Profound. And truly inexplicable that this paradigm continues to this day. So many – if not most – men desperately cling to this toxic ideal of male “strength”. They are so frightened of being perceived as “weak and in factual and ‘like women’“ that they have become truly weak - the Ultimate cowards. Most men are literally play acting in this toxic psycho drama having memorized the script and blocking by the time they can even talk and walk - and of course, the main victims of this pathetic bullying culture are those who are the most vulnerable and defenseless, i.e. non-human animals.
Thank you for this powerful insight. You’re absolutely right - this toxic, performative version of masculinity is drilled into boys from the moment they can walk and talk, forcing them to prove their “strength” through domination. As my fellow activist and friend David pointed out, the primary victims of this culture - both in sheer suffering and staggering numbers - are non-human animals, with 100 billion land animals and trillions of sea creatures killed every year.
But the harm doesn’t stop there. This same brutality is inflicted on humans, particularly women, people of color, African Americans, Indigenous people, and immigrants - especially those who, out of economic necessity (do or die), are forced to work in slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants. The animal liberation and vegan movements are actively resisting this system by standing up for the most vulnerable and fighting for true liberation for all beings.
Jim Mason’s *Madness* lays this bare in just 100 pages - an easy yet compelling read from an “O.G.” of the movement who, alongside Peter Singer, helped spark the modern animal rights movement in the ‘70s. Highly recommended!
Odd that the subtitle doesn't concur with the content. Hmm.
Many thoughts and emotions here. A pie in the sky dream that we could have a society that makes priority an awareness of and transcendence beyond our control issues. For both genders. Starting with children.
Tongue-tied. The disease flaring with Trump. Wondering, if hopefully we drive them out, what will replace it ... back to the status quo? We need not just better, but very very different.
Thank you, Paula - your reflections bring up important points!
Yes, it IS odd that the subtitle doesn’t quite align with the book’s content. I suspect the publisher may have pushed for it, thinking it would tap into a pressing issue, but it doesn’t fully capture the heart of Madness.
Regarding the idea of a “pie in the sky dream” for a society that prioritizes awareness and transcends control issues - could you clarify what you mean by “control issues”? Whose control? Control over whom or what? I’d argue that every meaningful social justice victory - abolition, women’s rights, civil rights - began as a so-called dream. What once seemed impossible becomes reality when enough people commit to change. A society that balances power and respects ALL life, including our fellow animals, isn’t fantasy; it’s the natural path back to who we truly are.
Jim Mason and millions of others, you and i included, see a vegan world as the way forward. If the problem began with men compensating for their insecurities by imitating predators - when we’re actually herbivores - then the solution is to return to our true nature. When we stop confining, breeding, torturing and slaughtering animals for food that harms us and fuels an industry destroying our planet, we open the door to sustainability, peace and real justice.
As for the question of “what will replace it” if we dismantle the current power structure - this isn’t about swapping one corrupt (paid for) politician for another. It’s about causing the collapse of an entire system built on capitalism, animal exploitation and disconnection from nature. The answer lies in rediscovering our higher, wiser selves - our interconnected, compassionate and divine essence.
And I completely agree: we don’t just need “better”; we need something entirely “different” - a social system that’s egalitarian, mutually supportive and free of exploitation - one that nurtures deep relationships with nature, our animal family and each other. While change may seem slow, all these small, incremental and imperceptible changes ARE accumulating and building momentum. As our social justice movements converge, we turn dreams into wakeful action and action into total transformation - beyond and ABOVE our wildest dreams!
Control issues = not letting others (including non-humans) be free. Everything Mason talks about -- domination ... dominionism. Destroying the environment.
"The Celestine Prophecy", has many deep and liberating insights
ChatGPT said:
The Celestine Prophecy is a spiritual novel by James Redfield, first published in 1993. It presents a fictional adventure story that focuses on the search for ancient manuscripts in the Peruvian jungle, which are said to contain insights that lead to a deeper understanding of the spiritual evolution of humanity.
The book is structured around nine insights (or prophecies), each revealing a different truth about human consciousness, personal growth, and our connection to a higher spiritual reality. The central theme of the novel is about awakening to a deeper awareness and finding one's spiritual path in life.
Regarding Control Issues:
The book touches on control issues in various ways, especially in relation to how people and societies operate from a place of fear, dominance, and manipulation. The idea is that many people, in their unconscious state, try to control others or situations to maintain a sense of security or power. The novel suggests that letting go of control and allowing a more spiritual, flow-based way of living can lead to a deeper sense of peace and understanding.
In the Celestine Prophecy, there is a focus on how people often engage in power struggles—whether it’s trying to control others, their circumstances, or their own feelings. These control dynamics are seen as part of the old paradigm of human behavior. The book encourages readers to become more conscious of these patterns and shift toward a spiritual awareness that involves trusting in the flow of life rather than trying to exert control over it.
Some examples in the novel include:
Power plays: Characters in the story are often trying to gain dominance over others, but as the insights unfold, they realize that these control mechanisms are rooted in fear and insecurity.
Energy dynamics: One of the key messages of the book is about how people exchange energy with one another—either through positive energy and connection, or through manipulation and control.
The novel suggests that to overcome these control issues, individuals must awaken to a higher level of consciousness, where the need to control others gives way to a more harmonious way of interacting with the world.
Key Themes of The Celestine Prophecy:
Awareness: Becoming conscious of the energy dynamics between people and how we interact with the world.
Spiritual Growth: Moving beyond materialism and fear-based thinking toward a deeper understanding of one's connection to the universe.
Synchronicity: Recognizing and embracing the meaningful coincidences and synchronicities that guide one's life.
Letting Go of Control: Allowing spiritual energy to flow freely rather than trying to manipulate outcomes.
Ultimately, The Celestine Prophecy is a guide to personal transformation that encourages readers to release control, embrace their spiritual essence, and align more with the flow of life, which can bring peace and clarity.
Profound. And truly inexplicable that this paradigm continues to this day. So many – if not most – men desperately cling to this toxic ideal of male “strength”. They are so frightened of being perceived as “weak and in factual and ‘like women’“ that they have become truly weak - the Ultimate cowards. Most men are literally play acting in this toxic psycho drama having memorized the script and blocking by the time they can even talk and walk - and of course, the main victims of this pathetic bullying culture are those who are the most vulnerable and defenseless, i.e. non-human animals.
Thank you for this powerful insight. You’re absolutely right - this toxic, performative version of masculinity is drilled into boys from the moment they can walk and talk, forcing them to prove their “strength” through domination. As my fellow activist and friend David pointed out, the primary victims of this culture - both in sheer suffering and staggering numbers - are non-human animals, with 100 billion land animals and trillions of sea creatures killed every year.
But the harm doesn’t stop there. This same brutality is inflicted on humans, particularly women, people of color, African Americans, Indigenous people, and immigrants - especially those who, out of economic necessity (do or die), are forced to work in slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants. The animal liberation and vegan movements are actively resisting this system by standing up for the most vulnerable and fighting for true liberation for all beings.
Jim Mason’s *Madness* lays this bare in just 100 pages - an easy yet compelling read from an “O.G.” of the movement who, alongside Peter Singer, helped spark the modern animal rights movement in the ‘70s. Highly recommended!
Thank you for your thoughtful and insightful review of Jims book..
Thank you, Marilyn! I really appreciate you taking the time to read my review. Jim’s book offers so much to reflect on.
Odd that the subtitle doesn't concur with the content. Hmm.
Many thoughts and emotions here. A pie in the sky dream that we could have a society that makes priority an awareness of and transcendence beyond our control issues. For both genders. Starting with children.
Tongue-tied. The disease flaring with Trump. Wondering, if hopefully we drive them out, what will replace it ... back to the status quo? We need not just better, but very very different.
Thank you, Paula - your reflections bring up important points!
Yes, it IS odd that the subtitle doesn’t quite align with the book’s content. I suspect the publisher may have pushed for it, thinking it would tap into a pressing issue, but it doesn’t fully capture the heart of Madness.
Regarding the idea of a “pie in the sky dream” for a society that prioritizes awareness and transcends control issues - could you clarify what you mean by “control issues”? Whose control? Control over whom or what? I’d argue that every meaningful social justice victory - abolition, women’s rights, civil rights - began as a so-called dream. What once seemed impossible becomes reality when enough people commit to change. A society that balances power and respects ALL life, including our fellow animals, isn’t fantasy; it’s the natural path back to who we truly are.
Jim Mason and millions of others, you and i included, see a vegan world as the way forward. If the problem began with men compensating for their insecurities by imitating predators - when we’re actually herbivores - then the solution is to return to our true nature. When we stop confining, breeding, torturing and slaughtering animals for food that harms us and fuels an industry destroying our planet, we open the door to sustainability, peace and real justice.
As for the question of “what will replace it” if we dismantle the current power structure - this isn’t about swapping one corrupt (paid for) politician for another. It’s about causing the collapse of an entire system built on capitalism, animal exploitation and disconnection from nature. The answer lies in rediscovering our higher, wiser selves - our interconnected, compassionate and divine essence.
And I completely agree: we don’t just need “better”; we need something entirely “different” - a social system that’s egalitarian, mutually supportive and free of exploitation - one that nurtures deep relationships with nature, our animal family and each other. While change may seem slow, all these small, incremental and imperceptible changes ARE accumulating and building momentum. As our social justice movements converge, we turn dreams into wakeful action and action into total transformation - beyond and ABOVE our wildest dreams!
Control issues = not letting others (including non-humans) be free. Everything Mason talks about -- domination ... dominionism. Destroying the environment.
"The Celestine Prophecy", has many deep and liberating insights
ChatGPT said:
The Celestine Prophecy is a spiritual novel by James Redfield, first published in 1993. It presents a fictional adventure story that focuses on the search for ancient manuscripts in the Peruvian jungle, which are said to contain insights that lead to a deeper understanding of the spiritual evolution of humanity.
The book is structured around nine insights (or prophecies), each revealing a different truth about human consciousness, personal growth, and our connection to a higher spiritual reality. The central theme of the novel is about awakening to a deeper awareness and finding one's spiritual path in life.
Regarding Control Issues:
The book touches on control issues in various ways, especially in relation to how people and societies operate from a place of fear, dominance, and manipulation. The idea is that many people, in their unconscious state, try to control others or situations to maintain a sense of security or power. The novel suggests that letting go of control and allowing a more spiritual, flow-based way of living can lead to a deeper sense of peace and understanding.
In the Celestine Prophecy, there is a focus on how people often engage in power struggles—whether it’s trying to control others, their circumstances, or their own feelings. These control dynamics are seen as part of the old paradigm of human behavior. The book encourages readers to become more conscious of these patterns and shift toward a spiritual awareness that involves trusting in the flow of life rather than trying to exert control over it.
Some examples in the novel include:
Power plays: Characters in the story are often trying to gain dominance over others, but as the insights unfold, they realize that these control mechanisms are rooted in fear and insecurity.
Energy dynamics: One of the key messages of the book is about how people exchange energy with one another—either through positive energy and connection, or through manipulation and control.
The novel suggests that to overcome these control issues, individuals must awaken to a higher level of consciousness, where the need to control others gives way to a more harmonious way of interacting with the world.
Key Themes of The Celestine Prophecy:
Awareness: Becoming conscious of the energy dynamics between people and how we interact with the world.
Spiritual Growth: Moving beyond materialism and fear-based thinking toward a deeper understanding of one's connection to the universe.
Synchronicity: Recognizing and embracing the meaningful coincidences and synchronicities that guide one's life.
Letting Go of Control: Allowing spiritual energy to flow freely rather than trying to manipulate outcomes.
Ultimately, The Celestine Prophecy is a guide to personal transformation that encourages readers to release control, embrace their spiritual essence, and align more with the flow of life, which can bring peace and clarity.