Issue 26: Focus On The Authoritarian Mindset

“The trap of trying to confront fascism is that it grows stronger with polarity, and the problem with not confronting fascism is that it grows stronger when it is not met with resistance”-Nora Bateson

and

Nov 29, 2024

The thoughts of many have turned to authoritarianism recently. And particularly the puzzling question of why people seem to reject freedom and democracy - even in the extremely flawed and compromised version present in most Western industrialized nations - in favor of ‘give our power away to the strong man and his cadre’, or as Deleuze and Guattari put it in ‘Anti-Oedipus’:

‘Why do men fight for their servitude as stubbornly as though it were their salvation?’ How can people possibly reach the point of shouting: ‘More taxes! Less bread!’? (full quote and context below).

According to Wikipedia, historian Ian Kershaw wrote that "trying to define 'fascism' is like trying to nail jelly to the wall.", so we won’t go there, rather we’ll leave it up to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, which defines fascism as “a populist political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual, that is associated with a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, and that is characterized by severe economic and social regimentation and by forcible suppression of opposition”.

Also this is obviously not a simple case of ‘left=freedom, right=slavery’. There are many examples of supposedly left wing governments becoming authoritarian or centralizing power to an extreme extent. Maduro in Venezuela is a current example.

But there is evidently something in the human psyche which seeks to be dominated, or desires domination (and, paradoxically, ends up being dominated as a result) - because one of the defining features of fascism is the scapegoating of an ‘other’, on whom all the evils of the world must be blamed.

The psychological roots go deeper though. Austrian psychologist Wilhelm Reich’s book ‘The Mass Psychology of Fascism’ suggested that sexual repression played a large part in the desire for fascism, a sort of political BDSM, if you will.

“At the heart of Reich’s argument is the idea that fascism appeals to the repressed psychological needs of individuals. He suggests that authoritarian family structures, sexual repression, and emotional control create a fertile ground for fascist ideologies to take root. Reich argues that these forms of repression lead people to crave rigid, authoritarian leadership, which they see as a way to release their pent-up frustration.
The book is structured around this psychological explanation of fascism, moving from individual emotional repression to the mass effects it can have on society. Reich draws from his background in psychoanalysis to show how suppressed sexual and emotional drives can be exploited by fascist movements. He also explores how propaganda and manipulation are used to harness these repressed energies, turning them into hatred toward minorities and outsiders.”

(summary taken from Beating The Fascists’ review of the book)

We hope that the following links and quotes can shed some light on why fascism becomes attractive to a great number of people under certain circumstances, for example it’s a fact that Hitler was the leader of one of the most popular parties in 1930s Germany, and came into power by constitutional means, (although the reality is a bit more complex than ‘the Nazis won the election’, as is explained here).

“The strategic adversary is fascism... the fascism in us all, in our heads and in our everyday behavior, the fascism that causes us to love power, to desire the very thing that dominates and exploits us.” ― Michel Foucault

“When Fascism came into power, most people were unprepared, both theoretically and practically. They were unable to believe that man could exhibit such propensities for evil, such lust for power, such disregard for the rights of the weak, or such yearning for submission. Only a few had been aware of the rumbling of the volcano preceding the outbreak.” ― Erich Fromm, Escape from Freedom

If we understand how fascism takes root in human psychology, both on an individual and collective level, we can identify it in ourselves, in others, and in the societal mechanisms we create, and take the actions we need to take, whether they be compassionate or assertively defensive, or something we spontaneously decide to do in the moment.

Events

A lot of events this time!

Healing the Collective: The Role of Psychedelics in Global Evolution

Fri 29th Nov 2024, 7pm – 9pm GMT (UTC +00:00). In person and online.
Friends Meeting House, Ship Street, Brighton and Hove, Brighton, Brighton and Hove BN1 1AF, UK (and on Zoom)

Featuring Alexander Beiner, Maria Papaspyrou, Sameer Patel, and Marianne Murray, moderated by Greg Donaldson.

A global crisis is unfolding, with individual and collective trauma pushing humanity to the brink of catastrophic breakdown. Psychedelics are being considered as part of a potential solution, and this event explores their role in fostering an evolutionary development in consciousness. This event will examine the connection between psychedelic experiences, embodied awakenings, and collective healing.

Both/And: Weaving Grief and Gratitude

Sunday December 1st, 2024, 1pm EST, online

This is an event exploring the intricacies of the grieving process, moving beyond traditional notions of linear healing. Led by the Good Grief Network, this experience invites participants to engage in a nuanced, compassionate, and non-judgmental space to process emotions, share stories, and cultivate a deeper understanding of the complex, often messy, nature of grief and its intersection with mental well-being.

Should I stay, or should I go? – The Conduit

Saturday 7th Dec 2024 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM at The Conduit, London WC2H 9JA, UK

This event, hosted by Steffi Bednarek and Matthew Green, will be an immersive evening of spoken word, storytelling, and emotional excavation, where Bednarek will share personal anecdotes and poetic reflections to navigate the complexities of mental health, trauma, love, and self-discovery, aiming to foster a sense of community, vulnerability, and catharsis.

Writing The Body

Monday, Dec 9th 6:30 PM CET, online

This workshop, facilitated by Virginia Vigliar from advaya.life, explores the intersection of embodiment, identity, and creative writing, inviting participants to use somatic practices and experimental writing techniques to tap into their bodily experiences and emotions, fostering a deeper connection between the self, body, and written word, and ultimately, uncovering new forms of personal expression and storytelling.

Team Human Live feat. Douglas Rushkoff and Mitch Horowitz

Tuesday, December 10 · 7 - 10pm EST
54 Crosby Street New York, NY 10012 United States

Douglas Rushkoff talks to podcast host, actor, and writer on the occult Mitch Horowitz.

Edge of Catastrophe: Erich Fromm’s Fight Against Fascism and Racism

January 25, 2025 at 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM EST, online

The psychotherapist Roger Frie will talk about Erich Fromm's battle against fascism and racism, driven by his experiences fleeing Nazi Germany and his psychological insights into the authoritarian personality. Fromm saw the rise of fascism as a symptom of humanity's "escape from freedom" and advocated for a prophetic, humanistic approach to psychology, emphasizing empathy, critical thinking, and social responsibility to counter the dehumanizing forces of totalitarianism.

Share The Elevator’s Substack

Links

The Horseshoe Theory of Psychedelics - The Atlantic

A maybe-surprising convergence of interests has emerged between some far-right MAGA supporters and the traditionally liberal proponents of psychedelic research, with both groups rallying behind figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has expressed openness to psychedelics' therapeutic potential. Kennedy, a well-known anti-vaxxer, has become an unlikely ally to the psychedelic community, while even Trump has recently made comments on easing psilocybin research which have sparked hope among advocates. This unexpected alliance highlights the complex appeal of psychedelic-assisted therapy, which is gaining traction for treating mental health conditions like PTSD, depression, and anxiety, and may ultimately lead to a reevaluation of US drug policies across the political spectrum.

Consciousness as a Gödel sentence in the language of science

Erik Hoel makes the case that consciousness may be likened to a Gödel sentence, as proposed by philosopher and mathematician Kurt Gödel's Incompleteness Theorems. Similarly, consciousness appears to be a self-referential paradox, where the self-aware, observing aspect of consciousness (the "I" that experiences) cannot be fully explained by the observed, physical aspects of the brain (the "me" being observed). This analogy suggests that, just as Gödel sentences are formally undecidable within their own system, the nature of consciousness might be inherently unprovable or explicable using solely the language and frameworks of physicalism or reductionist science, implying a fundamental limit to fully understanding subjective experience through objective means. This parallel highlights the puzzling, possibly irreducible essence of consciousness, sparking interesting intersections between philosophy of mind, mathematics, and the human experience.

The Missing Peace – Boulder Jewish News

David Rubin Sauvage, a Jew, and Kawtar El Alaoui, a Muslim, are two individuals who have undergone separate healing journeys to confront and process their own trauma. They came together for a series of conversations to explore the psychological root of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By sharing their deepest emotions and shadowy parts, including genocidal and terrorist impulses, they created a safe space for empathy, understanding, and integration. Their experience suggests that being brave enough to face and integrate our shadow parts can enable us to create relationships based on an appreciation of differences, rather than a denial of them, and that personal and face-to-face healing is a crucial aspect of the peace process.

Secrets of Shambhala: Inside Reggie Ray's Crestone Cult

Be Scofield, a renowned cult investigator, turns her attention to Reggie Ray's Crestance Community in Colorado. Following in the (apparently rather corrupt) lineage of Chogyam Trungpa, it featured a unique blend of Buddhism, meditation, and personal growth, attracting followers seeking rapid spiritual transformation in the Tibetan Buddhist Vajrayana tradition. Ray, a former Catholic monk turned Buddhist teacher, emphasized the cultivation of inner wisdom and "embodied" spirituality, often involving intensive meditation and energy work. However, concerns were raised about the cult-like dynamics, ‘crazy wisdom’ including the use sex and alcohol as spiritual tools, and financial exploitation within the community. Tami Simon, the founder of Sounds True, was also heavily involved.

Life in HD: An investigation of the jhanas’ impact

The company we mentioned in our issue on Super Wellbeing, Journey, has carried out a study that revealed the profound impact of practicing the jhanas, a set of profound meditative states, on one's perception and experience of reality. Specifically, participants in their jhana retreats reported a notable heightening of sensory awareness, significantly increased intuition and creativity, and the development of a sense of "timeless presence." The study also found that these benefits generally, but not always, extended beyond the retreat itself, with lasting positive effects on daily life, including improved mood, more nuanced introspection, and increased resilience.

Relaxation -- not mystical experiences -- emerges as best predictor of psychedelic therapy's impact in surprising new study

A recent study revealed that psychedelic therapy's effectiveness is strongly linked to the participant's ability to relax and disengage from their worries, rather than the intensity of mystical experiences. Researchers found that a sense of deep relaxation during the psychedelic experience predicted better long-term mental health outcomes, suggesting that a calm and open mindset is key to benefiting from psychedelic therapy.

Focus On The Authoritarian Mindset

“The frightened individual seeks for somebody or something to tie his self to; he cannot bear to be his own individual self any longer, and he tries frantically to get rid of it and to feel security again by the elimination of this burden: the self.” ― Erich Fromm, Escape from Freedom

Hannah Arendt: Change the world, not yourself - Big Think

The political theorist Hannah Arendt wrote an essay on ‘Civil Disobedience’, published in The New Yorker magazine in September 1970. Arendt's commentary of Henry David Thoreau's thought emphasized his concept of "civil disobedience" as not merely a form of protest, but a profound expression of citizenship and moral responsibility. Arendt saw Thoreau's refusal to pay taxes as a radical act of self-governance, where the individual asserts their moral autonomy against the state. “The rules of conscience, she argues, ‘do not say what to do; they say what not to do’. In other words: personal conscience can sometimes prevent us from aiding and abetting evil but it does not require us to undertake positive political action to bring about justice.”

Nora Bateson - Communication Is Sacred

“The trap of trying to confront fascism is that it grows stronger with polarity, and the problem with not confronting fascism is that it grows stronger when it is not met with resistance”

In this essay about her father Gregory’s work, Nora Bateson doesn’t explicitly resolve the double bind described above, but highlights the importance of communication as a means of fostering empathy, understanding, and community. She argues that when we separate things from the context which birthed them, and prioritize efficiency over meaning, we risk creating a culture that values separation and division over connection and nuance. Her suggestion is that this mentality is particularly conducive to fascist ideologies, which thrive on the simplification and polarization of complex issues. By emphasizing the importance of context and the value of combining different perspectives, both Batesons’ work can be seen as a critique of the sort of binary thinking that often underpins fascist worldviews.

The Paradox of Freedom: The Great Humanistic Philosopher and Psychologist Erich Fromm on Moral Aloneness and Our Mightiest Antidote to Terror – The Marginalian

Erich Fromm's seminal work "Escape from Freedom" (1941) diagnoses the psychological underpinnings of authoritarianism, positing that the very freedom won through democratic revolutions can paradoxically become a source of anxiety, prompting individuals to seek refuge in submission to totalitarian regimes. Fromm argues that the burdens of freedom, including the responsibility for choices and the uncertainty of the future, can lead people to relinquish their autonomy in favor of the perceived security offered by dictatorial systems, thereby escaping the existential fears and doubts inherent to modern life. This phenomenon, Fromm contends, is a fundamental threat to democratic societies, as it reveals the fragility of humanity's capacity to bear the weight of freedom.

Carl Jung Psychoanalyzes Hitler: “He’s the Unconscious of 78 Million Germans.”

Carl Jung's associations with Nazism are complex and multifaceted, with both supporters and critics pointing to his alleged anti-Semitism and Nazi sympathies. While Jung's words and actions are sometimes contradictory, he did describe National Socialism as a "formidable phenomenon" in 1934 and praised the German people's "Aryan unconscious" as having a higher potential than the Jewish unconscious. However, he also recruited for the OSS and helped protect Jewish analysts and refugees during the war, and his biographer Deirdre Bair claims that his name was used to endorse persecution without his consent. Jung's description of Hitler as a "personification of psychic forces" is arguably also problematic, and his comparison of Nazi worship to Jewish desire for a messiah is seen by some as redemptive for the Germans. Ultimately, Jung's views on Nazism and Hitler are nuanced and open to interpretation, with some seeing him as a victim of circumstance and others as a collaborator. More on Jung and the Nazis here, and a video here.

Fascism or Not Fascism? | Psychology Today

Fascism has been a topic of debate in recent years, with some questioning whether certain ideologies meet the criteria of a fascist movement. According to historian Robert O. Paxton, who is considered an authority on the subject, there are certain core characteristics that define fascism, including a reliance on extraordinary measures, often to combat external threats, and the tendency to manipulate national identities and sense of grievance. Meanwhile, psychologist and historian Sanford Levinson argues that assessing fascism requires evaluating the attitudes and behaviors of those in power, rather than just examining their policies.

Deleuze & Guattari: On Wilhelm Reich | The Dark Fantastic: Literature, Philosophy, and Digital Arts

Deleuze and Guattari's critique of Freudianism in "Anti-Oedipus" is also a commentary on Wilhelm Reich's life and work, and reveals a nuanced perspective on the troubled Austrian psychoanalyst. While acknowledging Reich's innovative contributions to psychoanalysis, particularly his exploration of biological and social factors influencing human behavior, they also critiqued his demagoguery and eventual obsession with Orgone energy. Deleuze and Guattari argued that Reich's theory of Orgone energy was a failed attempt to refound a revolutionary science, and that his fetishization of the material led to a destructive and dogmatic worldview. Nevertheless, they saw Reich's work as a crucial moment in the development of new forms of social and psychological thought, setting the stage for a more liberated and polyvalent approach to human experience.

More on Reich and his psychology of fascism here.

“[T]he fundamental problem of political philosophy is still precisely the one that Spinoza saw so clearly, and that Wilhelm Reich rediscovered: ‘Why do men fight for their servitude as stubbornly as though it were their salvation?’ How can people possibly reach the point of shouting: ‘More taxes! Less bread!’? As Reich remarks, the astonishing thing is not that some people steal or that others occasionally go out on strike, but rather that all those who are starving do not steal as a regular practice, and all those who are exploited are not continually out on strike: after centuries of exploitation, why do people still tolerate being humiliated and enslaved, to such a point, indeed, that they actually want humiliation and slavery not only for others but for themselves? Reich is at his profoundest as a thinker when he refuses to accept ignorance or illusion on the part of the masses as an explanation of fascism, and demands an explanation that will take their desires into account, an explanation formulated in terms of desire: no, the masses were not innocent dupes; at a certain point, under a certain set of conditions, they wanted fascism, and it is this perversion of the desire of the masses that needs to be accounted for.” — Anti-Oedipus, p.38

Nazi Hippies: When The New Age and The Far Right Overlap

This is a classic article from Jules Evans which I think we’ve featured once before, and it is also a bit out of date, having been written at the time of Covid and QAnon. However it’s still required reading, because those New Age-Far Right links have arguably only got stronger in the interim, despite ‘Q’ having apparently disappeared for now, at least. It traces how conspiracy theories bring together these two apparently disparate groups, and the past history of that, particularly in the early 20th century.

Psychedelics and Fascism: From MK-Ultra, to Esalen and Silicon Valley — Ordo ab Chao

The intersection of psychedelics and fascist ideology has a more sinister history than is commonly realised. The US government's MK Ultra program in the 1950s and 1960s explored the use of psychedelics for mind control and espionage, later influencing the countercultural movement and the rise of fascist-adjacent ideologies within it. Notable figures like Aldous Huxley and Timothy Leary, while promoting the benefits of psychedelics, also associated with extremist groups and unwittingly contributed to the popularization of authoritarian ideas among some counterculture adherents. This complex web of events, individuals, and ideologies ultimately made its way from the 1960s counterculture to Silicon Valley, where some entrepreneurs and technologists today continue to promote and benefit from psychedelic enhancement, often without critically examining the dark shadows of their own histories. Maybe ultimately the dark side of the ‘60s was more helpful to capitalism than the lighter side…

For Hannah Arendt, totalitarianism is rooted in loneliness | Aeon Essays

Hannah Arendt's exploration of totalitarianism and loneliness offers profound insights into the human condition and political systems. She posits that loneliness, once a marginal experience, has become pervasive in modern society, making people susceptible to totalitarian ideologies. Arendt distinguishes between isolation, loneliness, and solitude, arguing that totalitarianism exploits isolation to deprive individuals of human companionship and the ability to act. Ideological thinking, divorced from reality and experience, ruins relationships and compromises one's capacity for judgment. This organized loneliness breeds tyrannical thought, blurring the lines between fact and fiction. Arendt suggests that the fear of self-contradiction drives people towards ideological thinking, which provides a sense of certainty amidst life's chaos. Ultimately, she emphasizes the danger of surrendering one's inner freedom to think, as it prepares individuals for tyranny and totalitarian domination.

Nuggets From The Archive

The Hermetic Sufis of Medieval Spain

The Ricote Valley in Murcia, Spain was a hub for Islamic mysticism, distinctive for its blend of monism, hermeticism, and neoplatonism, as seen in the teachings of prominent figures Abu Abdullah ASI and Ibn Sabin. Characterized by radical monism, this philosophical school emphasized the absolute Oneness of God, with the valley's landscape itself inspiring profound mystical reflections, and hermetic influences subtly shaping the Islamic mysticism that flourished there.

What it's Like To Start Completely Believing In God

The personal story of Lydia Laurenson, who was previously an atheist, and her sudden and profound shift towards unwavering faith in God, turning her worldview inside out. This unanticipated transformation, which occurred after a brief encounter with a man who was apparently able to produce spiritual experiences in certain people, was marked by an overwhelming sense of certainty, emotional intensity, and a reevaluation of past experiences through a newfound lens. Laurenson grapples with how this could have happened, and explores the vastly altered subjective experience, that - ultimately temporarily - reshaped her life.

Bonnitta Roy from Factory Town Tomboy to Philosophical Pioneer

Bonnitta Roy shares her journey from a wild childhood in a factory town to exploring profound spiritual and philosophical questions throughout her life. Growing up with a deep connection to nature and animals, she developed a critical perspective on societal norms and the authenticity, or lack of it, of adult behavior. Her academic pursuits led her to study both biology and philosophy, as she navigated various

challenges in college, and the complexities of relationships. Eventually, she began working with horses, discovering the importance of perception, embodiment, and the beauty in nature. Her experiences shaped her understanding of reality, prompting her to create environments that nurture self-discovery and deepen connections with the world around us.

Conservative and Liberal Brains Might Have Some Real Differences | Scientific American

Studies utilizing neuroimaging and psychological assessments suggest that conservatives and liberals may exhibit distinct neurological differences, influencing their perception, emotional processing, and decision-making. Conservatives tend to show increased activity in the amygdala, associated with fear and threat response, and a more pronounced response to disgust, potentially contributing to their emphasis on stability and tradition. In contrast, liberals' brains often display greater activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, linked to empathy, conflict monitoring, and openness to new experiences, which may underlie their tendency to value social change and diversity. These findings imply that ideological differences may be rooted, at least partially, in inherent cognitive and emotional processing styles rather than solely in upbringing or environment, although of course it is a feedback loop, with changes in the brain also probably occurring as a result of what people tend to concentrate on.

This Psychologist is Bringing A New Lens to the Climate Crisis - DeSmog

Matthew Green talks to climate psychologist Steffi Bednarek, who explores the internal conflicts faced by employees in polluting industries and their enablers as climate concerns grow. She discusses the concept of "disavowal," where individuals simultaneously know and "not know" about climate change, leading to a fragmentation between personal values and professional roles. Bednarek emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and addressing this tension, rather than avoiding it, to prevent becoming blind to one's participation in destructive systems. She advocates for finding ways to create change within organizations, even when leaving seems impossible, and stresses the need for support in navigating the discomfort of speaking up. Bednarek's work aims to help leaders and teams overcome internal obstacles to meaningful climate action, encouraging a broader conversation about being human in the current climate crisis.