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Esoteric Trumpism?
Dec. 30th, 2023 12:26 pm
I was intrigued and a little bewildered the other day to field a note from a correspondent letting me know about a book that will be published early next year by the Traditionalist publishing house Arktos Press. The title is Esoteric Trumpism, the author is Constantin von Hoffmeister, and this is the blurb:"'Esoteric Trumpism' delves into the profound and often unexplored dimensions of Donald Trump’s political journey, presenting it as a pivotal moment in the grand narrative of Western civilization. Through the lens of Oswald Spengler’s cyclical theory of history, the book explores Trump as a Faustian figure, striving against the tide of decline, embodying the spirit of American exceptionalism and the fierce battle for national identity.
"Infused with a blend of Lovecraftian mystery and the barbaric glory of Robert E. Howard, 'Esoteric Trumpism' offers a unique, philosophically rich perspective on Trump’s era, blending biblical motifs, apocalyptic imagery, and historical parallels to frame his presidency as a critical turning point in the saga of the West. A scholarly and artistic analysis, styled in a poetic manner, it offers an intriguing exploration of Trump’s unconventional approach to leadership."
Hmm. I'm intrigued to note that it sounds remarkably like a certain other book on the esoteric dimensions of Donald Trump's ascent to power, which also has quite a bit to say about Oswald Spengler and a certain, shall we say, Lovecraftian quality about it...Now it's quite possible that, though the blurb doesn't make this clear, von Hoffmeister's book is a response to my thesis from a Traditionalist standpoint. I'd welcome such a response, not least because (unlike too many of their opponents these days) Traditionalists are by and large historically and culturally literate and can reason from a premise to a conclusion. While I'm not a Traditionalist, or even particularly Traditionalist-adjacent, I consider the Traditionalist challenge to modernity worth thoughtful consideration and response. Thus I'd like to see what the Trads have to say about the points I raised in The King in Orange. (I'll be contacting them shortly to ask for a revlew copy.)
Of course there's a further dimension to all this, and to judge by his choice of title, von Hoffmeister knows this perfectly well. Those of my readers who know their way around the far right will be familiar with the Chilean diplomat and writer Miguel Serrano, who published a series of books focusing on his philosophy of Esoteric Hitlerism. In recent decades that's become a significant ideology on the fringes. If von Hoffmeister's suggesting a similar dimension to the Trump phenomenon, I'll want to see what he has to say about it -- and try to gauge where the current weirdness in US and world politics seems to be going...
Update 1/1/2024:
I've just heard from Constantin von Hoffmeister, who got my address via my email to his publisher. He wasn't aware of my book at all! His email was brief, so I don't know the details yet, but I gather he was simply struck by many of the same points I was. This is fascinating...
Two more podcasts have gone live for your listening pleasure. The first was kind of a special experience for me -- a conversation with Arthur Versluis and Christopher Macintosh. If you know your way around the last quarter century or so of writing on the Western esoteric traditions, you know both names; they're among the writers I studied closely when I was in the process of clawing my way up out of the mosh pit of practical occultism into the more refined balcony of occult philosophy. Our conversation was on paths forward into the future, and what the Western esoteric traditions have to offer along those lines; my book 
The second was equally pleasant but a little less unexpected, at least for me. I was back on the Hermitix podcast with host James Ellis, and the theme of the discussion was much the same: cycles of history, the writings of Oswald Spengler and Arnold Toynbee, and what we can expect as the United States and the modern world stumble blindly forward into a future for which very few people have made any preparations at all. You can take this one in on Spotify 
Yes, it's another podcast -- an new one for me, though on a familiar theme. Monique Chapman is a very successful African-American metaphysician, intuitive, and counselor in California, and she contacted one of my publishers to invite me to a spot on her podcast, Get Over It! The subject? My book The King in Orange: Magical and Occult Roots of Political Power, which she read and highly recommended. 
I'm pleased to announce that the audiobook version of my book The King in Orange: the Magical and Occult Roots of Political Power is now available for purchase. You can find it at the following links: 
I've continued to get a lot of podcast requests for my recent book The King in Orange: The Magical and Occult Roots of Political Power, and here's another one, a lively and wide ranging discussion with host Chris Mathieu. We strayed into the topic of the current virus panic and covered some unapproved thoughts and data about it, and as a result I have the distinction of a podcast interview that is banned on YouTube -- you can listen to part, but only part, of the conversation on that forum 
Another podcast -- and yes, this one's on The King in Orange, political magic, and the cultivation of the current virus panic as an attempt to evade the real challenges of our future. Host Michael Stone and I had a very lively hour of conversation on those subjects. Interested? Check it out 
There seems to be an unusual amount of interest in my new book The King in Orange: The Magical and Occult Roots of Political Power in the blogosphere, or at least in that portion of it that makes and promotes podcasts. This time I'm back with Kevin Lynn of the Center for Populist Urban Politics -- longtime readers will remember him as the host of the amazing peak oil video podcast that brought me, Dmitry Orlov, and half a dozen other peak oil thinkers together for a couple of hours of intense conversation -- and we're talking about magic, politics, and the clash of realities in the Trump and post-Trump eras. It's a lively discussion. Interested? Check it out on YouTube 
...it's another JMG podcast on The King in Orange: The Magical and Occult Roots of Political Power, this time on The Leak Podcast with host Rex. We had a very lively conversation about the role of magic in politics and contemporary culture, including -- but not limited to -- the Trump phenomenon and the accelerating decline of the American status quo. Check it out on YouTube 
Today is the official release date for The King in Orange: The Magical and Occult Roots of Political Power, and I'm glad to celebrate it with -- you guessed it -- another podcast. This time I'm on the very popular Thoth Hermes podcast with host Rudolf, talking about magic in general, my occult and writing career, and yes, The King in Orange. It was a good lively conversation; you can listen in 
Yes, it's another podcast on my about-to-be-released book The King in Orange: The Magical and Occult Roots of Political Power. This time I'm discussing political sorcery, will, and weaponized magic with Greg Carlwood on the Higherside podcast. The first hour is free; you can listen to it on the Higherside site 
For some reason my about-to-be-released book The King in Orange: The Magical and Occult Roots of Political Power is getting more than the usual amount of interest from the podcasting community. (Partly the publisher, Inner Traditions, is doing a very good job of scaring up prospects, but I think it's more than that.) Here's the latest, a two hour interview with Miguel at Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio; the first half is free, the second is for subscribers. We had a good lively talk; Miguel's summary is spot on: 
The publisher of my new book The King In Orange is rather more enthusiastic about marketing via podcasts than my publishers have generally been, or maybe it's just that this book is more appealing to the podcastoisie than my other titles. One way or another, I've been spending a good deal more time than usual on the phone talking to podcasters in the last few weeks, and the podcasts are starting to go live. 
Those of my readers who have more time on their hands may want to tune in to the Michael Decon Program, where Michael, co-host Myke Hideous, and I spent upwards of two and a half hours talking about -- well, The King in Orange, yes, but also politics, the current virus panic, unidentified flying objects, Japanese monster movies, Elon Musk, and much, much more. You know those late night conversations over a couple of beers that spin out in every direction you can imagine and some you can't? This was one of those. It was a wild time and worth a listen. You can take it in on YouTube 
I'm back on the Hermitix podcast again, talking with host James about my forthcoming book The King in Orange: The Magical and Occult Roots of Political Power (which will be out just over a month from now' you can read more about it 
It's been a very busy month for me for podcasts, and here's another -- me on Greg Moffitt's podcast, Legalise Freedom. Greg and I spend a lively horu discussing my forthcoming book The King in Orange and the broader landscape of magical politics and general weirdness that has enveloped the United States for the last five years or so. 
For those of my readers who want something lively to listen to online, I'm pleased to announce the latest issue of James Howard Kunstler's always-lively Kunstlercast, with Jim and I talking about my forthcoming book 
Just when you thought it was safe to go back on the internet...
