21st Century Progressivism

Author: Sheila Marler

  • The Warrior and His Gods

    Reading Time: 12 minutes

    In “The Stakes of the Warrior” Georges Dumézil uses his theory of the tri-functional structure of Indo-European society as a framework for the analyses of stories belonging to three different areas of the world; India, Scandinavia, and Greece. His comparative study includes the Scandinavian saga of Starkaor, the Indian tale of Sisupala (or Shishupala), and the Greek story of Herakles.[mfn]Dumézil, Georges. The Stakes of the Warrior. Translated by David Weeks. Ed. With introduction by Jaan Puhvel, … Read the rest

  • The Occult Foundations of American Healthcare

    Reading Time: 6 minutes

    Clues from India and Scandinavia

    The subject of Dr. Walter Friedlander’s book “The Golden Wand of Medicine” was the caduceus of Hermes as the a symbol of the American medical profession. Today, runaway healthcare costs and inaccessibility of medical care have revived interest in Hermes, the liar, thief and trickster god, and his association with medicine. Who is Hermes, and why is his caduceus chosen as the symbol of American healthcare? This article explores the occult … Read the rest

  • Patriarchy

    Reading Time: 14 minutes

    This was written for the Wikipedia article.  Much of that article was deleted in a dispute.  

    What is Patriarchy?

    Patriarchy is a social system in which the father or eldest male is head of the household, having authority over women and children. Patriarchy also refers to a system of government by males, and to the dominance of men in social or cultural systems. It may also include tracing title through the male line (Webster’s New World … Read the rest

  • American Civil Religion and the Enlightenment

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    In his theory of American Civil Religion, Robert Bellah attempted to attribute America’s sense of community to a common religious factor independent of the church. He said that a specifically American ideology has worked to form a homogenous and unified culture from unrelated immigrants. Because of the United States’ unique beginning, Civil Religion is uniquely crucial to Americans’ sense of unity.[mfn]Bellah, Robert Neelly, The Broken Covenant: American Civil Religion in Time of Trial. University of Chicago … Read the rest