The “Broligarchy” is a cheeky term that I came across last week. Basically, it describes a particular group of alpha males that has ascended to the apex of American politics and culture.
The top Broligarchs are Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Joe Rogan and J D Vance. Others in the running for this title, include names like Peter Thiel, Jordan Peterson and Robert F Kennedy, Jr. No doubt there are others.
In fact, I expect this concept to grow. That’s an inevitability, not merely because normal people can sense which way the wind is blowing and want to get on the bandwagon but because the present socio-cultural paradigm is untenable.
It’s an eclectic bunch to be sure, but all things being equal, we should be grateful. Mainly because it presages a turning towards realism and a visionary one at that. (Think of where we would be had Elon Musk not bought Twitter; not only did he turn it into a free speech platform but he uncovered vast troves of governmental and business corruption.)
Like all such movements, there are going to be challenges ahead. It’s going to be a rocky road but it’s one we’re going to have to travel on whether we want to or not. And that’s because liberalism and all that is associated with it is in its death-throws.
Speaking for myself, I am glad to see the old “woke” paradigm crumbling before our eyes. One strong man (Joe Rogan) exposed one entitled woman (Kamala Harris) when she refused to sit down with him. It was obvious to all that she wasn’t up to the job.
Having said that, I would like for you to take the time to watch this excellent video by Fr Emmanuel Lemelson, an Orthodox priest who runs a very popular podcast. He cautions us about the pitfalls that lie ahead, particularly in the spiritual sphere.
It’s called “The Dark Side of the Tech Oligarchy” and it’s well worth 45 minutes of your time.
P.S. I hope we didn’t all overeat!
Christine says
My cousin interned for Elon Musk in the Bay Area back when Tesla was really building its empire. He loved his boss for all the reasons that liberals hated Elon, and my cousin c1ouldn’t understand the disconnect. I would say, he’s one of the John Galts of our time–and read Ayn Rand to figure that out. I like to keep in mind that Elon has Autism, and his perspective on technology is that it is adding to lives, not controlling lives. He experienced horrible bullying and just awful behavior for his Autism, and he wants to create a clear playing field for people like him thru technology. He also has recognized that he doesn’t feel emotions the same way non-Syndrome people do, and that tech has helped him manage that. He really is a genius and his legacy will be with us a long time.
However, I find it highly odd that JD Vance is like nowhere to be seen these days. Limelight given to these Bros, not the VP.
David says
This whole “Bro” thing is to masculinity what Cracker Barrel is to American culture. It stinks of the faux-counter culture poses I encountered in my youth in the punk/metal scene. Complete with the groupthink, “fashion,” and lingo.
It’s shallow. This isn’t me just being a salty Gen-Xer throwing stones. This sort of thing can be spiritually damaging. Hopefully, people will be able to transcend the beardo nonsense and get something real out of it. It brings to mind Kerouac’s book Desolation Angels (where he writes about his disillusionment and ultimate repudiation of the “Beatnik” stuff) and Blessed Seraphim of Platina’s Biography by Father Damascene. Two men looking for authentic reality and just encountering kitsch and posers. The former drank himself to death. The latter found God (Who IS life).
As for Monarchist pretensions, I will quote one of my favorite lines from Everyday Saints and Other Stories:
“Give them a new Czar and they would shoot him again in a week.”
George Michalopulos says
Good insights David. I must quibble with your last sentence. Countries which have monarchies tend to be quite stable.
In the 235 years of our constitutional republic, we’ve had four presidents assassinate. In the 313 year history of the Romanov dynasty, they’ve had four czars assassinated. (And that doesn’t included attempted assassinations of our presidents. Ten I believe?)
Just sayin’.
David says
The point that was being made in the book is that Russian monarchists (at least in the 80s when that conversation happened) were deluded. I don’t think much has changed since then. Yes Churches are being built in Russia, but who goes to them? More than before, certainly. But is that enough to make the claims some “Z” partisans are making? Prior to 2014, I remember articles from Russian writers (priests and spiritual fathers) lamenting the slow process of re-Christianization, and that while there was progress, Russia had a long way to go (in their words). After 2014, such sober introspection disappeared, replaced with jingoistic nonsense. Lenin’s Tomb still stands. The banners of the Regicides get trotted out every year on Victory Day.
Monarchy is like Communism and Libertarianism. It looks great on paper, but the reality is rather ugly. For every one good emperor/king, there were two or more bad ones. In-between you had middling men who just went through the motions. Additionally, courtiers loyal to the previous emperor often were exiled or purged when a new one came into power, especially if it was a new dynasty or rival faction within the ruling family. If Biden were an Emperor in Byzantium or Russia, his critics would suffer a much worse fate than the lawfare and harrassment they received.
George Michalopulos says
We need to be sober about the incoming administration. Here is the latest from James Perloff: https://jamesperloff.net/donald-trump-and-orwells-doublethink/
Christine says
Excellent essay! Well worth the read as he lays out how, in his words, “the World Economic Forum’s entire agenda could materialize under Donald Trump without many patriots even realizing it.” Thank you for posting.
Misha says
Perhaps I should not have taken the tone I did regarding the priest. Try to ignore the ad hominem part.
Misha says
This guy’s trouble. Google his name. He’s a hedge fund guy – Lemelson Capital Management. “Found religion” in 2011 and was ordained a Greek Orthodox priest.
He has “hustler” written all over him. Shallow veneer of theology, mostly demonization of perceived adversaries. Reads a whole lot into quirky musings of Musk whom he seems to think is the Antichrist.
Who would produce such a hit piece, basically marketing himself?
It is no surprise that, in GOARCH, if he takes on the right enemy they leave him alone for the most part. Has a real hard on for Putin and Russia – the “kleptocracy”. His devotion to democracy over monarchy is charming but, of course, in direct conflict with the sentiments of the Church Fathers.
Devout modernist caught up in the pop culture and his own ego.
That being said, I’m not defending Musk other than to say that he perhaps saved free speech in America. That should count for something. Sure, he has mused about some new religion or philosophy that is explorational/adventurous by design. So he’s not a believer. He seems to be undergoing some type of slow awakening which has “accelerated” recently due to the polarization surrounding Trump.
Perhaps he is heading in the right direction. Demonizing him at this point is foolish and only serves the goals of the Phanar/DS/MSDNC/Uniparty. Musk’s a tech guy, what do you expect? You want he should blow shallow theology out of his boo boo like this doggie collar?
Lemelson founded his hedge fund after he was ordained: https://capital.com/emmanuel-lemelson-definition
And he says Musk is all about money.
He will fit in perfectly with the Greek hierarchy. Too bad he’s not gay; he could be a metropolitan.
George Michalopulos says
Misha, I’ve actually talked to him, he’s not your run-of-the-mill GOA/EP priest. Quite the contrary. In fact, if you look at the Facebook page for his church (St Katherine) you will see a beautiful, lively Orthodox community in Vermont.
What I got out of this podcast was Fr Emmanuel’s sympathy for Russia and Putin.
Anyway, he brought up some interesting things about Musk that are concerning. That said, I agree with you, Musk essentially saved free speech in America. Plus, he’s seen the damage that cultural marxism has done to his family: his son Xavier “transitioned” to female and it’s devastated him.
Like Fr Emmanuel, I feel that Orthodoxy is on the ascendant. Perhaps Musk and others in Trump’s orbit will have a different view of Russia. (Except for Sebastian Gorka, he’s gone off the deep end as far as his russophobia is concerned.)
Anyway, as Chairman Mao said “Let a thousand flowers bloom.” I personally believe (hope) that during the second Trump administration, that that will indeed happen. (Except for the Cultural Revolution of course.)
Brendan says
‘ … Chairman Mao said “Let a thousand flowers bloom” ‘
but what happened was that a thousand bloomers flowed!
OED [Oxford English Dictionary]: bloomer
3.
1889–
slang. [See quot. 1889.] A very great mistake: chiefly in to make a bloomer.
1889
Bloomer (Australian), prison slang for a mistake.
Abbreviated from the expression ‘a blooming error’.
A. Barrère & C. G. Leland, Dictionary of Slang
Fr. Thomas says
Thank you for posting this. I hope he is wrong but on many of his points I don’t think he is. Musk has been an enigma to many — his continuing contracts with the military, his development of neurolink, his Baphomet costume on Halloween, and his apparent worship of AI, have all been paradoxically combined with his talk of free speech and seeming support of populism. Needless to say the god of the “singularity” is the not the Christian God! Wakefulness is much in order today.