Blood Sacrifice and the Nation: Totem Rituals and the American Flag.
(Cambridge University Press)
CAROLYN MARVIN, an award-winning author, is the Frances Yates Professor of Communication at the Annenberg School, University of Pennsylvania. Her book Blood Sacrifice and the Nation: Totem Rituals and the American Flag constitutes a revolution in human thought, revealing the central dynamic underlying violence performed in the name of the nation-state.
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The most radical articulation of Marvin's theory that "blood sacrifice creates the nation" occurs when she states: ”Sacrificial delegates become murderers so we can kill them more easily.”
In other words, we pretend males are "aggressive, violent warriors" so that we can feel less guilty sacrificing them through the ritual of warfare.
Darwin's idea that we descend from lower forms of animal life was disturbing and generated profound opposition at the time the theory was presented. However, the idea also was supported by many important scientists.
Marvin's idea--that the institution of warfare revolves around sacrificing one's own soldiers ("insider death" as she calls it)--has generated neither profound opposition--nor support.
I met Carolyn Marvin at a Holocaust Conference in 2000, soon after she had published her revolutionary book. I said to her, "Your ideas are much more important than those of Rene Girard." She was so excited, "Do you know what you are saying? Do you know what you are saying?"
She had faith in the academic world--and that the mission of scholars was to pursue the truth at any price.
I haven't had much contact with Carolyn since that fateful meeting "all those years ago." She hasn't developed the idea.
She hasn't bowed out of the scene. She's still active and an esteemed Professor. But the ground-breaking nature of Marvin's idea has not been recognized, pursued or developed.
The idea that blood sacrifice creates nations lies at the heart of human history. It's not complicated.
In fact, it's happening right now--at this current moment.
A political leader attempting to "create a nation" through massive blood-letting. Are people discussing the idea? Are they analyzing what is happening?
No, like human beings living within a dream (the "nightmare of history"), endless chatter on television and the internet. Little desire to understand what is going on
They used to say that human beings are "the rational animal." Boy, has this idea proven to be untrue. Perhaps a better definition of the human being is that animal that flees from the truth. What is the source of this profound desire to run from the truth?
Richard Koenigsberg
March 6, 2022
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