Messianic Politics and the Relinquishment of Personal Sovereignty

Ken Lakritz, Ph.D.

3-16-25

The collective leanings toward authoritarianism and fascism continue to

dumbfound the body politic as the world devolves into uprisings of autocratic

and religious nationalist regimes. In a society allegedly committed to reasoned

calculations for solving complex social and economic problems, many find

themselves mystified that we are electing leaders whose calculus and decision

making defies reasoned discourse as it inflicts more pain on the suffering

masses seeking hope and solutions to their ails.

It appears that large factions of individuals have been hijacked by

misinformation and the inherent human vulnerability to deep psychic activation

of the need to relinquish our inner authority to cult like messianic and

demagogic figures. Throughout human history, we have seen these kinds of collective movements of allegiance to individuals projecting god like authority

(e.g. Hitler), mobilizing the masses to support the most heinous of policies that

sanction unthinkable human cruelty and destruction.

We find ourselves, again, at this moment asking ourselves how we continue to

come to these periods of societal devolution and mass delusion? The “normalcy

of pathology” is not a new phenomenon in the context of historical events of the

20th century. Political movements driving these large scale events are more

conscious and exploitive than we realize, however, capitalizing on fear,

economic insecurity, perceived threats from other groups and nations, and the

need for saviors who have all of the solutions to these existential anxieties.

Human history is replete with messianic and cult-like movements, leveraging the

deep-seated human vulnerability to relinquish our inner agency to project god-

like qualities onto particular humans in the hope of saving us from our

complicated and dreaded circumstances. This moment in human evolution is

particularly ripe for exploitative figures to step into these archetypal projections.

We are witness to existential levels of environmental degradation, nuclear

dangers, fear of threats to our tribal and nationalistic identities, economic

upheaval, the breakdown of shared values and reality, untempered and

unregulated technological advances, and political chaos of epic proportions.

How do we find shelter in this “category five” psychological hurricane?

This is a deeply emotional and existential moment, activating, as C.G. Jung

might view it, not the rational functions, but the “religious function of the

psyche.” The need to turn to something deeper and larger to prevent us from

being shredded by the hurricane forces confronting the collective psyche is an

understandable and necessary survival strategy. It is clear, however, that these

moments of collective need are being exploited by populists and demagogues

masquerading as messianic figures offering to lead us from desperation to the

promised land. With the hidden intention of manipulating the populace to secure

greater power and control, these individuals prey on humanity’s deepest need

for the collective allegiance to a transcendent Authority.

The political pundits, baffled by the deep psychic bonds that these cult-like

figures secure over their political bases, continue to argue for reasoned

discourse, hoping that entranced followers will somehow come to their senses

as they witness the predictable devolution of free speech, multiculturalism,

human rights, tolerance of lifestyle differences, economic security, etc.

The pundits are wrong.

This is not a usual discourse of political ideologies. What is playing out is the

wolf of fascist, authoritarian intentions in the guise of the sheep’s clothing of

messianic politics, designed to hijack the psyche of those willing to relinquish

their inner sovereignty to participate in what feels like a larger-than-life religious

experience or movement. I would argue that elections are becoming more akin

to religious movements in which individuals are searching more for connection

to something of greater significance than the practical solutions actual

governments are capable of providing.

The religious function of the psyche is perpetually reaching for a container, a

higher power or authority to which to attach meaning and purpose for one’s life.

There is actually a real inner process (Self-realization/ individuation) that is

meant to meet this deep and appropriate calling. When we use the outer

container of politics to meet this deep inner psychic need we are, again,

projecting divinity onto humans that can never be lived up to. We are living in an

age of outsourcing information, intelligence, and our inner sovereignty to forces

that seek to enslave us and exploit our need for hope and security. These are

the politics of our time until we begin to insource our capacity for Self

awareness, inner agency, and the hard realization that we are the saviors of

ourselves.