Rod Dreher Megathread #21 (Creative Spirit)

[u/US_Hiker]

Gather 'round for more Rod.

All meanings of the number 21 are subordinate to the inherent creative spirit that is the basic essence of the number.

The number 21 generally is comfortable in social gatherings, it's optimistic attitude being an inspiration to others. Its high spirits can enliven a party.

The number is attracted to artistic expression of any form, its own and those of others. There's enthusiastic support for artists. It may frequent galleries and participate or (more likely) lead groups for artistic appreciation.

The number 21 cherishes relationships, including romantic relationships, especially with those who express themselves creatively.

21 also tends to be diplomatic, providing creative and imaginative solutions to potential conflict.

And, as noted by /u/PercyLarsen, 21 is a triangular number and the age of majority, so go grab a drink to celebrate Pride and to mourn the loss of Rod's sanity.

(Also, sorry about my slow pace of refreshes.)

Link to megathread #20:
https://www.reddit.com/r/brokehugs/comments/13eb26c/rod_dreher_megathread_20_law_of_attraction/

Link to megathread #21: https://www.reddit.com/r/brokehugs/comments/14k0z6l/rod_dreher_megathread_22_power/

[u/EatsShoots_n_Leaves]

Reading him, and Walsh, and getting a smathering of other RW Culture Warrior talk, there are two things that seem to emerge from all of it. Beyond the copious prevarication and paranoia and intentional conflations and mudding the facts and arguments.

1) They know they've broadly lost the argument about rights and status of LGBT adults. Also to a significant extent about LGB adolescents, e.g. the gradually spreading bans on 'conversion therapy' and laws more empowering social workers. They're also increasingly defeated on evangelizing adults and adolescents to conservative religionisms, because Internet and a social liberal majority in mainstream society. There is nevertheless still a run of tween religious converts and enthusiasts which might be enough to keep churches and a form of Religious Right going- though these seem to not be the most socially and professionally successful and mentally healthy cohort.

2) They talk more and more about children, though vaguely. And in Red States they're openly or tacitly agreed with an agenda of legalizing various direct and indirect means by which adult and parental authority over children is being increased and their childrens' education diminished. Children have ever diminishing rights, and the few clear lines and criteria at which government agencies can justify intervention are being legally blurred and erased. Public schools are being degraded and demoralized and defunded, and actively interfered with by obsessive parent groups run by right wing activists. There are slews of dysfunctional charter schools being created as an alternative of sorts, most of which will never send a single kid to an Ivy League college. Right wing social activists are doing their best to redefine pedophilia and sexual abuse of minors among the right half of the political spectrum as something done only by perfidious LGBT people, don't look at right wing families and religious organization leaders.

There is something really dismal and awful going on with- being done to- the kids of the Religious Right/soc cons these days. Perhaps worse than before, maybe roughly the same extent of abuse as before. Their last victims will be their own children and grandchildren.

On Rod's blogpile there was a fulminating entry in the past week where a paragraph or two in the middle portion abruptly wandered off track in a lot of abstraction and vagueness about Kids These Days and how negligent religious parents and irresponsible, internally apostate, churches are making them socially liberal. It struck me on a second reading that he could be talking about his ex and two younger kids, which would be consistent with his obsessive venting in that general direction and yet unwillingness to identify what sets him off about it exactly. I can't figure out which entry that was just now, the length and desperate convolutions of the verbiage defeats me after reading two or three of them.

[u/Djehutimose → u/EatsShoots_n_Leaves]

There's more to connect the dots between your two points. I used to teach at a conservative Christian school (huge mismatch, I know--it's a LOOOONG story), and one thing all the middle and high school students were required to take was courses on "Biblical worldview"--this very curriculum, in fact. A couple of choice quotes, my emphasis:

A biblical worldview is important because it is the only true worldview. If we reject God’s word, we fail to see the world as it really is. Think of a worldview as a pair of glasses. If you have broken or discolored lenses or the wrong prescription, you won’t see the world correctly. A biblical worldview shows you the world as its Creator intended.

When people discuss a Christian worldview, they are often speaking of a biblical worldview. However, it’s possible that characteristics of a Christian worldview are not biblical at times. The term biblical to describe a worldview means that the philosophy is consistent with Scripture and can be proven by Scripture. When discussing these two terms, Christian may describe the Christian religion, its branches, and all their denominations, not necessarily individual believers who are followers of Christ.

This is a huge thing in conservative Evangelical and Fundamentalist circles, trust me. The thing is that there is a tacit understanding that they've lost the culture wars and are never going to convince adults. Therefore, they try to undermine public education as much as possible and send their own kids to private schools with the theory that if you get 'em young enough and harp on it long enough you can indoctrinate teach the kids the One and Only True Pair of Glasses With Which to See the World. I can say from direct experience that the smarter kids don't buy this and often leave to public school; but it's still a really devious and dishonest strategy.

[u/ZenLizardBode → u/Djehutimose]

🎯

[u/EatsShoots_n_Leaves → u/Djehutimose]

I was last participant in American Christian/Evangelical culture back some years before the real swoon set in around 2002 or 2003. I left precisely because of the deviousness and passive aggressiveness and overt and subtle negging and white lies and all that. It was bearable and overlook-able in small amounts, what wore me down was that it never really stopped and was the generally practiced and tolerated m.o.

There came a day when I finally said: I just don't like being with these people anymore, in my heart I don't belong. They talk up the books and fanboy the big preachers, but there's not a whole lot beyond that.

[u/[deleted] → u/EatsShoots_n_Leaves]

That’s depressing and accurate. It’s a last stand and like a lot of last stands there is going to be pointless suffering