167 Comments
Nov 9Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

With its enormous thesis this is hardly a Substack article. A reader believes he is holding something remarkable, and remarkable it is. This is what a book is for.

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This was insightful and stirring - set a mood for the evening for me.

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Hopeful signs for the future.

It's interesting to note that both girl bosses Trump defeated couldn't compose themselves long enough to address their supporters in the wee hours of election night. Drunk? Crying? Both???

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Nov 10Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

I thought of that last night as well!

Both of them are the only ones in history who haven’t come out and congratulated the other person on that night and also, of course they were supposed to thank their supporters

But I guess both of them were too emotional

What a coincidence that the only two presidential candidates that did not come out on election nightwere women!!!

Nothing to see here!!!!!

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Nov 11Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

It seems illogical to expect a display of honor from two dishonorable women.

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Yes, Hillary's lack of composure was especially egregious. She portrayed herself as fierce, tough, and ready to get the job done on Day One. And she folded in the face of adversity.

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Crying and shouting. Almost without a doubt.

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Nov 9Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

That Chesterton quote hits hard. “Women should be excluded from voting and politics” isn’t a position I ever thought I would consider. And I certainly know and know of some women who defy the stereotype. See, e.g., Tulsi Gabbard. But it’s hard to find a flaw in his argument. Women are biologically predisposed to iron fist in velvet glove despotism just seems like an objectively true statement.

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"Iron fist in velvet glove" is such a beautiful expression. Wow!

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I can’t take credit. I lifted it from somewhere. I think Russell Brand, who I think lifted it from somewhere else. I don’t know if C.S. Lewis ever used that precise phrase, but he certainly described the phenomenon in detail.

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Nov 10Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

Don’t think that we can’t do it!

Seriously, I’ve seen many people, including women like myself who think that the 19th amendment should be repealed

And I’ve been saying for the past few weeks that I’ve seen it, don’t forget about the 30% of voters can’t ever make a decision and just jump on the bandwagon wagon to something new or strong !

We would only need about 20% to get that whole group of 30% who just like to follow

Down with the 19th amendment!!

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Nearly every woman in my extended family has been driven to madness by political engagement and varying degrees of activism. My wife, on the other hand, is almost completely apolitical. And she is much happier, healthier, and more productive as a result.

I urged her to vote this year but she refused (though she enjoyed the liberal tears on display after the election).

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Nov 8Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

“Those young men didn’t show up to vote. They showed up, as Trump had urged them, to fight. They came to fight for a future the Hag Shack was prepared to hand over to malleable foreigners, to the mentally and spiritually diseased, to ring-kissers and brown-nosers, to the connected few who bent the knee to DEI, trading their heritage for soup.”

Brilliant. 75 million Americans just gave that a kick in the ass.

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Nov 9Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

Americans won an important victory, it remains to be seen if Trump's second presidency can create the process for long-term change, but there is certainly cause for hope. I fear us Canadians will have a far tougher battle ahead of us, we don't have a poltician-king like Trump unless you count Maxime Bernier, but it's not yet his time I think. But there's hope for Canada still as well, and if you look at our history, we have knack for fighting impossible and battles and emerging victorious. Wish us Godspeed.

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author

I do. When the moment is right, the leader will appear.

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Nov 9Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

Wonderful stuff. Trump's 8 year character arc and the whole saga of a ragged band of misfits overcoming all the odds to defeat evil is so archetypally satisfying is actually unbelievable that all this has happened in 'real life'. It represents a rare modern victory of mythos over logos, and to me provides convincing proof of a creator God choosing to intervene once again in human affairs, by selecting a flawed but talismanic hero representing American culture in its purest, full-hearted but brashest form, to help set Western society back on a necessary remedial course correction after an extended period sinking helplessly into Satanic disfunction, neglect and despair. This script is so ancient it actually exists outside of time and would never get greenlit in Hollyweird 2024. The Demoncrat narrative instead went with the phoned-in Cathleen Kennedy remake; a slight, snarky exclusionist tale of lawfare, DEI and scolding MSM 'correct opinions' and they are now collectively astonished that their entitled brat/ abortion joy and snobbery vs 'weird' Lit-Hit version didn't resonate with the (obviously sexist and racist) 80 million-strong diverse target audience. Surely that joke made by a comedian at the biggest nazi rally in 80 years would be enough to move the needle?? No? Are you fucking kidding me??- a billion dollar budget and the biggest PR operation in history, only to get smashed ONCE AGAIN by that crass pussy-grabbing 'Danger to our democracy'? Ha! Total fail! A historic wipeout in fact. Our Orange King has seemingly been defeated over 1000 times now, but just keeps coming back stronger and stronger. Snatching the win from the jaws of defeat- It's truly incredible, isn't he tried of winning yet?! Who else would put themselves through all of this? Who else is so genuinely fearless but feared, unpredictable and yet genuinely charismatic, empathetic and hilarious? Who else can create such iconic timeless images, whether clad in fluoro vest, frymans apron or bloodied yet fist-pumpingly defiant in the face of death? Even the tech billionaires end up bending the knee. Everyone's a Trump fan... eventually. Thank the Lord for our iconic archetypal hero, who truly loves his country and is helped by a God who truly loves the world! Praise Jesus!! MAGA!!!

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Nov 9Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

Best comment I’ve read all week.

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Nov 8Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

This was a great article.

I’ve got nothing to add, but wanted to say thanks. You articulated the hope I feel as a Gen X married woman with teens about to launch into this world.

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What a time to be alive, and what are time to have the Substack platform. You gave voice to many things that can see. A beautiful, clear, and melodious voice. Thank you.

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Nov 8Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

"But it was also a victory for women."

Despite this essay being a polemic against them (though specifically the "Hagshack"), I drew out this line as the most important. It has to be sold to women that masculinity is a necessary complimentary for our mutual thriving. I suspect readers here already know that.

Also curious as to the genesis of "...trading their heritage for soup.," which was a brilliant line. I had the imagery of Oliver. Except, instead of pleading to the headmaster, he was pleading to the Hagshack.

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Nov 8Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

Jacob tricked Esau into selling his birthright for a "mess of pottage". Genesis 25.

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author

That is correct. It’s imagery to which I have frequent recourse.

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Nov 8Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

Also (and I do not know if our Librarian intended for us to make this connection, or it is merely a fortuitious coincidence) GK Chesterton was once so frustrated with HG Wells's descent from gifted tale-teller to tiresome scold that he declared “Mr. Wells is a born storyteller who has sold his birthright for a pot of message.”

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Nov 9Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

It all fits together so neatly. In fact, the various archetypal forms are laid out in such a way that those who have no knowledge of such things can still easily follow along, albeit subconsciously.

Did you know that the ancient Greeks regarded actors as professional liars, and prohibited them from participating in politics?

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When Jesus uses the word "hypocrite" in the Gospels, we little realize it's a Greek word for actor, meaning "below the mask."

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From etymonline:

c. 1200, ipocrisie, "the sin of pretending to virtue or goodness," from Old French ypocrisie, from Late Latin hypocrisis "hypocrisy," also "an imitation of a person's speech and gestures," from Attic Greek hypokrisis "acting on the stage; pretense," metaphorically, "hypocrisy," from hypokrinesthai "play a part, pretend," also "answer," from hypo- "under" (see hypo-) + middle voice of krinein "to sift, decide" (from PIE root *krei- "to sieve," thus "discriminate, distinguish"). The sense evolution in Attic Greek is from "separate gradually" to "answer" to "answer a fellow actor on stage" to "play a part." The h- was restored in English 16c.

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Yes the "judging" or "attitude" was used of the masks ancient actors wore to portray their characters in the Greek plays

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Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Greek culture, "hupokrités" originally referred to an actor on a stage, someone who wore a mask and played a role. This theatrical background highlights the idea of pretense and performance. By the time of the New Testament, the term had taken on a negative connotation, especially in Jewish and Christian contexts, where authenticity in one's relationship with God was paramount.

https://biblehub.com/greek/5273.htm

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Nov 9Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

I’m not a fan of mythic takes on present reality, but…this might make me change my mind. The circumstances really do seem to require something beyond a standard politico-social analysis. Thanks.

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Curiously, why aren’t you usually a fan of mythic takes in present reality?

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Well, mythic takes ON present reality—in case your rephrasing wasn’t an autocorrect. So often they’re ill-informed, poorly thought-out fanboy efforts. This guy has the chops to pull it off.

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Yes. I agree.

Very often "mythic" takes come off as labored undergrad comparisons of archetypes vs objective reality.

And I agree that this essay was a masterwork. I find myself taking aspects of it seriously enough to at least consider them at length, whereas I'd normally file them off as, well, labored attempts.

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Agreed. By chance, are you familiar the symbologist Jonathan Pageau?

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Nov 8Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

We are on the eve of battle. May eyes be hard and hearts true.

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Nov 9Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

"The disenchanted world, worn smooth to its lowest reductive level of bare utilitarian shallowness, was ultimately the product of a twisted feminine impulse to stifle enthusiasm in the name of safety. "

This is one of the finest, most succinctly eloquent sentences I've read in a long time.

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Arise now, arise, Riders of Théoden!

Dire deeds awake: dark is it eastward.

Let horse be bridled, horn be sounded!

Forth Eorlingas!

Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden!

Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter!

Spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered,

a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!

Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!

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Nov 9Liked by Librarian of Celaeno

The part where Trump was thrown from office and tormented by his enemies through lawfare, shot etc was the latter half of the second act of any great action story like Rambo or Metal Gear when the hero is captured and tortured by his enemy and broken down before re-forming himself into a wiser, tougher and more powerful force and ultimately triumphing over his previously unbeatable foe.

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My sister pursued Women's Studies in the late 80s. They read The Handmaid's Tale and The Chalice and The Crucible. I read the latter and her thesis on the former. Basically, it was that men as leaders have made a ness of things. Women are different and would actually make better leaders because of their greater social and maternal skills.

Almost 40 years of wear and tear since then lead me to believe that it is our fallen nature that enforces imperfect leaders and society. Eve is the patroness of The Hag Shack, just as Adam hangs over male leaders.

There is a better Way, though. Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King. Halleluyah.

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(Not Trump)

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