Liminalist # 24: Mechanical Rabbits (with John Michael Greer)

JMG

First part of in-depth exploration with ArchDruid John Michael Greer, on the end of industrialized society, making the transition, the prepper scene, the myth of progress, losing survival skills, the mechanistic view of the universe, an indifferent environment, mistaking indifference for hostility, a question of growing up, the culture of the futurism, manipulation by hope, the Wobblys’ Pie in the sky, the dangers of believing your own propaganda (why Nazism failed), Jasun’s experience of joining a cult, empowerment by generating belief, creating social realities, the cult of culture, the wizard’s face, the vanguard of evolution, the American fixation, the space dream and the UFO, the Mars project, radiation levels in space, humans as part of the earth biosphere, UFOs as cover for spy planes, religious mythology in alien drag, why there are no ET visitations, the Moon landing and motivations behind hoax theory, the Secret space program fantasy, Prisoner of Infinity, the many interests of Edgar Mitchell and the many agendas of social engineering, the difficulty of figuring out who’s got whose back, Jacques Vallee’s Messengers of Deception, JMG’s second career, the ecology of systems, ecology and occultism, modern occultism as salvage operation, an applied practical human ecology, James Howard Kunstler’s magical side, a function of biology, why magicians don’t practice magical thinking, psychology and magic, Carl Jung’s occultism, Ramsey Dukes’ quaternity of cycles, finding corruption in all the fields, the lowest common denominator of power politics, avoiding groups, getting back to the basics of psyche and body, why the narrative of time always ends badly, the path of ripening.

(Note: The reason for the godlike, echoing effect of Jasun’s voice on recent podcasts is that he has moved his office to the recently renovated, spacious, and otherwise empty front part of his building.)

The Archdruid Report

Songs: “El Mariachi” by The Freak Fandango Orchestra; “Promise of Water,” by Angels of Light; “Nonesuch on Mountain Dulcimer,” by Canis Caput Capitis; “Song for Obol,” by Arborea; “Vapors,” by Origami Conspiracy.

9 thoughts on “Liminalist # 24: Mechanical Rabbits (with John Michael Greer)”

  1. we visualise star systems, remember relatives,sexual awakenings and responses but just go back into the body and focus on the little toe and you,lol find a far longer journey .

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  2. Imo, his aspergers syndrome limits his ability to understand magic.

    Magic is more than psychology, and a lot more interesting. Thank god.

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  3. It didn’t seem like an offensive thing to say, since he’s clearly so brilliant at other things. My suggestion is just that perhaps what makes him brilliant at those other things, acts as a hindrance when it comes to magic. At least what I would I call magic. I could be wrong.

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    • he’s one of the only people i’d want to talk to about magic, at all.

      psychology is way more interesting than magic, IMO

      but then i’m aspergerian

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  4. I really liked with your comments about the arts being contaminated juxtaposed with the personal need to pursue creativity nonetheless. That’s a white knuckle life discipline all of itself – especially in the new pay-to-play business model of the arts [ie you can make what you like, but it will cost you money] as As Dave Chapelle said in a more lucid moment advising people wanting to get in to show-business; ‘prepare to have your heart broken’

    Some of the best things about these podcasts are your [Jasun’s] passing remarks about things
    in general. I had some reservations about this interviewee and some of his opinions [just my own take] – he is ever so definite about so many things, but his logic seemed to me to be balanced on certain premises which, for me, are not certain at all, and some of which seemingly opposed each other. Then again, all the Druids I have ever met were this way, so perhaps it comes with the territory. I nevertheless enjoyed it, as I am enjoying all these podcasts. Thanks for doing them.

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    • I know what you mean about JMG’s apparent dogmatism (another aspie trait, maybe?). But i found him one of the most fluid and responsive of all my co-hosts.

      “Prepare to have your heart broken,” as a sign over the entrance Academy of Art, the equivalent of “abandon hope all ye who enter here” at the gates of hell. Inside Llewyn Davis communicated it beautifully, against all odds, being a corporate product made by massively successful agents of the mainstream…

      Reply

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