Category Archives: Institutions and buttonholes

Do symbolic orders form “closed systems” that depend on a “buttonholed” meaning that may or may not veil its own history. Can an “institution” be defined as a symbolic order or “language” that rules out mapping onto other symbolic orders or “languages”? This topic is addressed in chapters 7, 8A, 11, 12 and 13.

05/29/18

Man and Sin by Piet Schoonenberg (1964) 2.3 MA

Summary of text [comment] page 83

[Just as the regular first-century Jews selected the ‘something2a’ that empowered the Pharisees, many twentieth century Americans vote for ‘something2a’ that denies other people’s rights and properties.

By pretending to be a victim, we get free stuff.

We vote for Progressive representatives to scam easily intimidated common folk (who strive to build wealth).

The very rich folk, however, have different options.

They hire lobbyists.

How character building is that?]

05/18/18

Man and Sin by Piet Schoonenberg (1964) 2.3 LU

[Here is a funny twist.

The elites in one political party openly represent the (infra)sovereign religion of Big Government Liberalism.

The elites in the other political party say that they do not belong to the religion, but behave as is if they do.

The same co-opposition of words3a(2a and bondage2a(1a) that marked Judaism at the time of Jesus also marks the Public Cult of Progressivism today.

04/18/18

Man and Sin by Piet Schoonenberg (1964) 2.3 KY

Summary of text [comment] page 83

[Complicated rules for ritual purity facilitated a bondage of perpetual inadequacy2a(1a).

The Judean elite mirror of the world3a brought ‘something2a’ into relation with the possibilities inherent in me1a.

‘Something2a’ was my inadequacy in fulfilling the laws as interpreted by the Saducees and Pharisees2a.]

05/22/17

Man and Sin by Piet Schoonenberg (1964) 2.3 CA

[In the early 7760s, Schoonenberg wrote on the cusp.

During and after the second battle of the enlightenment gods (The Hot Battle of the Fraternalist Ideologies: 7738-7745 U0’). A Progressive religion attained sovereign power in the USA. It had not consolidated power. It was the first generation of a new idolatry.

Schoonenberg was unaware that a change in the symbolic order constitutes an opening of the mythos.

In the USA, big government liberalism changed the meaning of the words of classical liberalism. Big government liberalism won the third battle of the enlightenment gods (The Cold Battle of the Materialist Ideologies 7745-7789 U0’). The American people lost that battle. Classical liberalism was eclipsed.

It does not matter what causes the change of a symbolic order, whether a discrepancy between lawdenial and lawacceptance, bureaucratic veiling of original meanings, apparent contradictions within the symbolic order itself, God punishing the iniquity of the parents in later generations, two civilizations making contact, the trauma of plague or war, migrations, and so on. The change in the symbolic order is mythic.

The system of differences changes.

Language changes.

Confusion deepens.

Novel meanings, presences and messages are revealed.]

05/19/17

Man and Sin by Piet Schoonenberg (1964) 2.3 BZ-2

[I now interweave the complementary strands. My sociological theory matches the second commandment in the following scenario:

The first generation synthesizes the symbolic order. Certain oppositions become real for them. They discover the idols.

The second generation assumes the actuality of this language (symbolic order). They sense the idols. They sensibly serve the idols. Benefits outweigh the costs. The second generation builds the temple.

The third generation tries to gain the benefits and avoid the costs of the system that their parents believe in. They see the system as inevitable. Most try to fit in. Some try to manipulate the idols. Some try to game the system. In doing so, they alter portions of the symbolic order of language in order to advance their organizational goals. Some oppositions are stressed, more than others.

Great idolatrous temples are difficult to maintain. Most realize that the temple is way too expensive. The costs are oppressive. Plus, the temple elites never are satisfied. But the temple is nice, really nice, even when it leaks when it rains.

The fourth generation confronts the costs. They break apart into those who insist that the system continue to expand (thinkpro-temple) and those who are ground into the dust (accused of thinkanti-object).

Society breaks. Many go insane. Many abandon the temple. The original opposition that founded the symbolic order comes undone. The idols are no longer are effective.]