Extreme classic cults do extreme things, from the suicides of Jonestown, to the Third Reich. Sometimes what they purport to believe ludicrous things, such as Heaven's Gate cult belief that taking cyanide, which they did, to allow them to join the "spaceship" hidden in the tail of the comet Hale-Bopp. It's utterly absurd, but absurdity as a basis for actions can be uniquely dangerous.
Extreme classic cults do extreme things, from the suicides of Jonestown, to the Third Reich. Sometimes what they purport to believe ludicrous things, such as Heaven's Gate cult belief that taking cyanide, which they did, to allow them to join the "spaceship" hidden in the tail of the comet Hale-Bopp. It's utterly absurd, but absurdity as a basis for actions can be uniquely dangerous.
JL, this is apropos of nothing: I am watching тАЬNight SkyтАЭ on Amazon Prime. Just starting, so I wonтАЩt be able to give a spoiler alert and wouldnтАЩt anyway....itтАЩs about a couple (Sissy Spacek plays Irene, the wife) and her husband Franklin (donтАЩt ask me his actor name) and they seem to be in touch with outer space and can go тАЬthereтАЭ from the basement in their house, where they seem to have a headquarters for the spaceship. Your comment somehow reminded me....itтАЩs quite good if you need a distraction from the circus here at home.....
Sometimes fiction is a better medium for human truths than unadorned data. While science and math decode the core patterns of our circumstances, the arts transmit the sentient experience we humans inhabit in resonant ways. The play "Uncle Tom's Cabin" (which I suspect is terrible or objectionable because it never seems to be assigned or quoted) is claimed to have had a significant impact on public opinion about the evils of slavery, even though that would seem to have been (and apparently wasn't) universally self-evident. Plays of Shakespeare have provided meaningful metaphors for real-world personality types. Thomas Nast's political humor was cited in my school history book as having impact on public awareness. See Drydren's / Handel's Ode to St. Cecilia's day for extravagant claims about the power of music. "Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws." - Andrew Fletcher
Extreme classic cults do extreme things, from the suicides of Jonestown, to the Third Reich. Sometimes what they purport to believe ludicrous things, such as Heaven's Gate cult belief that taking cyanide, which they did, to allow them to join the "spaceship" hidden in the tail of the comet Hale-Bopp. It's utterly absurd, but absurdity as a basis for actions can be uniquely dangerous.
Well, maybe there is a comet coming round soon that they can all prepare to join? T'wold solve some problems in America and thereabout.
They sorta tried that with COVID, but with much "collateral damage".
JL, this is apropos of nothing: I am watching тАЬNight SkyтАЭ on Amazon Prime. Just starting, so I wonтАЩt be able to give a spoiler alert and wouldnтАЩt anyway....itтАЩs about a couple (Sissy Spacek plays Irene, the wife) and her husband Franklin (donтАЩt ask me his actor name) and they seem to be in touch with outer space and can go тАЬthereтАЭ from the basement in their house, where they seem to have a headquarters for the spaceship. Your comment somehow reminded me....itтАЩs quite good if you need a distraction from the circus here at home.....
The circus here at home is our life and possibly our future. I know you donтАЩt ignore that, but fiction seems so blas├й at present.
Sometimes fiction is a better medium for human truths than unadorned data. While science and math decode the core patterns of our circumstances, the arts transmit the sentient experience we humans inhabit in resonant ways. The play "Uncle Tom's Cabin" (which I suspect is terrible or objectionable because it never seems to be assigned or quoted) is claimed to have had a significant impact on public opinion about the evils of slavery, even though that would seem to have been (and apparently wasn't) universally self-evident. Plays of Shakespeare have provided meaningful metaphors for real-world personality types. Thomas Nast's political humor was cited in my school history book as having impact on public awareness. See Drydren's / Handel's Ode to St. Cecilia's day for extravagant claims about the power of music. "Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws." - Andrew Fletcher
Unfortunately evil clowns are evil.