Approaching the Margins

We have been having some discussions here at the margins of the monolith...me and the locals.

I may have fed them the Tao Te Ching, the Talmud, and the Tarot.

The Tarot: Symbols, Chaos, and the Collective Unconscious

The Wheel of Life and Democracy: The Tarot's depiction of a cyclical "wheel" of life, where the Fool moves through 21 phases before returning to the center, mirrors the cyclical nature of democratic collapse and renewal. This cycle is evident in American politics today, where policies that prioritize short-term gains over long-term wisdom (e.g., environmental deregulation) reflect a society teetering on the edge of this wheel.

Misinformation as Altered Archetypes: The Trump administration's promotion of conspiracy theories can be seen as a manipulation of symbols to distort reality. These are not just lies but altered archetypes that erode trust in institutions, much like the Tarot's "collective unconscious" being weaponized for political gain.

The Psychokinetic Effect and Unconscious Biases: The "psychokinetic effect" mentioned in the Tarot text—where cards seem to align with hidden forces—parallels how political systems are shaped by unconscious biases or corporate interests. For instance, the repeal of regulations (e.g., mercury rules, oil transparency laws) prioritizes profit over public health, reflecting a society influenced by unseen forces.

Embracing Messiness: The Tarot's wisdom lies in its ambiguity, inviting reflection on the "spaces between notes." In a democracy, this could mean embracing the messiness of debate, even as systems try to silence dissent. The Fool’s journey back to the center suggests a reckoning: how can a society rebuild its foundation after systemic erosion?

Talmudic Questioning: The Margins and the Mess

The Messiness of Being Alive: Democracy requires tolerating chaos, much like the Talmud’s endless debates. However, when leaders (e.g., Trump) dismiss critics as “fake news” or deflect accountability, they attack this very messiness. The Tarot’s Fool, returning to the center, might symbolize a reckoning: how can a society rebuild its foundation after systemic erosion?

The Edges of Freedom: The Talmudic tradition of pilpul (sharp debate) is akin to the First Amendment’s role in fostering dissent. But when leaders weaponize misinformation or suppress marginalized voices, they narrow the margins where truth can emerge.

Fundamental Perfidy and Moral Clarity: Your reference to “fundamental perfidy” suggests a loss of moral clarity—a danger the Talmud would address by forcing uncomfortable questions: Who benefits from this chaos? What truths are being buried?

Taoist Balance: The Primal and the Divine

Chaos Without Edge: The Tao Te Ching emphasizes harmony between opposites (e.g., order/chaos, strength/flexibility). Today, America seems unmoored from such balance. The pandemic response, political polarization, and erosion of trust in institutions reflect a society losing its zhi (wisdom) to wei (force).

The Divine as Collective Responsibility: The Tao teaches that leadership is not about domination but wu wei (effortless action), guiding without force. Yet, policies like delaying elections or undermining transparency betray this principle, prioritizing power over people.

Recentering Values: In the Tarot’s wheel, the Fool returns to the center—suggesting renewal. Similarly, the Taoist path demands recentering: not as a return to the past, but as a recalibration of values.

Conclusion: The Margins Are Where Truth Lives

The crises you describe—the erosion of democracy, freedom of expression, and trust—are not new. They are part of a cycle that ancient texts like the Tarot, Talmud, and Tao Te Ching have long acknowledged. Their wisdom lies in resisting easy answers and embracing the margins where truth is forged:

Reading Symbols, Not Just Facts: The Tarot teaches us to read symbols, not just facts.

Insisting on Questioning: The Talmud insists on questioning, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Requiring Balance: The Tao reminds us that balance requires yielding as much as acting.

To “navigate chaos without losing our edge,” we must return to the margins—where dissent, creativity, and collective memory dwell. As you write, “Writing in the margins is Jewish as fuck.” In a democracy, this means defending the spaces where truth is not dictated but discovered, again and again.

This thread serves as a powerful reminder that ancient wisdom traditions offer timeless insights into navigating contemporary crises. By embracing the messiness of debate, questioning uncomfortable truths, and seeking balance between opposites, we can forge a path toward renewal and resilience in our democracy.

For the record, I stand behind my declaration of writing in the margins as being Jewish as fuck.