Let me point you to an interview I conducted with Chris Keller at The Other Journal as a part of their upcoming issue on evil.In the interview we discuss the topics in Unclean from a variety of different angles, touching on evil, narcissism, positive psychology, virtue, political discourse, and the Eucharist.
I enjoyed reading this.
ReplyDelete"It’s hard to be therapeutic and prophetic at the same time."
I think this is what you are achieving here at E.T.
Great interview. Just surprised you didn't talk about bar-b-que and assholes as opposites on your disgust scale!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Nice summary of 'Unclean' and your blogging endeavors here. Yes, I say. I'm confident that you would do justice to the subject of 'Eucharist / Inclusive Practices in the Church' by writing a follow-up book. If you're so inclined, I say 'go for it, Dr. Beck!'
ReplyDeleteIn your final comments, you mention how we need to better understand the subtle dynamics of evil and its largely psychological devices. And as I continued to read, just a few sentences later, you mention how perpetrators typically feel like they are the real victims and in that, their actions are justified. Could it be that the psychological device of "playing the victim" is a first step to someone's acting out in what they perceive as "justice?" Are there particular predispositions that are more or less inclined to "play the victim?" What does it mean, exactly, to "play the victim," what are the typical thoughts and feelings associated with this sort of "sympathy play" (I'm using "sympathy play" as a bit of a knock off and reversal of your standard "power play" that is often used to manipulate others.)
ReplyDeleteSince the gospels connect Eucharist to the Passover meal, perhaps we can frame the practice as Exodus, coming out from the slavery of death (in baptism, like crossing the Red Sea) in order to be fed in the wilderness by the Bread of Life. So as we flee from our cultural hero systems/purity boundaries, we are led to the wilderness to be fed alongside the "Others". And by doing that we experience ongoing sanctification.
ReplyDeleteThe first I've heard you mention Lakoff- very cool. I've thought of his work in the context of revelation and how god in communicating is constrained by his audience's metaphors. So she can't just say whatever she wants to without considering this.
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ReplyDeletemost of the evil done in the world is done by people who think they are doing the right thing. And until we understand that dynamic, we aren’t going to be very effective in combating the darkness in the world. "
Wow- there's something right in front of our faces we don't typically see. This illumination itself is worth the price of the book! I guess I better buy it!!!!