavior to accomplish that.
I see “computer reality” as perhaps the biggest threat to humanity’s spiritual development. This “subtle realm” does not exist in cyberspace - only in the physical world, or rather straddles between the physical and the spiritual, which also does not exist in cyberspace. Even with biofeedback devices and “virtual reality”, computers will never be able to sense the extra-sensory. Computers will never be “conscious” in the spiritual meaning of the term because this consciousness or “enlightenment” is increasing awareness of that “subtle realm” @Michelle is talking about.
I do think that there is definitely room for using technology as a tool. Biofeedback and biostimulation can definitely assist in reaching deeper states of conciousness.
Personally I find EMDR audio tracks to have an interesting subtle impact. Shamanic drumming audio tracks have enabled for me actual journeys, although it’s much more difficult than being in an actual drum circle with humans beating actual drums with you. So yes, as a tool Tech can be great. There are likely great benefits of VR headsets as well.
Downside, particularly I think for boys, is it can easily promote habits that don’t lead to social development.
I’m not familiar with exactly what goes on in those circles. Is there a fire in the middle? If there is, then the elements interacting with the body would be very difficult to replicate in VR. Air, earth, fire - and light, dark, moon, stars, sun. There’s something about being outside that just isn’t possible to replicate in VR.
I started out with various “brainwave” audio about 15 years ago. Yes, technology can definitely create tools.
Direct mimic isn’t possible. Some times there is a fire. The physicality of drumming arrayed in the circle with others can’t be experienced through headphones.
Sadly it’s tough to find non stoner drum circles. I haven’t shroomed and drummed but feel weed greatly dulls the experience for me personally.
I have a friend who is deep into Native American rituals and he’s 100% sober.
I tend to avoid Native American ceremonies though because I don’t want to deal with accusations of cultural misappropriation or trying to get it exactly how it was done 200 years ago.
I’ve literally sat in hours long meetings while old men try and figure out if they can or cannot sweat in a tent together without showing disrespect.
Yogis tend to not get upset about people practicing Aruveda and Yoga, so that’s the path of least resistance for me.
