Absolutely brilliant post! Several profound insights into the current state of medico-political affairs, and an interesting proposition for how we got here (which is a question I find I am asking myself everyday lately!). I especially enjoyed the scathing review of Ms Hoogeveen's observations regarding 'believing bullshit from scientists Vs bullshit from spiritual gurus' (seriously, wtf?!),
but I think I threw up in my mouth a little on reading that the 'Fauci candle' is a real thing (and costs more than $20 - thanks, but no thanks!). Thank you so much for sharing your carefully considered thoughts, Robyn. It really is a relief to know not everyone has been swept up in this madness and that there is still hope yet that we may find our way back to some semblance of sanity. :)
We're all grappling with the question "How did this happen???" and there are so many threads that are woven together into this tapestry. The Asch conformity experiments, Milgram experiments and the Stanford Prison experiment help us understand the corrosive effects of social pressure, authority and the experience of power. Mathias Desmet's work on mass formation helps us understand crowd psychology. And what I'm pointing to in this post is the contribution that the loss of the social cohesion and experiences of awe and transcendence formerly provided to most people by religion (broadly defined) makes toward generating two of the preconditions for mass formation - a loss of meaning and purpose, and free-floating hostility.
And yeah, I won't be stumping up $20 for that Fauci prayer candle either :-).
Absolutely! I can remember learning about Milgram and the Stanford Prison experiments when I studied psychology at university almost 20 years ago (yikes, where did the time go?!). I have to admit that in my naivety then, I thought similar findings would never be repeated in a real-world setting so many years later. I can also remember being fascinated listening to Mathias Desmet quite early in the pandemic (if my memory serves me it was in an interview on Dan Astin-Gregory's 'The Pandemic Podcast" on YouTube). It was wonderful to see his work eventually reach such a broad audience, although like so many other esteemed subject-matter experts before him, he and his work were vilified by those seeking to further the mainstream narrative. I am fascinated by the role of meaning and meaning-making in life in an everyday sense, and it has been interesting to examine this during the pandemic and associated responses. There have been many challenges and pandemic-induced difficulties over the last two years, but one thing I am incredibly grateful for is the elevation of brilliant voices like yours (despite the obvious attempts at censorship by 'the mob' and Big Tech), which help to keep me and countless others sane. Keep up the great work! :)
Robyn, thanks for another fantastic article that gives another perspective in which to view what is happening from. Most people seem to be coming from the position of the science is settled and won't even consider questioning it. I sent this quote to my "leadership" team at work.
The mark of an open mind is being more committed to your curiosity than to your convictions. The goal of learning is not to shield old views against new facts. It’s to revise old views to incorporate new facts. Ideas are possibilities to explore, not certainties to defend. Nothing!
There seems to be a mental block where they just cannot fathom there are different opinions or different interpretations of the science.
You can see the Milgrim Experiment in action when a response from emplyer is -
We are not in a position to choose to not follow the Order. We are simply following our legal obligation to comply with the contents of the Order, and have made a lawful and reasonable direction to employees that they must be vaccinated in order to attend sites.
As if they can't possibly do anything else except follow orders. A lot of them are good people to.
I hadn't seen the CS Lewis video either, but came across one of his quotes a while back that sums up good people following the science -
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
The whole notion that "the science is settled" is ridiculous on its face, and the fact that so many people swallow that nonsense is clear evidence that science education at both school and university level is thoroughly inadequate (perhaps deliberately so).
Robyn, Thank you for this article!!!! We as a human race have lost our direction in the World.
We are being taken over by the Spider Web of groups who are out to destroy us!
Take a look at my country Canada and the Trudeau Communist Government, it was a Healthy Protest. Trudeau would not even talk to them! " SEND IN THE THUGS GRAB THEIR MONEY"
People remember this! The government works for us! We don't work for them! Our taxes pay their wages!!
My heart goes out to you and all Canadians. If it's any consolation to you, Trudeau's unleashing of the goon squad onto peaceful protesters is ripping the mask (pun intended) off the new fascists, revealing them for who they are. CJ Hopkins' analysis is excellent: https://cjhopkins.substack.com/p/the-naked-face-of-new-normal-fascism
Excellent post, Robyn. I read it aloud to my husband while he was driving. Made for great drive time discussion. My favourite scientist is Dr Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory. It's all about facts
I feel very honoured to have become part of your drive-time conversation! I always enjoyed The Big Bang Theory but started to become annoyed by the pro-pharma propaganda that started sneaking into the later series. My favourite episodes were the ones with Bob Newhart, playing Arthur Jeffries (aka Professor Proton). Newhart has the most amazing comic timing and delivery. This is my favourite Newhart sketch ever: https://youtu.be/Ow0lr63y4Mw
You're right about the pro-pharma crap creep but I always thought of Penny's qualifications as the grounder......actress & waitress educating the medical professionals on pharma products!. Loved that epi
Thanks Robyn, another great post, it helps me to understand why people so readily bow to the medical-political coalition and swallow their ridiculous narrative hook, line and sinker. There is never a need to kiss the ring of science experts or religious Gurus, but how do we channel our religious instinct?
The awe part of the equation is quite easy for me to self-induce - I'm blessed to live in a part of the world with very little light pollution, so every time I look up into the night sky I experience awe.
The social bonding part is trickier. Religious communities provide this experience through group prayer, meditation and singing. Sporting clubs can provide this - just look at what happens during a football match, when thousands of supporters start singing and moving in unison. I've experienced that feeling while marching in anti-lockdown/mandate protests.
But those of us who aren't terribly extraverted, don't attend church/synagogue/mosque/temple/meditation retreats, don't follow any sporting teams, and can't make it to protests regularly, can struggle to find our 'tribe' where we can experience that uplifting feeling of social bonding on a regular basis. However, many groups have formed to push back against the biosecurity state, such as Stand in the Park, and many pre-existing organisations such as Freedom Cells and RDA are rapidly expanding as more and more people wake up to the danger that we face. If the leaders or organisers of these groups become cognisant of the role they can play in usefully harnessing our religious instinct, they could incorporate bonding rituals such as group singing (man, there are some great protest songs that have been written in the last two years!!!) into meetings. I was struck by Robin Dunbar's explanation of trance dancing as a ritual for restoring social equilibrium when group tensions are starting to run high (see restoring social equilibrium). A 21st-century version of that would be very useful in groups that have formed to fight COVID tyranny but are facing personality clashes and power struggles.
I'm very far from having a complete answer to your question, but I hope my musings provide a useful starting-point for your own exploration. And please share your own thoughts about this too!
Yes I know what you mean, looking into a fresh sky is awesome for me also😊
In regards to the referenced articles, using the evolution theory ‘hammer’ to nail religion while reducing the human condition down to basic animal instincts mixed with primitive emotions explains why Spirituality remains such a big mystery to so many. Until we stop thinking of the human race as glorified monkeys there is little chance to witness a mass awakening of human potential in the Earth realm. Evolution and germ theories are shackles from which mankind needs to break free, so much has been hidden.
Honest self-observation proves that the underlying cause for every action is the pursuit of happiness. People join a large footy crowd or go to dance a ‘hot yoga’ because they believe it will make them feel happier than if they didn’t go to such an event. However, neither the yoga dancers or footy screamers will experience a lasting happiness from these activities. In fact, over time the happiness will diminish and they will seek enhancement, change activity or continue to do it out of boredom.
This pursuit of happiness in the material/physical world has replaced the pursuit of spiritual happiness that was pursued by some previous civilisations. The controllers need our focus to remain on the physical world only, then we are easy prey. The pursuit of spiritual happiness (bliss) enables increased natural or resonant frequency (individual and collective) which unleashes human potential and dissolves evil to boot.
There are many tools one can use to increase their vibrational frequency, too many to write about here. Religious places of the previous civilisation super-charged the positive spiritual processes but todays religious ‘institutions’ are unlikely to have any positive impact, it’s why nobody goes to them anymore.
One practice I recommend we all do is to simply have more gratitude every day, try to have gratitude for everything, there is always a reason to have gratitude😊
I don't think the psychologists interviewed in those articles "reduce... the human condition down to basic animal instincts mixed with primitive emotions" and that certainly isn't my interpretation. We have complex emotions because we have evolved the neurological capacity for them, and that evolution was driven by increased social complexity. There is a circular relationship between evolutionary processes and consciousness - they drive each other.
I totally agree with you on the value of gratitude practices though.
Perhaps I was being a little harsh but I would counter that there is as much evidence to suggest our complex emotions are signs of decay or devolution rather than of evolution. We have complex emotions and increased social complexity because we have lost control of how our minds function, more evidence of devolution. It’s no surprise that humans have increased levels of anxiety, depression and psychological disorders because essential truths have been crushed from us. But the mainstream juggernaut only funds science that kisses Darwin’s ring, leaving the masses to bask in a false glory of being the living pinnacle of linear evolutionary consciousness.
Not Ture i think. We ALL have a Spiritual aspect to existence that is unique and ours while Religion is the practice of what might be considered Spiritual and is by nature external to the living man or living woman. The two are not the same at all.
Humans are naturally spiritual beings - religions are only a collective socialization of the limited communal aspects of spirituality. Religions as a means to share spiritual sensations are a potential social hijack possibility as a charismatic and forceful individual can dominate and perhaps control the collective thinking.
We should NEVER confuse the two.
Spiritual is private and innate while Religion is the codification into a community narrative of what may be shared of our spirituality. Western communities first lost their spiritual connection to all things and grasp religion to fill the void which it never can do - thus were we who fell for this controlled by those who dominated religion in whatever form we were told to accept. Thats why religion is forced upon people. A distortion of science it now appears is religion and it now is forced upon us all. A nice inquisition anyone? Racks, torture and a burning at the stake perhaps?
Absolutely brilliant post! Several profound insights into the current state of medico-political affairs, and an interesting proposition for how we got here (which is a question I find I am asking myself everyday lately!). I especially enjoyed the scathing review of Ms Hoogeveen's observations regarding 'believing bullshit from scientists Vs bullshit from spiritual gurus' (seriously, wtf?!),
but I think I threw up in my mouth a little on reading that the 'Fauci candle' is a real thing (and costs more than $20 - thanks, but no thanks!). Thank you so much for sharing your carefully considered thoughts, Robyn. It really is a relief to know not everyone has been swept up in this madness and that there is still hope yet that we may find our way back to some semblance of sanity. :)
We're all grappling with the question "How did this happen???" and there are so many threads that are woven together into this tapestry. The Asch conformity experiments, Milgram experiments and the Stanford Prison experiment help us understand the corrosive effects of social pressure, authority and the experience of power. Mathias Desmet's work on mass formation helps us understand crowd psychology. And what I'm pointing to in this post is the contribution that the loss of the social cohesion and experiences of awe and transcendence formerly provided to most people by religion (broadly defined) makes toward generating two of the preconditions for mass formation - a loss of meaning and purpose, and free-floating hostility.
And yeah, I won't be stumping up $20 for that Fauci prayer candle either :-).
Absolutely! I can remember learning about Milgram and the Stanford Prison experiments when I studied psychology at university almost 20 years ago (yikes, where did the time go?!). I have to admit that in my naivety then, I thought similar findings would never be repeated in a real-world setting so many years later. I can also remember being fascinated listening to Mathias Desmet quite early in the pandemic (if my memory serves me it was in an interview on Dan Astin-Gregory's 'The Pandemic Podcast" on YouTube). It was wonderful to see his work eventually reach such a broad audience, although like so many other esteemed subject-matter experts before him, he and his work were vilified by those seeking to further the mainstream narrative. I am fascinated by the role of meaning and meaning-making in life in an everyday sense, and it has been interesting to examine this during the pandemic and associated responses. There have been many challenges and pandemic-induced difficulties over the last two years, but one thing I am incredibly grateful for is the elevation of brilliant voices like yours (despite the obvious attempts at censorship by 'the mob' and Big Tech), which help to keep me and countless others sane. Keep up the great work! :)
Robyn, thanks for another fantastic article that gives another perspective in which to view what is happening from. Most people seem to be coming from the position of the science is settled and won't even consider questioning it. I sent this quote to my "leadership" team at work.
The mark of an open mind is being more committed to your curiosity than to your convictions. The goal of learning is not to shield old views against new facts. It’s to revise old views to incorporate new facts. Ideas are possibilities to explore, not certainties to defend. Nothing!
There seems to be a mental block where they just cannot fathom there are different opinions or different interpretations of the science.
You can see the Milgrim Experiment in action when a response from emplyer is -
We are not in a position to choose to not follow the Order. We are simply following our legal obligation to comply with the contents of the Order, and have made a lawful and reasonable direction to employees that they must be vaccinated in order to attend sites.
As if they can't possibly do anything else except follow orders. A lot of them are good people to.
I hadn't seen the CS Lewis video either, but came across one of his quotes a while back that sums up good people following the science -
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
The whole notion that "the science is settled" is ridiculous on its face, and the fact that so many people swallow that nonsense is clear evidence that science education at both school and university level is thoroughly inadequate (perhaps deliberately so).
Robyn, Thank you for this article!!!! We as a human race have lost our direction in the World.
We are being taken over by the Spider Web of groups who are out to destroy us!
Take a look at my country Canada and the Trudeau Communist Government, it was a Healthy Protest. Trudeau would not even talk to them! " SEND IN THE THUGS GRAB THEIR MONEY"
People remember this! The government works for us! We don't work for them! Our taxes pay their wages!!
My heart goes out to you and all Canadians. If it's any consolation to you, Trudeau's unleashing of the goon squad onto peaceful protesters is ripping the mask (pun intended) off the new fascists, revealing them for who they are. CJ Hopkins' analysis is excellent: https://cjhopkins.substack.com/p/the-naked-face-of-new-normal-fascism
Excellent post, Robyn. I read it aloud to my husband while he was driving. Made for great drive time discussion. My favourite scientist is Dr Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory. It's all about facts
I feel very honoured to have become part of your drive-time conversation! I always enjoyed The Big Bang Theory but started to become annoyed by the pro-pharma propaganda that started sneaking into the later series. My favourite episodes were the ones with Bob Newhart, playing Arthur Jeffries (aka Professor Proton). Newhart has the most amazing comic timing and delivery. This is my favourite Newhart sketch ever: https://youtu.be/Ow0lr63y4Mw
You're right about the pro-pharma crap creep but I always thought of Penny's qualifications as the grounder......actress & waitress educating the medical professionals on pharma products!. Loved that epi
Yes, very true!
Thanks Robyn, another great post, it helps me to understand why people so readily bow to the medical-political coalition and swallow their ridiculous narrative hook, line and sinker. There is never a need to kiss the ring of science experts or religious Gurus, but how do we channel our religious instinct?
That's a very important question, and one that - as a person who doesn't identify with any faith tradition - I've been grappling with. The articles that I linked to in the post (https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190418-how-and-why-did-religion-evolve and https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190529-do-humans-have-a-religion-instinct) provide some clues. It's clear that we humans have a deep need for experiences that inspire awe, and feelings of being socially bonded with others.
The awe part of the equation is quite easy for me to self-induce - I'm blessed to live in a part of the world with very little light pollution, so every time I look up into the night sky I experience awe.
The social bonding part is trickier. Religious communities provide this experience through group prayer, meditation and singing. Sporting clubs can provide this - just look at what happens during a football match, when thousands of supporters start singing and moving in unison. I've experienced that feeling while marching in anti-lockdown/mandate protests.
But those of us who aren't terribly extraverted, don't attend church/synagogue/mosque/temple/meditation retreats, don't follow any sporting teams, and can't make it to protests regularly, can struggle to find our 'tribe' where we can experience that uplifting feeling of social bonding on a regular basis. However, many groups have formed to push back against the biosecurity state, such as Stand in the Park, and many pre-existing organisations such as Freedom Cells and RDA are rapidly expanding as more and more people wake up to the danger that we face. If the leaders or organisers of these groups become cognisant of the role they can play in usefully harnessing our religious instinct, they could incorporate bonding rituals such as group singing (man, there are some great protest songs that have been written in the last two years!!!) into meetings. I was struck by Robin Dunbar's explanation of trance dancing as a ritual for restoring social equilibrium when group tensions are starting to run high (see restoring social equilibrium). A 21st-century version of that would be very useful in groups that have formed to fight COVID tyranny but are facing personality clashes and power struggles.
I'm very far from having a complete answer to your question, but I hope my musings provide a useful starting-point for your own exploration. And please share your own thoughts about this too!
Yes I know what you mean, looking into a fresh sky is awesome for me also😊
In regards to the referenced articles, using the evolution theory ‘hammer’ to nail religion while reducing the human condition down to basic animal instincts mixed with primitive emotions explains why Spirituality remains such a big mystery to so many. Until we stop thinking of the human race as glorified monkeys there is little chance to witness a mass awakening of human potential in the Earth realm. Evolution and germ theories are shackles from which mankind needs to break free, so much has been hidden.
Honest self-observation proves that the underlying cause for every action is the pursuit of happiness. People join a large footy crowd or go to dance a ‘hot yoga’ because they believe it will make them feel happier than if they didn’t go to such an event. However, neither the yoga dancers or footy screamers will experience a lasting happiness from these activities. In fact, over time the happiness will diminish and they will seek enhancement, change activity or continue to do it out of boredom.
This pursuit of happiness in the material/physical world has replaced the pursuit of spiritual happiness that was pursued by some previous civilisations. The controllers need our focus to remain on the physical world only, then we are easy prey. The pursuit of spiritual happiness (bliss) enables increased natural or resonant frequency (individual and collective) which unleashes human potential and dissolves evil to boot.
There are many tools one can use to increase their vibrational frequency, too many to write about here. Religious places of the previous civilisation super-charged the positive spiritual processes but todays religious ‘institutions’ are unlikely to have any positive impact, it’s why nobody goes to them anymore.
One practice I recommend we all do is to simply have more gratitude every day, try to have gratitude for everything, there is always a reason to have gratitude😊
I don't think the psychologists interviewed in those articles "reduce... the human condition down to basic animal instincts mixed with primitive emotions" and that certainly isn't my interpretation. We have complex emotions because we have evolved the neurological capacity for them, and that evolution was driven by increased social complexity. There is a circular relationship between evolutionary processes and consciousness - they drive each other.
I totally agree with you on the value of gratitude practices though.
Perhaps I was being a little harsh but I would counter that there is as much evidence to suggest our complex emotions are signs of decay or devolution rather than of evolution. We have complex emotions and increased social complexity because we have lost control of how our minds function, more evidence of devolution. It’s no surprise that humans have increased levels of anxiety, depression and psychological disorders because essential truths have been crushed from us. But the mainstream juggernaut only funds science that kisses Darwin’s ring, leaving the masses to bask in a false glory of being the living pinnacle of linear evolutionary consciousness.
Nice we can agree on gratitude😊
Not Ture i think. We ALL have a Spiritual aspect to existence that is unique and ours while Religion is the practice of what might be considered Spiritual and is by nature external to the living man or living woman. The two are not the same at all.
Humans are naturally spiritual beings - religions are only a collective socialization of the limited communal aspects of spirituality. Religions as a means to share spiritual sensations are a potential social hijack possibility as a charismatic and forceful individual can dominate and perhaps control the collective thinking.
We should NEVER confuse the two.
Spiritual is private and innate while Religion is the codification into a community narrative of what may be shared of our spirituality. Western communities first lost their spiritual connection to all things and grasp religion to fill the void which it never can do - thus were we who fell for this controlled by those who dominated religion in whatever form we were told to accept. Thats why religion is forced upon people. A distortion of science it now appears is religion and it now is forced upon us all. A nice inquisition anyone? Racks, torture and a burning at the stake perhaps?
What Jordan Peterson describes as 'the religious instinct' encompasses everything you ascribed to spirituality.