Mitch Wagner's Tumblblog

Another guy I went to college with who went on to do something really interesting

Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation - Boing Boing

I went to the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and was on the college paper, Statesman, with this book’s author, Mitch Horowitz.

This sounds like a fantastic book, it’s moving to the top of my to-be-read pile. Well, as soon as I have the book in my hands to add to the pile that is.

It appears the book takes a respectful view of the history of American mysticism, and views movements like Freemasonry, Transcendentalism, and Spiritualism as the source of much that we value in America and in the West today: Feminism, for example.

Freemasonry in particular is the source of the American ideal of religious freedom, which we take for granted today but which was a breathtaking new idea at the founding of our nation 250 years ago. Mitch gives Freemasonry credit for the principle that minority religious views should not just be tolerated but an equal part of the national culture. (Or, that appears to be what he’s saying, if I’m reading it right.) This was a new and dangerous idea when America was founded, and it’s still something that some Christian fundis don’t agree with.

I also went to college with econo-blogger Barry Ritholtz, whom I interviewed on Copper Robot.

I’m befuddled that so much awesomeness came out of the little circle of people I knew at college. I suppose if you graduated from Harvard or Yale you’re used to your college pals growing up to do amazing things. But I went to the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and the only time I expect to see one of us get nationally famous is America’s Stupidest Home Videos. (“Here, hold mah beer an’ watch me do this.”)