[lbo-talk] Rationality of the Masses

Marvin Gandall marvgandall at rogers.com
Wed Jun 8 10:24:40 PDT 2005


Doug Henwood:


> So why is the US an outlier on religion, compared to other rich countries?
--------------------------- Good question, lots of theories, none of them very satisfying, including what seems to the most currently fashionable - a "market-based" explanation which seeks the answer in the lack of an established church and an abundant supply of competitive denominational sects agressively seeking adherents.

The US is also an "outlier" in politics - no mass socialist tradition to speak of. Maybe there's a relationship between the two - individualistic Americans have evidently channeled their suppressed collective human striving for community and salvation into religious rather than political institutions. Americans more alienated because of a more demanding form of capitalism, and religion - especially the messianic type -always a major comfort for alienated souls?

MG



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