Open communications plus weakened authority favor improvisational millenarian entrepreneurs
Evidence
In short, many forms of authority that might in other circumstances have interfered with the ability of new belief systems to arise have proved unable to do so. Taken together, open communications and weakened authority create an environment favorable to millenarian entrepreneurs. Unconstrained by confessional traditions or ideological systems, they are free to engage in the kind of bricolage that distinguishes the improvisational millenarian style. They can borrow freely from many religious traditions, from occultism and the esoteric, from radical politics, and from both orthodox and fringe science. — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 151
Categorization
- DEFINE: Defines ‘improvisational millennialism’ as bricolage across traditions where open communication and weakened authority meet.
- XREF: connects to: Improvisational millennialism needs accessible motifs and weakened authority — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic…, 1111; Organizational discontinuity and improvisation outweigh the risk of bureaucratization; Hopelessness in the present can liberate leaders for foolhardy millenarian ventures — L. P. Harvey, Muslims in Spain, 1500 to 1614, 556 (+2 more)
Broader Connections
- Improvisational millennialism needs accessible motifs and weakened authority
#corroborates(0.87) — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 1111 - Disintermediated broadcasting displaced knowledge gatekeepers and enabled conspiracy entrepreneurs
#exemplifies(0.80) — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying, 103 - Hopelessness in the present can liberate leaders for foolhardy millenarian ventures
#expands(0.78) — L. P. Harvey, Muslims in Spain, 1500 to 1614, 556 - Organizational discontinuity and improvisation outweigh the risk of bureaucratization
#corroborates(0.75) - Control society replaces discipline with entrepreneurial self-direction
#qualifies(0.72) — Byung-Chul Han, Psychopolitics, 51