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I love Thievery Corporation. I’ve been intending to post this video, of TC’s track, The Numbers Game, off their album Radio Retaliation. Besides featuring the godfather of go go himself, Chuck Brown, it speaks on several levels at once. Listen to it in the context of ancient Egyptian Secret of the Two Partners, and it’s even better.
Just a short while ago, Mary made note of the deception of John Yoo regarding the provenance of certain facts.
That’s the heart of malicious myth-making, the sleight-of-hand intended to give the impression to the dominated that they’re subjugation is sanctioned by the Mandate of Heaven itself. "Bipartisanship," by any other name, sounds to this poet like The Secret of the Two Partners, who appear as implacable enemies on the stage of society, but are one behind the scenes.
TS2P was the name of the final symbol of pharaohnic rule, a scroll, the totem of his power. It’s a trick older even than books. This is how you jack electorates by the power of myth.
Back in the day, people practiced seasonal ritual regicide: the courts of kings and queens, miming the heavens, also would willingly walk to their graves. In India, some rulers would get up on stage and slice themselves to bits–as much as they could–before passing out. Human sacrifice is a common practice among agriculturalists: from out of rot comes life; to increase life, increase death. Especially a high-value target.
Wouldn’t it be nice to keep power? But the people would go ape. What to do?
At some point, pharaohs and priests figured it out. Instead of going up there and dying in front of everyone, go backstage during a great pageant, change costume, come out and wow the crowd (they’re so easy), then return with that prize of all prizes, TS2P, a simple scroll, claiming to have traversed the entire cosmos and to have brought home the Mandate of Heaven.
Very roughly speaking, that’s a how-to for faking elections and faux bipartisanship. The only question being, as harpie noted yesterday in an apt quote of Carroll, who is the master of the Word behind the words? In the cause of torture, would that be Papa Dick and his legions of doom we see behind the curtain?
BTW, I think I’ve mentioned this, but does anyone know the three different mythical monsters Karl Rove calls himself?
Karl Rove calls himself Grendel, Moby Dick, and Lord Voldemort, according to Scott Horton. Jacking electorates by the power of myth, with the deus ex machina of TS2P, has been his specialty.
And who’s jacking us for the Dems?
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7 Comments
When one tries to figure out what happened in the past, the study of history, a realist will understand that in most instances we will never know the absolute truth. You must not rely on a single source, but must examine various accounts, if available, and try to discern a pattern that brings you to a reasonable idea of what most likely occurred. That’s the best you can do. Myths are a constant roadblock in this effort. For one thing they are usually more fun to believe, more exciting and people are naturally drawn to them. And they often have a tradition of belief behind them. The idea that they must have a grain of truth as a basis for their existence doesn’t really justify the faith we have in them. Their main value is usually as metaphor and this value can be significant, but should be thought of as just that; metaphor.
Other examples the GOP’s constant need to scream Ordinary Man to justify screwing the common man. The GOP calls Bipartisanship Date Rape they are in power and when they are in power they say we liked it when they screw us.
I think your mixing religion with myths. Myths are more patterns of human behavior. Religion is more the justification of the powerful to rule and impose order on society stating God as an authority. There is overlap however the Illiad is not really anything like the Catholic church’s stand on Liberation Theology or their stand on abortion.
You see yourself and others in myths you see patterns and follow the curves.
No Karl you already have a super villan name Remember Turd Blossom or if you prefer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayberry_Machiavelli
Robert Novak liked to be called the Price of Darkness however with his writing partner Evans they were known as Errors and No Facts.
Its not the name your friends give you its the one your enemies give you that often tells us more. Not Always but when respect comes from an enemy then its probably true.
Look for the things that don’t track in myths and ask why. The same is true of the stockmarket.
Rahm likes Rahmbo as his super villan name and loves to be compared to Machiavelli but a more Obvious man who isn’t already indicted would be hard to find.
Self created myths are vanity projects. Some folks like Dick like to be called Darth they equate horrible with fear and wear it as a badge of honor.
I think you can do this if you lie about your enemies and assume they lie about you then by this twisted logic their insults become badges of Honor.
Ow trying to follow GOPer logic just twigged something in my head.
Short people always seem to have an envy complex.
Rahm is short in the Soul:)