The story of MedUSA parallels the American story. We too started out as a beautiful young country but over time was villainized by evil hands. So many countries across the world see us as a monster. Our corrupt leaders have brought pain and suffering to their shores and those scares will not be easily healed. In reality, we the people of America are also victims of the corrupt who made us out to be perverse, selfish, and greedy. Most of us despise those traits and we are sickened at the souring of our culture. Hopefully we do not have the same fate as MedUSA. Hopefully we can instead rule with an iron fist on our land and clean up the mess that has been made restoring not only our imagine but the salvation of our souls. May we bring peace through virtue and humbleness to show the world our true beauty.
All in all, I can not wait. Our country and our neighbors need healing. More than anything we need peace.
You should write a book, I would buy it! The Federalist had an article about the NY Medusa statute about a year ago. It was also very well written but had a different thesis, that Medusa was a symbol of chaos, or breakdown of civilization. I am not sure I can link it in a comment, but you could go there and look it up if you wish.
Thank you, Paulos. As I read the article, I wondered if the masculine savage of BAP and James LaFond are reconcilable with Christ. Then again, your article does not seem to fantasize about nomadic war bands as much as it expresses the necessity of clear authority, which is an authentically Catholic idea. Still, violence is the mechanism by which such authority is recognized. I am not trying to criticize your article. It is wonderful. I am asking if there is a Magisterial source that supports a modern day Perseus?
"Recall that for Medusa to petrify, it is not necessary that she should gaze on a victim, rather the petrification is accomplished when the victim observes her."
Sliding into a TTRPG/Fantasy mindset, aside from the political, it would be interesting to see this take, instead of simply viewing the monster causes you to turn to stone. You could see it's eye fully, and just barely manage to miss it's deadly gaze.
On the real world side: It's analogy, is probably like attempting to avoid the attention of the great monster, the state. For when it looks at you, you are paralyzed, and killed. Once you are affixed in it's gaze, it will try and kill you.
... Don't look forward to fighting such monsters, but I suppose I must. Good article. Glad I read it.
I find your argument very helpful in seeing the reoccurring cultural image of a monster, masked from the general population, pulling the strings of society. Given this motif, you might be interested in a short story of Robert E. Howard (of Conan the Barbarian fame) called “The Shadow Kingdom” (http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0603491h.html). This story depicts a similar human society, ruled for the benefit of the old and by masked reptilian creatures, that parallels the pre-Greek female dominated society run on fear, surveillance and subterfuge.
"If these divine associations are valid, and Medusa was indeed a god, then her death is a singular event, presenting even deeper contradictions. There is no other instance in Greek myth in which a god is destroyed... the myth has the verisimilitude of trauma imperfectly remembered. It is the implications of this proposed history, encoded in the Perseus myth..."
Fascinating theory.
As soon as you say it, the (potential) truth seems so obvious. But never before had I considered this angle of Myth as distorted, half-recorded history — and the death of Medusa as an Echo of a ferocious conquest of a stagnant, matriarchal cult.
In the modern age, these Greek myths are repeated as delightful curiosities. Their religious implications are forgotten.
Perhaps the Titans of Chaos symbolized the barbarian tribes who the Greeks conquered, and the wars of Zeus, etc. overthrowing Kronos echo a primal struggle of migrating Greeks seizing the territory of brutish, feral natives.
The story of MedUSA parallels the American story. We too started out as a beautiful young country but over time was villainized by evil hands. So many countries across the world see us as a monster. Our corrupt leaders have brought pain and suffering to their shores and those scares will not be easily healed. In reality, we the people of America are also victims of the corrupt who made us out to be perverse, selfish, and greedy. Most of us despise those traits and we are sickened at the souring of our culture. Hopefully we do not have the same fate as MedUSA. Hopefully we can instead rule with an iron fist on our land and clean up the mess that has been made restoring not only our imagine but the salvation of our souls. May we bring peace through virtue and humbleness to show the world our true beauty.
All in all, I can not wait. Our country and our neighbors need healing. More than anything we need peace.
A great read and a hopeful message. Thank you. Spring is coming.
Slight correction: We were allowed to to vote on gay marriage, we rejected it, and it was imposed upon us anyway against our will.
Great article.
This is incredible. Best writing on myth that is currently being done.
This is one of the greatest essays I have ever read 🙌🏻 Cheers from Egypt 🇪🇬
Oh, noooo
“The old world is dying. The new world struggles to be born. Now is the time of monsters.” -Antonio Gramsci
Medusa is the antithesis of the Blessed Virgin. https://catholicinsight.com/the-virgin-mary-versus-the-gorgon-medusa/
You should write a book, I would buy it! The Federalist had an article about the NY Medusa statute about a year ago. It was also very well written but had a different thesis, that Medusa was a symbol of chaos, or breakdown of civilization. I am not sure I can link it in a comment, but you could go there and look it up if you wish.
dam. that was good. didn't know anything a whit about that statue until today. horrific
Thank you, Paulos. As I read the article, I wondered if the masculine savage of BAP and James LaFond are reconcilable with Christ. Then again, your article does not seem to fantasize about nomadic war bands as much as it expresses the necessity of clear authority, which is an authentically Catholic idea. Still, violence is the mechanism by which such authority is recognized. I am not trying to criticize your article. It is wonderful. I am asking if there is a Magisterial source that supports a modern day Perseus?
outstanding
"Recall that for Medusa to petrify, it is not necessary that she should gaze on a victim, rather the petrification is accomplished when the victim observes her."
Sliding into a TTRPG/Fantasy mindset, aside from the political, it would be interesting to see this take, instead of simply viewing the monster causes you to turn to stone. You could see it's eye fully, and just barely manage to miss it's deadly gaze.
On the real world side: It's analogy, is probably like attempting to avoid the attention of the great monster, the state. For when it looks at you, you are paralyzed, and killed. Once you are affixed in it's gaze, it will try and kill you.
... Don't look forward to fighting such monsters, but I suppose I must. Good article. Glad I read it.
I enjoyed reading this. I have two sons and I hope they will be up to heroic tasks when the time arrives.
I find your argument very helpful in seeing the reoccurring cultural image of a monster, masked from the general population, pulling the strings of society. Given this motif, you might be interested in a short story of Robert E. Howard (of Conan the Barbarian fame) called “The Shadow Kingdom” (http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0603491h.html). This story depicts a similar human society, ruled for the benefit of the old and by masked reptilian creatures, that parallels the pre-Greek female dominated society run on fear, surveillance and subterfuge.
"If these divine associations are valid, and Medusa was indeed a god, then her death is a singular event, presenting even deeper contradictions. There is no other instance in Greek myth in which a god is destroyed... the myth has the verisimilitude of trauma imperfectly remembered. It is the implications of this proposed history, encoded in the Perseus myth..."
Fascinating theory.
As soon as you say it, the (potential) truth seems so obvious. But never before had I considered this angle of Myth as distorted, half-recorded history — and the death of Medusa as an Echo of a ferocious conquest of a stagnant, matriarchal cult.
In the modern age, these Greek myths are repeated as delightful curiosities. Their religious implications are forgotten.
Perhaps the Titans of Chaos symbolized the barbarian tribes who the Greeks conquered, and the wars of Zeus, etc. overthrowing Kronos echo a primal struggle of migrating Greeks seizing the territory of brutish, feral natives.
a facinating read for four AM