On Ralph Peters’ “Return of the Tribes”
Ralph Peters is essentially saying that, globally, Christianity (inferred in the scope of his works) must “recognize and exploit” (class warfare?) local customs (which he states often are “cumulative” rather than proactive and have to do with syncretic Shamanism, magic, “exclusive” “barricades,” and connection to the Earth) in order to enact “the religious counterrevolution of our Islamist enemies.”
Unilateralism/Fundamentalism + Weapons = Terrorism
Terrorism is a tactic. If we focus on it and mix it too much with our unilateralism overseas, we’ll overextend our power and resources/economy/military, thus making us even easier targets for terrorism (sharks can smell blood in the water). I’m not equating our unilateralism with terrorism because they’re two different tactics, but the results will be too similar/inviting…and cumulative!!
Unilateralism/Fundamentalism + weapons = terrorism is a true equation no matter which fuzzy middle playing triumphalist unilateralist mouthpiece is doing the talking now. I’m not exactly buying into the following, despite the obvious intelligence of those involved:
Compare:
Oh, it’s more than a question of “which religion.” Ultimately, monopolizing the political-social landscape with visions of “cultural war” and triumphalism does indeed translate into a monopoly of another kind — big money, big business, and power/politics — hidden networks and all. (I think I’m done deliberating and I’ll buy Eric Laurant’s book titled Bush’s Secret World: Religion, Big Business and Hidden Networks.)
It’s tactical and logical to bust illusions that “it’s only a cultural war” and that this war is “all about” oppositional sides trying to get the other to see the light.
With:
Oh, it’s more than a question of “which religion.” Ultimately, “recognize and exploit” the political-social landscape with visions of “the war on terrorism” and triumphalism does indeed translate into a monopoly of another kind — big money, big business, and power/politics — hidden networks and all. (I think I’m done deliberating and I’ll buy Eric Laurant’s book titled Bush’s Secret World: Religion, Big Business and Hidden Networks.)
It’s tactical and logical to bust illusions that “it’s only a war on terrorism” and that this war is “all about” oppositional sides trying to get the other to see the light.
Trap of the Anti
It’s a problematic mentality to split into patterns, even meta patterns, with ‘opposing’ characteristics that are milked though opposition is — opposing side each containing this essence within, the seeds having been sewn from the same polarization.
True now between Russia, with its anti-West memes, and the U.S.
It’s also true regarding our neocons, who actually sprang from the far left.
It’s also true in the us vs. them dilemma — the essence of warring tribal behavior.
I think he means to say is that the “us” in that equation is Christian (a Christian Nation, by majority, inferred), considering the neocon audience and the gist of his other works. I think there is such a thing as “meta-tribal.”
Now to Go for the Jugular
Ralph Peters is a unilateralist with amazingly convincing geo-political screed that admittedly has expansive knowledge and his ability to weave. See his book New Glory: Expanding America’s Global Supremacy. That’s just one example of his work.
Terrorism is a tactic. Unilateralism/Fundamentalism + weapons = terrorism is an equation true no matter which triumphalist unilateralist or fundamentalist mouthpiece is doing the talking.
Where did the wisdom of George Washington go? About not messing with foreign affairs more than necessary? Now we have unilateralism as a positively sold version of an aggressor nation.
This writer has rebottled old wine, perennial wisdoms and all, and the world has been going global for 2000 years now. More so now…
We use it all the time because there is value in it.
Encompassing the Global Demands upon Us All
Terrorism is nothing new. We just like to give it different labels. It gets “reincarnated” and this time it’s potentially more deadly, but so is much of technology … and much of our population growth, with all of its demands.
There is value in his writing, for sure, even so. Rebottled wine is rather useful if you filter, add, change, delete…
I cross-posted this here.