The Beck Movement

[H2O Man]

“The first experience is of a sense of splitting. The person sees the world going in two: one part of it moving away; himself in the other part. This is the beginning of the regress, the crack-off and backward flow. He may see himself, for a time, in two roles. One is the role of the clown, the ghost, the witch, the queer one, the outsider. That is the outer role that he plays, making little of himself as a fool, a joke, the one kicked around, the patsy. Inside, however, he is the savior, and he knows it. He is the hero chosen for a destiny.”
--Joseph Campbell; Myths To Live By; Bantam Books; 1972; page 225.

I've watched Stephen Colbert's report on Glen Beck's plans for his “event,” and then watched a few minutes of the nonsense on C-Span today. I am reminded of the above quote, taken from a Campbell speech in 1970.

This fellow is as warped as Jim Jones. It's a sad statement that people are looking to him for leadership.

[RagAss]

1. Yes....Kurtz comes to mind.

[corkhead]

2. quite an accomplishment for a "rodeo clown"

[H2O Man]

17. He is

an ass-clown.

[Common Sense Party]

3. The Beck Movement? That would be B.M., right?

[Catshrink]

12. That was my first thought.

[Cleita]

4. Remember that Jim Jones got them to drink

the cyanide laced Kool-Aid. I hope Beck isn't believing his own propaganda and is too cynical to try something like that when his world starts crashing around him. He is at the precipice now and the only way for him is down unless he tries a final solution stunt like this. In a way, I'm wondering and fearing what the anti-climax will be.

[H2O Man]

5. Whenever self-appointed

messiahs fail to bring about their promised changes, they become dangerously destructive. And I think that some of the sheep following him will join in with him at that stage.

[MadMaddie]

8. I think he is as fearful and paranoid as Jim Jones

I think that something has gone wrong with him and something bad is going to happen because of him.

[coeur_de_lion]

6. H please explain

This guy to me. My cousins are at this rally. What is the point of this thing??

Who is Glenn Beck and why would anyone want to go to his rally?

;-))

Arby

[H2O Man]

9. Beck is a

"reformed" drunk who rants on Fox News. He has -- literally -- decided that he is a combination of George Washington, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and others. He and Sarah Palin are the "leaders" of the Tea Bag Movement, and are attempting to unite the Tea Bags with the Christian Right Wing, including the militia groups.

[coeur_de_lion]

11. oh what a fun guy

And my cousins are in DC right now listening to him. I assume he is anti-Obama? What is his argument against Obama?

Is he racist?

[H2O Man]

13. 1: Very anti-Obama.

2: For all the wrong reasons. (I understand and appreciate liberal/progressive concerns about Obama, but Beck's are based on Obama not being Cheney.)

3: Yes, absolutely.

[coeur_de_lion]

16. Oh great

My cousins are going to a racist rally.

So his objection to Obama is that Obama is NOT a right wing neocon lunatic?

I feel sad that so many people want to protest the president for racist reasons bu I guess I should have expected it.

[lunatica]

7. Saint Beck

God's personal spokesperson and anointed savior of God's favorite country and favorite race.

God can't do anything hisself. He always needs people to help out with every little thang.

[handmade34]

10. a wise man Joseph Campbell

put another way... "...the imagery of schizophrenic fantasy perfectly matches that of the mythological hero journey...That is the pattern of the myth, and that is the pattern of these fantasies of the psyche"

there is a sincere mental disorder when it comes to dogmatic religion... mythology, religion, etc. has always had important roles in societies, but this is the wrong one, the wrong time

[H2O Man]

14. Right.

His followers suffer the disorder of dogmatic, rigid thinking. Beck is far more diseased: whenever "religion" is used to fuel self-promotion, it causes the suffering of others.

[bobbolink]

19. "whenever "religion" is used to fuel self-promotion, it causes the suffering of others."

That brings to mind a very painful painting I saw in the state capitol of New Mexio, in Santa Fe.

It depicted the Spanish Conquistadors, being led by Franciscan priests.

And we all know the suffering that caused.

The Spanish kept records of the Indian villages they visited. There were 90.

There are now 19.

[zippy890]

15. kick for awesome quote n/t

:dem:

[Overseas]

18. K&R! //nt

[spanone]

20. jim jones is an apt analogy. it is sad, but also very dangerous.

unfortunately it was the news du jour. the networks led off with it. my local news 'teased' with it.

it is sad. just damned sad.

[H2O Man]

21. There was a time

when I thought the guy was simply a snake oil salesman, looking to line his pockets. But he has crossed a line, and will self-destruct soon. The only question is how many victims he takes.

[Binka]

24. I Have Been Thinking About Beck Today And His 32 Million Dollar Salary

32 Million dollars on this creepy fraud. Spouting the most vile and ridiculous stuff. I guess Murdoch and crew thinks this is a good investment. This is a very bad human, and that anyone would believe his bile is very scary. How is this freak even noteworthy? Fucking insane.

[Me.]

22. Campbell Nails It

As for me, I am waiting for the inevitable crash and burn

[Autumn]

23. Movement? Flushing the toilet comes to mind n/t