New material below, i.e. Free Press articles on identifying the real nature of the beast that is driving endless variants of “salvation through destruction”, notably the resurgence of socialism across western liberal democracies today. My focus here is to probe beyond what are termed “secular/ideological themes” to the profoundly religious core archetypes that are the real drivers behind these crusades.
Note also below under “Odds and ends” the additional elements in the unleashing of the impulse to dominate and control others- i.e. psychopathy and Evangelical response to threat theology.
But first this…
My ask: Grok could you please summarize the main themes on this site for visitors, to give them some sense of what topics/issues they will find covered here?
Grok reply:
The site The Unconditional Human Spirit (wendellkrossa.com) is a personal blog by Wendell Krossa. It explores ideas about human nature, belief systems, theology, psychology, and societal progress, with a strong emphasis on transforming core human stories and archetypes for better outcomes. wendellkrossa.com
Core Themes
• Unconditional Love/Theology as Ultimate Liberation: The central idea is a profound shift from traditional “threat-based,” punitive, or tribal views of God/divinity to an unconditional divine love (non-retaliatory, inclusive, and forgiving). Krossa presents this as Jesus’ most radical and transformative insight— largely non-religious in essence— capable of freeing people from destructive inner impulses like tribalism, domination, and “retaliatory destruction.” This is framed as the highest ethical and psychological ideal, influencing behavior, emotions, and societies for the better. wendellkrossa.com
• Critique of “Salvation Through Destruction” Narratives: Many posts attack archetypes and stories (religious or secular) that promise renewal or utopia via purging enemies, violence, or coercive control. This includes critiques of certain religious theologies (e.g., apocalyptic or punitive elements in Christianity, Islam, etc.), as well as modern ideologies like socialism, which are seen as repeating the pattern of seeking salvation by destroying or controlling “evil” outsiders/elites. wendellkrossa.com
• Bad Ideas Drive Bad Behavior: Krossa emphasizes how beliefs and “God images” shape human impulses. “Bad theology” (punitive, tribal, dominating) validates violence, war, and oppression, while good ones (unconditional) promote humane responses. He discusses historical religious violence, the role of ideas in inciting evil (vs. purely secular/ideological causes), and tools like AI (including Grok) for probing these issues. wendellkrossa.com
• Optimism, Progress, and Countering Fear: Posts often promote evidence-based optimism (e.g., referencing Julian Simon on resources and human progress) against apocalyptic or declinist narratives. There’s discussion of generational fears (e.g., Millennials), critiques of collectivism/socialism, and an overall message that “it’s going to be alright” through better ideas. wendellkrossa.com
• Psychology, Archetypes, and Personal Transformation: Frequent engagement with psychology (e.g., CBT, archetypes in the collective subconscious), near-death experiences (NDEs), behavioral science, and figures like Solzhenitsyn. Emphasis on confronting inner “monsters” (animal impulses) rather than externalizing evil. Discussions of free speech, justice (balanced with mercy), and everyday heroism. wendellkrossa.com
Style and Approach
The blog features frequent interactions with AI (especially Grok) for summaries, debates, and expansions. It mixes personal essays, historical analysis, current events commentary (politics, culture, interviews), and optimistic spirituality. Content is iconoclastic— challenging orthodox religion while defending humane, evidence-based ideals— and often optimistic about human potential. wendellkrossa.com
In short, visitors will find a thoughtful, integrative project blending theology/spirituality with critiques of ideology, advocacy for unconditional humanity, and hopeful realism about progress. It appeals to those interested in big-picture ideas on why humans behave badly and how better core beliefs can lead to liberation and better societies. The tone is reflective, probing, and solution-oriented rather than purely polemical.
Konstantin Kisin on why socialism always end in totalitarian tyranny.
AI Overview
Socialism requires force. People will not give up their private property freely. To take it, governments must use a lot of power. This forces people to obey. In the end, this use of force turns the government into a tyrant.
Here is how Konstantin Kisin explains this idea:
1. The Conflict Over Property
• What is it: Socialism aims to share wealth equally by taking it from productive people and giving it to others.
• The Resistance: People who work hard and create wealth do not want to give their things away to people who have not.
• The Coercion: Because people resist, the government must use force to take the property.
2. The Logic of Force
• No Freedom: A government cannot take things by force and stay free.
• The Slide to Tyranny: The government needs total control to make sure everyone obeys the rules. If the government controls everything, citizens lose basic human rights.
3. Real-World Examples
• Historical Failure: Kisin points to the 20th-century Soviet Union, where he grew up. Leaders used fear, secret police, and the military to force people to hand over farms and businesses.
• The Result: This need for control led to millions of deaths and deep poverty.
You can hear more of his views on the problems with socialism and communism by listening to Konstantin Kisin.
This from an Instagram post:
“konstantinkisin”
“Every ‘equal society’ in history ended the same way: with force.
“You cannot redistribute productivity without coercion.
“That’s the part radical socialism never admits.
“The more ‘equality’ you want, the more authoritarian it must become to enforce it.”
A further point:
Marx had stated that private property was his number one evil to liberate people from, so their “natural and essential nature” as “communal humans” could freely re-emerge (i.e. restore the original state of humanity as noble savages in communalism and thereby restore the lost paradise). He urged the collectivist takeover of societies through the revolutionary seizing of the means of production”, which is what socialists begin to do by “nationalizing” varied sectors of economies.
Marx based his ideology on primitive myths such as the fallacy of an original paradise where “noble savages” lived in communal societies of equality.
This from a previous post of mine:
“There was an original paradise of perfect humans (“noble savages”) living in communal societies (“noble savage” mythology still dominates leftist academia today- see Stephen LeBlanc’s “Constant Battles: The Myth of the Noble Savage and a Peaceful Past”). The fallacy of original paradise states that the paradise was ruined by corrupted humans who degenerated further in developing civilization, notably in liberal democracy that is based on the primary right of private property (e.g. William Bernstein in The Birth of Plenty).”
AI Overview
The “noble savage” is a literary idea. It suggests humans were pure and peaceful until civilization ruined them. You are noting that Karl Marx used this exact story. He saw private property as the “root of all evil”. He believed ending property ownership would return humanity to a peaceful, natural, and equal state.
Here is how scholars explore and challenge this concept:
• Marx’s View: Marx argued that early humans lived in “primitive communism”. He believed property and markets destroyed this harmony. He urged a collectivist takeover to restore it.
• The Anthropological View: Harvard archaeologist Steven LeBlanc challenges this myth. In his book Constant Battles, he argues that early societies were not peaceful. Instead, early humans fought constant wars over scarce resources.
• The Economic View: In The Birth of Plenty, William Bernstein argues the opposite of Marx. He states that human living standards remained flat for thousands of years. Wealth and progress only started when liberal democracy and property rights emerged.
(End of AI Overview)
My further insert:
I would add to this cautious summary of AI Overview (woke cautiousness?) that protected property rights unleashed modern human creativity as never before in history and the result has been the ongoing amazing decline in poverty across all humanity, with billions lifted out of the misery of poverty and humanity with unleashed wealth creation enabled to improve the overall human condition as well as protect nature as never before (see research of Julian Simon, Bjorn Lomborg, and many related others).
Private property has been distorted in Marxist narratives as about selfishness and greed. No. While selfishness and greed do intrude everywhere in life, protected private property is more about the basic human drive to improve one’s situation and the situation of one’s family, the most basic form of love. And out of the human drive to improve have arisen endless creative solutions to problems that benefit not just the creators of solutions but also many others (i.e. the endless creation of new products and services in new businesses that provide more jobs and are the basis of wealth creation and growth that promotes overall human flourishing in societies).
The socialist distortion of human success in liberal democracy, with its primary protection of personal property rights, has led to the socialist response of coerced collectivism that eliminates private property and has inevitably ruined entire societies, impoverishing billions of people.
AI Overview response:
Your perspective touches on foundational ideas about how economic freedom and private property fuel human progress, reduce poverty, and promote environmental stewardship.
Here is a breakdown of how this philosophy connects to the research of thinkers like Julian Simon and Bjorn Lomborg:
The Power of Human Ingenuity
Economist Julian Simon argued that the human mind is the “ultimate resource”. When people have protected property rights, they are rewarded for solving problems. This system turns challenges into opportunities.
• Positive-Sum Outcomes: Instead of a system where one person’s gain is another’s loss, property rights encourage creativity that benefits everyone.
• Resource Abundance: Historically, as populations grew, resource prices fell because human innovation found ways to use materials more efficiently and develop new substitutes.
• Real-World Evidence: Data tracks this growth. The Simon Abundance Index shows that as global population has increased, essential commodities have become significantly more abundant and affordable over time.
Prosperity and the Environment
As societies generate more wealth, they can afford to protect nature. Wealthier nations are better equipped to invest in conservation, sanitation, and green technology.
• The “Environmental Kuznets Curve”: Economic research shows that environmental degradation often rises in early industrialization. But once a society reaches a certain level of wealth, it cleans up its environment.
• Cost-Effective Solutions: Thinker Bjorn Lomborg argues that wealthy societies are more resilient to climate impacts. His Copenhagen Consensus research suggests that focusing on economic growth, research, and adaptation yields better results for humanity and the planet than costly, inefficient emission restrictions.
The Drive to Improve
Your point about private property being rooted in the basic human drive to care for one’s family aligns closely with this philosophy. In a liberal democracy, the ability to own and improve personal property channels the desire for a better life into constructive, creative work that benefits the broader community.
If you are interested in exploring these ideas further, I can provide more details on:
• Specific historical examples of resource substitution (e.g., how whale oil was replaced by petroleum).
• Cost-benefit analyses comparing different climate policies.
• Data trends regarding global extreme poverty reduction.
Let me know which topic you would like to look into next.
(End of AI Overview)
Moving along…
The Free Press articles posted below point out the danger of what has emerged across the US, as it has also spread across all western liberal democracies. Some commentators note the Chinese and Russian involvement in this resurgence (i.e. infiltration of western educational institutions, bot farms in the online propaganda, etc.).
The commentator experts add also the Iranian theocratic involvement in the mix as another variant that shares the same basic approach of salvation through violent destruction in the pursuit of the same goal of overthrowing liberal democracies to be replaced with a totalitarian system.
Most disturbing is how many citizens of liberal democracies have been convinced to embrace the resurging socialism, “useful idiots” falling again for another bout of salvation through destruction madness. Its that “emotional satisfaction” thing again.
Good on the authors for pushing beyond public defining as democratic socialism to point out the communism at core. This site similarly pushes past public descriptions to probe the real core nature of what is threatening our societies and freedoms. What do the core themes reveal, the themes that structure these endlessly erupting crusades to overthrown liberal democracies?
It may help some to regain sanity by recognizing the barbaric and primitive nature of these crusades to overthrow liberal democracy freedoms and rights.
This is where my interests lie- what is the core that is driving this in all the differing variants, both religious and secular? That core has been isolated and described with good evidence of the role it has played in last century’s Marxist revolutions, in Nazism, and environmental alarmism and its Net Zero destruction. Also, in Islamic theocracy crusades (ISIS, Al Queda, Hamas/Hezbollah, Iranian overlords, etc.).
It cannot be stated strongly enough that this is the rise of the “same old” as ever before, another contemporary variant on apocalyptic millennialism or more plainly- “salvation through destruction”. This very same complex of themes also drives the climate apocalypse crusade. I have listed below another summary of the main themes driving these destructive crusades.
The core complex of bad religious ideas that incite our worst impulses to tribally dominate and destroy one another is the real common enemy of us all.
Spoiler alert– The nonreligious Jesus discovery defuses, transforms, liberates from the old in one blow, his stunning new shift in theology from the old animal (tribal, domination, destroying) to the new humane alternative.
My list of bad ideas posted previously in the section below:
Socialism is the dominant example today of people choosing their beliefs according to “emotional satisfaction”, satisfaction that stems from the primitive archetypes of the “bad religious ideas” lists that are listed in these essays.
“Humanity’s worst ideas, better alternatives (Old story themes, new story alternatives).”
http://www.wendellkrossa.com/?p=9533
“The complex of ‘bad religious ideas’ that have darkened and enslaved human minds from the beginning” (short versions below with Grok’s comments on them)”
http://www.wendellkrossa.com/?p=13571#more-13571
The general framework of socialism (ideas/beliefs/themes) conforms to these lists of religious templates, hence the socialism narrative resonates with the archetypes of the subconscious of many people, archetypes beaten into humanity over the multiple millennia of our past.
Here’s a summary of some of the main archetypes as loosely applied to socialism:
(1) There was an original paradise of perfect humans (“noble savages”) living in communal societies (“noble savage” mythology still dominates leftist academia today- see Stephen LeBlanc’s “Constant Battles: The Myth of the Noble Savage and a Peaceful Past”). (2) The paradise was ruined by corrupted humans who degenerated further in developing civilization. (3) Since the “Fall”, life has been declining toward a worsening state, toward apocalyptic ending (Declinism continues as “the most dominant and influential idea in the modern era”, Arthur Herman’s “The Idea of Decline in Western History”).
Now (4) salvation will come (is promised) through violent destruction- i.e. through (a) sacrifice (i.e. give up the good life in modern liberal democracy civilization) and through (b) purging of the liberal democracy system that threatens the restoration of the noble savage state in primitive communalism. True believers must purge the evil threat to life that is defined in terms of demonized enemies (and their society) who oppose the apocalyptic millennial true believers. The righteous heroes in the true religion/movement must purge the unbelievers and their corrupt system or society in order to purify life and the world (to save the world).
Only then can we attain the promised salvation in (5) restored communal paradise, in the installation of a collectivist paradise.
This framework of themes has been traced by historians as driving Marxism, environmental alarmism, and Iranian theocracy, just as it drove Nazism. (“Driving” as in “inciting, validating”.)
Contemporary narratives that embrace these basic themes provide people with the satisfaction that they are believing/embracing something true, right, good, and just.
The “emotional satisfaction” felt when embracing such themes helps to understand the rise and spread of socialism in, for example, the US today (e.g. why so many in the upcoming generation now favor socialism for organizing human society).
More on the primitive barbarism of these profoundly religious crusades…
Richard Landes comments on the Russian Marxist Bolsheviks– a “barbarian theocracy”
You never properly solve a problem until you understand its actual true nature and name it clearly. Again, recognizing the primitive barbarity of themes you embrace and the horrifically destructive outcomes on the very people you claim empathy and compassion for, may shake some loose from the embrace of narratives of salvation through destruction, that are not “science or secular ideology” but are profoundly religious and tribally cultic.
These quotes from an earlier post of mine here…
“The modern-era “secular” counterparts adhere closely to the same archetypes that were much earlier embedded in human subconscious as mythical/religious ideas/beliefs, making the secular variants just as profoundly religious in nature as the religious precedents. It is more helpful to name them in accordance with the core themes that they express, thereby helping people to understand the actual nature of what is expressed, i.e. that they are profoundly religious in nature.
“I am referencing the dominant themes in these “secular” traditions. Other subsidiary ideas and social elements are in the mix of what drives these secular ideological movements but do not lose sight of the overall dominant structuring that is profoundly religious in nature, i.e. the framework of salvation through destruction.
“Richard Landes faced opposition from western academics when he clearly exposed the actual nature of Marxist collectivism that had presented itself as “scientific” (i.e. “scientific history, modernity of the French Revolution, etc.”), just as environmental alarmism is deceptively presented as “science”.
As Landes said,
“Any attempt to put this totalitarian system (Marxism) in the category of a closed and barbarian theocracy is very often vehemently refused. In this case, very emotionally seated aspirations and hopes of young or older intellectuals are at stake. Everybody who dares to take the Bolshevik world as a religious community is considered a traitor betraying the humanitarian ideals of the modernity of the French Revolution…
“’If you see it in this sense’, say the proponents of the project of modernity, ‘the distance between the old and new modern world would shrink too much and the debts to the Christian tradition would become too heavy’. Thus, when you treat the Bolsheviks as a millennial sect, you are going to betray the project of modernity and treat the Bolsheviks, despite their very modern efforts to industrialize backward Russia, as a medieval sect of obscure believers.”
He adds, “Among the historical issues of the twentieth century nothing poses greater problems to scholars than the similarities and differences between the Soviet and Nazi totalitarian systems, both of which (by the definitions of this study) were active cataclysmic, apocalyptic millennial movements”.
(End of Landes quotes)
As noted above, the salvation through destruction complex also drives the Iranian theocrat’s crusade with the same goal of destroying liberal democracy. The theocrats even make alliances with the Marxists to achieve the destruction of the democracies they view as a common enemy. If they were to succeed there would then be another battle between them to see who would ultimately dominate and eliminate the other “useful idiots”.
The victorious Marxists, after the 1917 Russian takeover, then began to destroy one another (Lenin’s purges of fellow revolutionaries). Totalitarians (liberators of the oppressed) then become the new oppressors and the purity tests begin to detect who is truest and most zealous among the true believers.
AI Overview
The 1917 Bolshevik Revolution promised freedom from oppression but rapidly became a dictatorship. Once the revolutionaries took power, they began to hunt one another. The movement demanded absolute zeal. Leaders created harsh purity tests to separate true believers from traitors, turning liberators into new oppressors.
This phenomenon follows a clear historical and psychological pattern:
1. The Purge of Revolutionaries
Once an ideological group wins a war or a revolution, it must pivot from fighting an outside enemy to running a government. Differences in policy lead to infighting.
• Vladimir Lenin’s Era: Even before the height of the Soviet terror, Lenin’s government carried out the first party purges in 1921 to remove members who had merely joined to ride the coattails of power. He also began deporting academics, scientists, and rival political thinkers.
• Joseph Stalin’s Era: In the late 1930s, Stalin escalated this to a national nightmare known as the Great Purge. Stalin feared that original revolutionaries and war heroes could challenge his authority. He used show trials to execute nearly all of Lenin’s original allies, including prominent Old Bolsheviks like Lev Kamenev and Grigory Zinoviev. He also decimated the leadership of the Red Army.
2. The Logic of Purity Tests
In rigid ideological systems, disagreement is not treated as a different opinion. It is treated as treason.
• The “No True Scotsman” Fallacy: To maintain power, totalitarians must convince the public that they have the perfect, flawless answer to society’s problems. If something goes wrong, it cannot be the fault of the ideology. It must be the fault of saboteurs within the ranks.
• The Escalation: As fear takes over, leaders enforce purity tests. Comrades must prove they are zealous. Yesterday’s zealot becomes today’s traitor if they do not adapt to the leader’s sudden changes in direction.
3. A Real-World Analogy: The Burning Bridge
Think of a revolution as a group of people crossing a burning bridge to escape a fire.
• At first, everyone works together to cross.
• Once they are safely across, they turn to look back at the fire.
• Suddenly, the leader argues that some members of the group did not run fast enough, did not carry enough gear, or showed doubt while crossing.
• To prove their absolute loyalty to the group’s safe arrival, members are forced to condemn one another. Soon, the paranoia grows. Anyone who questions the leader is thrown back across the burning bridge.
This cycle of revolution and purges was the subject of George Orwell’s famous book Animal Farm, where the slogan “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others” reflects the creation of a new, oppressive elite.
(End of AI Overview)
The ultimate long-term solution to these ongoing eruptions of insanity?
Go to the root drivers of such madness and destruction, notably to the archetypes of collective human subconscious, archetypes/templates that were shaped by primitive mythology. And most critically, go to the cohering center of those archetypes, the dominant belief at the core of mythical narratives- i.e. the ultimate reality and ideal that the rest of the ideas/beliefs/themes revolves around and gets its validation from, that of tribal, dominating, destroying deity. That is the central “idea” that General Nagata did not realize that he had pointed to that has to be defeated in order to end violence and wars.
Richard Landes argued for the same recognition of the idea that drives violence and wars. Landes concluded his chapter on the Nazis with the warning that if we do not realize how apocalyptic millennial ideas can lead entire populations to embrace mass-death crusades to exterminate enemies, then we will only continue to repeat such eruptions of madness.
How and why has this pathology of salvation through destruction continued in western civilization so repetitiously inciting and validating endless eruptions of violent madness to destroy differing others? Mainly because Paul re-affirmed the basic template of themes (archetypes) of salvation through destruction in his Christ myth that become the most dominant myth ever constructed (see, for example, James Tabor in “Paul and Jesus”). Paul’s Christology, with the eventual help of tyrants like Emperor Constantine, undermined and buried the long-term solution that had been offered previously by Historical Jesus.
Paul constructed the epitome version of salvation through destruction in his Christ. See New Testament books, like Revelation, for graphic portrayal of how the driving vision of apocalyptic millennial destruction is carried out. Paul drew from varied previous mythologies in his construction of the Christ. He drew from Plato’s “Philosopher Kings” (special divinely endowed leaders to rule others), Zoroaster’s cosmic dualism of righteous true believers warring against evil unbelievers, and threat theology from our primitive past (i.e. deities punishing people through nature, through natural disaster/disease/accident, etc.).
Historical Jesus had decades before Paul presented in his stunning new theology of a God who did tribally divide humanity into true followers in combat with unbelievers (“sun and rain given freely to all, equally”), did not advocate domination of commoners by special elites (no lording over others but serve others, that is true greatness), and no punitive destruction of differing others (no more eye for eye retaliation but instead “love your enemies”). With his new theology, he went directly to the cohering center of human belief systems to overturn and transform the core idea/belief, presenting an entirely new view of deity as unconditional love.
That central Jesus insight/discovery is history’s single most profound example of cognitive therapy as “shift in perspective”, a radical changing of mind and worldview. This transformation begins inside each of us where the true enemy of all humanity resides in the coupling of bad religious ideas that incite and validate our worst impulses to tribalism, domination of others, and retaliatory destruction of differing others.
Solzhenitsyn was right to focus in on the real battle of good against evil, stating that it was not a battle of one social class against others but the real battle took place inside every human heart. And from there personal victories over that real enemy and monster will work out to our wider societies. This is the long-term project of humanity. It is how we properly and thoroughly defeat of the idea driving the endless eruptions of madness that destroy and derail our grand exodus out of an animal past to find freedom to mature as authentically human in liberal democracy civilization.
This from Free Press
“My Former Colleagues Are Destroying the Democratic Party: As a former Democratic operative, I worked with many of today’s rising far-left candidates. What you’re seeing now is only the beginning”, Evan Barker
https://www.thefp.com/p/my-former-colleagues-are-destroying-democrats-dsa?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Barker opens:
“From 2018 to 2023, I was a Democratic operative, working for a slew of progressive candidates. I taught DSA-aligned staffers (Democratic Socialists of America) how to build a money machine for the left; coached progressive politicians on how to speak to donors; and collaborated with billionaires to create a robust fundraising network. I chart this story in detail in my forthcoming book, Nothing Left, a dispatch from the inside of the left’s rise and takeover of the Democratic Party.
He says he became disillusioned with the Democratic leadership that was abandoning working-class Americans. He discovered that Democratic leaders were turning more to Democratic Socialists who were not composed of working-class people but were the children of lawyers, professors, donors, NGO directors, and voters who grew up with incredible privilege.
These progressives had abandoned basic issues of working-class people to focus on the “daily bashing of white people, animosity for the “deplorables” who voted for Trump, deep hatred of men, and an obsession with race that infiltrated every conversation, policy proposal, and objective.”
As Barker says, “Working-class people don’t want to abolish ICE. They want prisons to exist and for the police to be well funded. Obsession with identity politics is not at the forefront of their minds. They want candidates who focus on the economy, and who will stand up for their safety. And, just like my union family in Kansas City—which, over the years, has abandoned its yearslong devotion to the Democratic Party in favor of Donald Trump and the GOP—they are leaving the progressives behind.”
He concludes:
“So, what’s the solution? The only hope is for Democrats to stand up and expose the progressive movement for what it is. These people will not help your wallet. They will not lower costs. They will try to take down our borders, abolish our prisons, lambast our country, divide us into identity groups, and abandon the values of the working class.”
(End of Barker article)
Another from Free Press on the true nature of the evil beast that is cloaked as good as “Democratic socialism”.
“The DSA’s Communist Turn: A majority of the organization’s governing board openly identifies with Communist ideology. Those who dismiss it as hyperbole should look more carefully”, Stu Smith
https://www.thefp.com/p/the-dsas-communist-turn?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Smith opens:
“At the Faith & Freedom Coalition gathering in Washington last week, President Donald Trump warned that many Democratic Socialist candidates “are not social democrats. These are hardcore, godless Communists. . . . This is the most serious threat to our country since its existence.” Trump’s remarks sparked a wave of condemnations, including from CNN chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins, who said that “socialism, much less democratic socialism, is not communism.”
Insert: Mainstream media long ago stopped doing journalism to become propagandists for the far left (i.e. woke progressivism with DEI as a new collectivism variant). Mainstream media mindlessly mouth the scripts handed to them from their overlords (see episodes of Joe Rogan with guest Mike Benz for details).
Smith says that the majority on the governing board of the Democratic Socialists of America openly identify with Communist ideology.
These leaders have shifted toward full-frontal communism and favor a “sectarian” approach that emphasizes ideological purity and looks forward to “the final crisis of capitalism to sweep a socialist party into power.” They dismiss electoral politics for a revolutionary framework.
These radicals are pushing for revolution not the reform of US democracy.
He concludes: “Media figures who reflexively criticize Trump’s rhetoric on the DSA should look into the organization’s evolution. Just as North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, doesn’t reflect the reality of its political system, the DSA’s official name isn’t a reliable guide to the ideological makeup of its current leadership. Though the DSA presents itself as a big-tent organization, its leadership is increasingly dominated by individuals who openly identify as Communists, Marxists, or Marxist-Leninists.”
Odds and ends…
A bit more along this line of resurging socialism with its centralization of power in the governing elites who run the collective (domination and control validated by claims of “for the greater/common good, on behalf of the people”). The outcome of centralizing power, planning, and control is the inevitable totalitarian tyranny that always results as per the many examples of last century.
Other factors (drivers, validators) behind people unleashing their impulse to dominate and control others:
The experts on psychopathy note several important elements to this pathology, i.e. that psychopaths seeking to dominate and control others are attracted to situations where there is centralized power that enables them to do just that. Robert Hare, Jordan Peterson, etc. suggest that psychopaths therefore seek positions as business leaders and politicians.
Such people are not aware of the harm that they cause to others (or don’t care) when they undermine or overrule other’s freedom of choice and personal control over their lives.
AI Overview
Psychopathic individuals possess brains with low emotional processing and blunted fear responses. They are drawn to power because they like to “get over on” others. Experts like Dr. Robert Hare note that high-ranking positions allow them to dominate and control without the immediate threat of consequences.
The Core Drivers
• Boldness: This trait includes social dominance and emotional resilience. They do not fear the negative social outcomes of their actions.
• Meanness: This involves a severe lack of empathy. They see others as tools to use for their own gain rather than as human beings with rights.
• Disinhibition: This is a problem with self-control and planning. Some find socially acceptable ways to manage this (e.g., in corporate structures), while others act out.
Why They Seek Power
• Centralized Power: Dr. Jordan Peterson and other psychologists explain that such individuals thrive in complex, chaotic, or hierarchical systems.
• The “Host” Strategy: Described in Dr. Robert Hare’s work, these people often pose as highly confident and charming. They move from one “host” organization to another, leaving chaos behind.
• Low Remorse: Because they lack the brain signals that trigger guilt, they do not learn from their mistakes or care about the harm they cause.
Real-World Examples
• The “Snakes in Suits” Phenomenon: Coined by Dr. Robert Hare and Dr. Paul Babiak, this term describes how individuals with psychopathic traits use corporate chaos to rise. They target environments where they can manipulate rules for personal wealth or status.
• Destruction of Value: Leaders with these traits routinely overrule the choices of their workers. Their exploitative methods often cause widespread financial ruin or workplace distress.
(End of AI Overview)
Also, consider another element- i.e. the Evangelical belief in threat theology. Evangelicals believe that if you don’t stop others from “sinning” as per their biblical lists of taboos/sins, then God has threatened to punish the entire nation of sinners, including Christians who will also suffer from the indiscriminate divine punishment and destruction. So, the obligation is to get busy intervening in other’s lives to stop them from sinning and thereby hope to save the nation from the wrath of God. Hence, the entire society is burdened with more laws and prohibition and all citizens suffer from such unleashing of true believer’s impulse to dominate and control others.
AI Overview
The concept you are describing is often analyzed by sociologists and theologians as a form of collective covenant theology mixed with dominionism or reconstructionism. In this worldview, the impulse to control others is driven not by personal psychopathy, but by an intense, existential fear of divine retribution and a sense of holy obligation.
Here is how this specific religious driver operates as a validator for control:
The Covenantal Threat Mechanics
• Collective Guilt: Unlike modern individualistic theology, this view holds that God judges entire nations based on collective morality. If a neighbor “sins,” the whole community bears the spiritual liability.
• Collateral Damage: True believers assume that God’s wrath— manifested as economic collapse, natural disasters, or military defeat— will strike indiscriminately, harming the righteous alongside the sinner.
• Pre-emptive Self-Defense: Under this logic, forcing a neighbor to comply with biblical taboos is seen as a necessary act of national and personal survival.
From Theology to Political Control
• The Dominion Mandate: This theology dictates that Christians must take control of secular institutions (law, government, education) to enforce biblical standards and ward off God’s anger.
• Altruistic Tyranny: Because the goal is to “save the nation,” the act of stripping away others’ freedom of choice is reframed by the perpetrator as a loving, protective, or holy act.
• Legal Expansion: This mindset directly leads to the introduction of secular laws and prohibitions, shifting personal religious taboos into criminal offenses that burden the entire population.
(End of AI Overview)
This adds to the comment in the section below on the inevitable totalitarian control of the lives of collective members by powerholding elites.
