I think it is about darn time you had on John Michael Greer. I am unsure if would be willing to do a two hour show, but I think he would. This man is a leading thinker today and would be a nice change of pace for this show, and although his views might be polarizing, though not like that of say Jordan Sather, his arguments really challenge and cause real critical thinking. I don't always agree with everything he writes but he always makes me think, as well as question some of my preconceived notions. He used to be the blogger at the influential Aruchdruid Report but now blogs at Ecosophia. He is a leading thinker on culture, politics, religion, spirituality, appropriate technology, magic, druidry, philosophy, economics, the cycles and collapse of civilizations, etc. Some related and overlapping subjects that Greer is quite eloquent on include:
The role of Civic Religions in society and how they can be as effective as theist religions in influencing segments of culture. His take on the Religion of Progress (as masterfully written about in his book After Progress - one of the top ten five books I have ever read religion and culture) is especially meaningful in today's world of Futurism, Transhumanism, Utopianism, etc.
His belief that global warming and peak oil are and will be major driving forces in the decades ahead (which many claim is complete fabrication despite the fact that every major fossil fuel and energy company keeps changing, covering up, and denying various data that points to these very conclusions), which he looks at in a very sobering manner, showing the predicaments (which are not solvable like solutions are) that he believes we will be facing in the decades ahead.
His take on the Law of Diminishing Returns and how he believes that this makes it unlikely for any alien society to ever be able to travel to here from long distances. (This subject would probably be quite polarizing but engaging)
Recent essays on the rise of Trump and the role chaos magic on that rise, along with the economic and cultural factors, and as he calls it "the politics of resentment". This man is one of the few thinkers that actually predicted a Trump presidency, doing it a year in advance, and explaining why in a very non-partisan articulate and nuanced way (going beyond simply the failures of neoliberal and neoconservative policy).
Recent four part series on the Kek Wars (just scroll down a little bit on his site to get the 4 posts) https://www.ecosophia.net/
Greer's excellent essay on his prediction of a Trump presidency (from a mirror site, as his Archdruid Report has been taken down and his decade of work is slowly coming out in a giant 10 part anthology) https://www.resilience.org/stories/2016-01-21/donald-trump-and-the-politics-of-resentment/
He is also excellent when talking about how the myths of a culture drive its narratives and beliefs and he speaks eloquently on how the American myths (Americanism, Manifest Destiny, American Exceptionalism, Progress, Technotopia, Work Hard and Succeed, etc) no longer match up with most Americans' realities and how that disconnect has led to a lot of chaos and latching on to easy answers that pacification (including, oh no!!, the rise of conspiracy culture, along with populism, Nativism, Marxism, etc.). And if you push him on this subject you might get him to talk a bit about his Jungian beliefs.
Green Wizardry - as a useful tool to deal with collapse, along with his beliefs in the necessity of a "Retro Future", essentially finding appropriate technology that is not "prosthetic" and uses far less energy and is far less complicated and far less modern technology dependent.
The rise and fall of all civilizations, but how this current civilization via the Religion of Progress and the "religious" texts that support it (via science fiction and comic books) (imagine his sobering take on how some people believe comic books and comic books movies are disclosure) believes this cycle of civilization is somehow an exception to the rules of collapse and energy decline and the decline of Empire. The Long Descent is an excellent book that discusses the causes and nuances of collapse. His concept of the Myth of Apocalypse (sort of an opposite of the Myth of Progress) is also very pertinent today, as is his analysis on millennialism (2012, New Age vibratory shift, anarcho primitivists, born again christians, various cults) and the circumstances that lead to such beliefs.
His criticism of the environmental movement (not walking the talk) plus the failures of the Reagan administration to take the energy concerns of the time and the future seriously, helping lead to escalation of further consumerism and enhanced support of economic theories based on infinite growth on a finite planet.
Use of abstraction in modern culture as a replacement for critical debate and how it leads to polarization.
His thoughts on the best forms of government (he considers himself a fan of the little discussed "democratic syndicalism" -- I think -- he has written a series of posts on potential options)
What it means to be a "Burkean Conservative" (what he considers himself to be).
He has also written extensively (including dozens of books) on Druidry (he was the Grandmaster or some kind of title, of a large Druidic organization) and various kinds of magic, and even does a bimonthly book club on esoteric literature. He may also be (oh no!) a low level Freemason and is willing to talk about that..
He has also written a number of fiction books.
His stuff also regularly appears on Resiliance.org and is easier to manage (though not as updated obviously as Ecosophia) and if you want to scroll though some of his recent blog subjects, this is a good place to start along with the Ecosophia link way at the top of the page: https://www.resilience.org/resilience-author/john-michael-greer/
These subjects mentioned above are merely a sampling of his writings and beliefs as he is willing to discuss almost any subject and had done so over the years.
I have heard Graig mention JMG as a potential guest in the past, and I have suggested it in the show comments on at least 1 occasion. I've been a fan or Mr. Greer's work since I was 16, and then just a few years ago found out that he actually lives really close to me.
I'm sure we're bound to get him on THC sooner or later.
Wasn't this also one of the co headers of translating the Picatrix? I too would enjoy this show.
Seconded! A clear thinker, very eloquent speaker and well read + he is a practitioner himself on many issues, i.e. not just talking with academic knowledge. Would love to hear him on THC!
Yeah, I should have emphasized Greer's dozen plus books on magic alone a little more, from Druidry to Golden Dawn to geomancy to ritual magic to the Picatrix, etc. He has also written on UFOlogy (he isn't the kindest on the phenomenon and probably takes a more Jungian approach). He recently wrote a series of posts on spirits that was pretty good:
https://www.ecosophia.net/notes-nature-spirits-part-one-nature-nature/
https://www.ecosophia.net/notes-nature-spirits-part-two-living-world/
And another really important thing he is able to talk about, is climate change. I think due to the fact that conspiracy culture has gone a little off the crazy deep end, most within the "Truther" movement have bought into the psyop that climate change is made up or believe it us due 100% on factors other than industrialization. Anyone who knows the facts can see pretty clearly that EVERY major industrial power and EVERY major fossil fuel corporation and think thank has suppressed, fixed, deleted ALL major studies conducted about the human role within the phenomenon (or that the phenomenon exists). This includes Exxon to Shell to the US government. This NEVER gets mentioned within conspiracy culture. Have Greer on to set the record straight and bring a little sanity to conspiracy culture.. He isn't bought by anyone and tells it like he is able to interpret the evidence. And I think it is pretty clear why conspiracy culture doesn't want to own up to this: it would mean such drastic changes to our selfish individualized throw-away culture, that many would rather die and deny than face reality. Cheers and love everyone.
Trump is now arguing that we are so fucked by climate change we might as well just double down on fossil fuel use. Just cartwheeling right past doing something different.
The five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. To me, solar and wind are simply a re-branding of fossil fuel use, and their impact would be minor and would probably make things worse if it becomes the fall back. Unless there is some kind of alleged free energy source (not holding breath as the cases conspiracy culture tends to roll out have plenty of holes) that may get rolled out, the only solution is the one thing NO one wants: less and less energy usage, especially for those in developed nations. Green Illusions by Ozzie Zehner is a superlative book that mostly flew under the radar a few years back that takes on the alternative energy hopes along with the insane traditional fossil fuel approach, and should be read and discussed by everyone.
https://www.amazon.com/Green-Illusions-Secrets-Environmentalism-Sustainable/dp/0803237758
JMG would actually be a great recurring guest he has so much to talk about. LIke just about everyone else, I don't necessarily agree with everything he says but he's a very eloquent speaker and knowledgeable and a wide variety of topics.
