“America is completely bewitched by a completely manipulative and deceptive veil of identity politics that appeal to the surface of people’s consciences….There are two currents. There is this popular current that’s used to keep us sated and placated and engaged and outraged. Then there is this deeper current that actually much closer to the source of our lives, which is about the destruction and depletion and extraction of wellness from the earth, and that is the conversation we are still incapable of having.” – Anohni, in episode “The Great Derangement” on Open Source with Christopher Lydon
Post Category → Sociology & Social Sciences
Power really does corrupt
I learned last week that becoming powerful has measurable neurological effects on your ability to empathize.
Listen to this fascinating episode of NPR’s Hidden Brain on “The Perils of Power”.
If you have a Harvard Business Review subscription there is a long article in the October 2016 edition called “Don’t let power corrupt you”.
Zikr
The BBC recently reported on the “Islamic Sufi prayer ceremony known as Zikr“. It is pretty popular in the Caucasus.
Years ago I remember seeing a brief news spot on Ramzan Kadyrov, the strongman ruler of Chechnya. He was doing what I now realize is the Zikr dance. At the time I was absolutely intrigued, and I still am.There is something fascinating about this. Must be the raver in me.
There is an entire Youtube channel devoted to Zikr.
And because it is the internet, there is a pisstake (this dance set to rave music, which highlights just how similar dance/trance and these spiritual practices are to each other).
More
A Whirling Sufi Revival With Unclear Implications – NY Times, 2006
Chechnya: Kadyrov Uses ‘Folk Islam’ For Political Gain – Radio Free Europe, 2016
Kadyrov Turns to Zikrism to Legitimize His Rule – The Jamestome Foundation