Organized Disorder

The Center allies with the periphery, using them as a tool to attack subsidiary centers of Power.  Or, the High and Low versus the Middle. This is a summary of De Jouvenel’s political theory in On Power, which Bond neatly applies in studying modernity. A common view in many liberal circles is that a group

Excavations

Some reflections upon reading Tom Holland’s Dominion Recently, one of my Muslim acquaintances went on a series of crusades regarding the state of women in her country. What surprised me about these social media rants was how she managed to read 21st century progressive ideals back into the practices of her premodern religion. It never occurred

Eranshahr’s encounter with Christianity

Christianity is certainly not the first thing that comes to ones mind when Iran is mentioned. But the cult has had a long history there, and the extent of Christian subversion in Pre-Islamic Iran is an understudied topic. From the faith of captured Roman soldiers and traitors to that of the King of Kings’ inner

Master Xun, Words and Purva Mimamsa

A guest post by Atreya Master Xun is one of the earliest sources on a Chinese theory of language. While it is part of an already established tradition, he presents this theory with a personal twist. In general, it is extremely practical at the societal level with his focus being on properly setting the Way

Ketchup – A metaphor for modernity

Imagine A: A young male bachelor, laying on a sofa and watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S on HBO alone, while eating takeout dinner. Imagine B: A religious-minded family, offering prayers , before eating their lunch together. Who is more likely to have ketchup on their plate?And why is the answer always A? Ketchup, quite surprisingly, has Chinese origins,

Poetry and Civilisation

A guest post by Atreya @PVNARVASV Poetry has long been appreciated for its aesthetic qualities. Its ability to capture the human experience is unparalleled and its many forms have been utilised since time immemorial to elevate the human condition. Much underappreciated, however, is the role poetry plays in shaping, and further directing, Civilisation itself. One

The Final Pagan Generation

Life in 4th Century Rome Note: Overlap in Emperors is due to the fact that the duo divided the Empire into the western and eastern halves and ruled separately Introduction An overview of the Traditional religion in the Empire Constantine –  a beginning of the push Education – good living, sound learning, forceful speaking The