Posted this Setting Orange,
the 18th day of The Aftermath in the YOLD 3190
Less than twenty-three hours into The Aftermath of the "conclusion" of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Discordianism, the esoteric religion that embraces Chaos, seems to have found an unexpectedly fertile ground for its ideas, but in a more serious and consequential context and not in the playful, satirical manner originally intended by the philosophy. While there's currently no direct information about Discordianism's status post-2024 election, implications and inferences based on the current political climate, the workings of Bureaucracy, and the principles of Discordianism can be drawn.
The Chaotic Political Landscape
The spread of disinformation and foreign influence campaigns reached new heights (lows?) in the 2024 election cycle. This information warfare created a landscape where truth became increasingly difficult to discern, a situation that resonates with Discordian ideas about subjective reality and the malleability of the perception of the 2024 election being marked by unprecedented levels of weirdness and Chaos, which some may have thought unattainable beforehand, solidified this:
- Donald Trump, despite multiple legal challenges and controversies, remained the Republican candidate.
- Joe Biden, the Democatic candidate, dropped out after a dismal debate.
- There were concerns about foreign influence operations aimed at undermining public confidence in democracy.
- The political discourse was filled with conspiracy theories and extreme rhetoric.
This chaotic environment aligns well with Discordian philosophy, which posits that Chaos is the inherent state of the Universe.
High Weirdness Goes Mainstream
The concept of "High Weirdness," which has roots in Discordian-adjacent subcultures, seems to have gone mainstream in American politics, particularly on the right. This mainstream adoption of what Erik Davis calls "a mode of culture and consciousness" pushing the boundaries of reality, has created a political landscape that seems to embody Discordian principles in an unintended and potentially dangerous way:
- The Republican Party has embraced increasingly bizarre conspiracy theories and fringe ideas.
- Traditional political norms have been consistently broken, creating a surreal political landscape, mirroring some of the Discord seen in 2020.
- Persistent claims of election fraud and irregularities.
- Threats and intimidation towards election officials,
- Refusal to certify election results in some counties,
This mainstreaming of weirdness could be seen as a validation of Discordian ideas about the nature of reality and society.
Eris Ascendant?
Discordians might interpret the post-election Chaos and Confusion as the work of Eris, the Goddess of Discord:
- The delayed election results and subsequent controversies could be seen as Eris sowing seeds of Discord.
- The increasing polarization and partisan Discord align with Discordian views on the nature of conflict and order.
Conclusion: "Things Will Go On As They Always Have, Getting Weirder All the Time"
This quote from Robert Anton Wilson's introduction to the Principia Discordia seems particularly apt in describing the post-2024 election landscape. The increasing weirdness of American politics, the mainstreaming of fringe ideas, and the general sense of Chaos and uncertainty all superficially align with Discordian principles. While Discordianism remains a niche belief system, its ideas about the fundamental nature of Chaos and Discord seem increasingly relevant in understanding the current political and social climates, these have taken on some of those characteristics in a far more serious and potentially destabilizing manner. The "weirdness" that has become mainstream in American politics is not the playful, thought-provoking kind that Discordians might appreciate, but rather a more dangerous form that threatens democratic institutions and social cohesion. The Aftermath of the 2024 election may have inadvertently created a world that looks more Discordian than ever before, potentially attracting new adherents or at least validating the worldview of existing Discordians, but not in a good way for it may well represent a troubling manifestation of Chaos, Discord, and Confusion in the real world of political Bureaucracy and governance in The Aftermath.
Some feel like this farcical election was a serious rejection of Discordianism. There may be chaos, and many are confused, but it's an embrace of the destructive over the creative and, oddly enough, disorder over order. The Hodge and the Podge are unevenly imbalanced and universally undivinely inspired. There's a chance it could lead to a wider embrace, a group hug of sorts, of healthy Discordian principles because, let's face it, most everything is less fun these days, but anyone doing The Turkey Curse at the inauguration is just going to get shot, probably possibly. An alternative recommendation? Drink more wine, eat more cheese, bask in some sunshine, while one still can, of course. And avoid getting shot.
Sources & References:
https://ltgovernor.utah.gov/2024/01/31/opinion-the-2024-election-is-not-an-existential-threat-to-democracy/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_presidential_election
https://www.skeptic.org.uk/2024/10/welcome-to-the-modern-american-right-the-world-that-high-weirdness-built/
https://www.cfr.org/event/2024-elections-and-foreign-influence
https://honisoit.com/2021/11/discordianism-the-worlds-most-esoteric-religion/
https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/opening-statement-cisa-director-jen-easterly-update-foreign-threats-2024-elections-hearing
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/4976386-trump-democracy-america/
iron noder