This is one of the most deeply moving reads I have experienced in some time- you have moved to the top of my ‘must read’ posters. So encouraging to see those willing to go against the grain in a deeply insightful and caring way. 🙏🏼✨
I love this, and have been thinking about some similar things recently. So, thank you for these insights, and do you mind if I cite you in my future essay (whenever I get that put together)?
Late to the party, but I think it’s useful to recall the rise of the mid wits in the 2000s. At the end of the 90s, America was a highly religious country, but with hindsight it’s clear that Christians overreached and were willfully blind to its abuses. The 2002 bombshell from the Boston Globe coupled with the unfolding disaster that was the Bush presidency put the church on its heels. Technology also enabled a gold rush of access and information that led to a rise of what I would term caged atheists. The absurd responses of young earth creationism, its full-throated support for military adventurism, and a regressive defense mechanism exposed a hollow foundation beneath much of the evangelical framework.
Digging deeper, I believe the Prosperity Gospel with its promise of earthly riches if you “just try hard” left many Christians disappointed and non-Christians bemused.
Christians are having a moment today, especially ones of a more conservative background. Unfortunately, I think it is entirely predictable that the next batch of midwits will almost certainly emerge from the pews. I hope leading Christian intellectuals will push for substance and call out grifts where they see them. The photos of evangelical leaders praying over Trump does not bode well, but such is human nature.
Most college students do not have the anti-bodies to deal with the midwit insights they're being exposed to in higher education. It's doing incalculable damage to whole generations of young people.
Interesting read. How do you suggest one can distinguish a midwit from someone with an interesting, studied, honest or well intentioned take on any given subject?
From childhood, Midwits appear slightly cleverer, or at least more articulate than their peers. This convinces them that they are surrounded by hopelessly stupid people. From their perspective, if you disagree with them, you are automatically wrong. It follows that since you are wrong, it can only be because you are stupid, and stupid people are necessarily evil, as they do not exist on an enlightened higher plane like the midwit.
Midwits gravitate towards each other in their professions, and become locked in groupthink. The three defining characteristics of groupthink, briefly are:
1) A belief, unjustified by reality, often delusional
2) Strong in-group enforcement of that belief system
3) Extreme hostility to those outside the group who do not adhere to their belief.
I would recommend 'Groupthink: A Study in Self Delusion' by the late, great, Christopher Booker.
This is one of the most deeply moving reads I have experienced in some time- you have moved to the top of my ‘must read’ posters. So encouraging to see those willing to go against the grain in a deeply insightful and caring way. 🙏🏼✨
“memetic parasites” and the “dopamine cartel”
Mixed with some “Wetico virus” 🤔
I love this, and have been thinking about some similar things recently. So, thank you for these insights, and do you mind if I cite you in my future essay (whenever I get that put together)?
Ok, here is said post:
https://doctrixperiwinkle.substack.com/p/inoculated
Thank you James—I enjoyed the extended metaphor of a spiritual immune defense, and am proud to be a “re-enchantment bro” :)
Sounds like Rohr’s “Order, Disorder, Reorder” in “The Wisdom Pattern”
Late to the party, but I think it’s useful to recall the rise of the mid wits in the 2000s. At the end of the 90s, America was a highly religious country, but with hindsight it’s clear that Christians overreached and were willfully blind to its abuses. The 2002 bombshell from the Boston Globe coupled with the unfolding disaster that was the Bush presidency put the church on its heels. Technology also enabled a gold rush of access and information that led to a rise of what I would term caged atheists. The absurd responses of young earth creationism, its full-throated support for military adventurism, and a regressive defense mechanism exposed a hollow foundation beneath much of the evangelical framework.
Digging deeper, I believe the Prosperity Gospel with its promise of earthly riches if you “just try hard” left many Christians disappointed and non-Christians bemused.
Christians are having a moment today, especially ones of a more conservative background. Unfortunately, I think it is entirely predictable that the next batch of midwits will almost certainly emerge from the pews. I hope leading Christian intellectuals will push for substance and call out grifts where they see them. The photos of evangelical leaders praying over Trump does not bode well, but such is human nature.
Most college students do not have the anti-bodies to deal with the midwit insights they're being exposed to in higher education. It's doing incalculable damage to whole generations of young people.
I've written two pieces on this, first looking at how we have lost the idea of anything being occulted or esoteric in modernity (https://www.samsara.clinic/the-obscenity-of-our-knowledge/), and the second on the necessity to apply the poison of philosophy very carefully so that it actually serves as medicine (https://www.samsara.clinic/medicine-for-me-poison-for-you/).
Great post, man. Glad the algorithm led me here. Following.
Interesting read. How do you suggest one can distinguish a midwit from someone with an interesting, studied, honest or well intentioned take on any given subject?
From childhood, Midwits appear slightly cleverer, or at least more articulate than their peers. This convinces them that they are surrounded by hopelessly stupid people. From their perspective, if you disagree with them, you are automatically wrong. It follows that since you are wrong, it can only be because you are stupid, and stupid people are necessarily evil, as they do not exist on an enlightened higher plane like the midwit.
Midwits gravitate towards each other in their professions, and become locked in groupthink. The three defining characteristics of groupthink, briefly are:
1) A belief, unjustified by reality, often delusional
2) Strong in-group enforcement of that belief system
3) Extreme hostility to those outside the group who do not adhere to their belief.
I would recommend 'Groupthink: A Study in Self Delusion' by the late, great, Christopher Booker.