Joe Bagaent–a fantastic left-wing writer whom I always enjoy but rarely agree with–has an interesting theory on the rise of religious fundamentalism and its relationship with the right in America (emphasis added):
The primary motivating factor in the development of the religious right is a defensive response to the challenges posed by the power of popular consumer and entertainment culture and not a backlash against progressive or liberal ideas and social movements.
And he provides the obvious example:
Religious fundamentalism is revolutionary because it represents the only movement in American public life openly critical of American culture and society.
If the latter point seems strange to some, I would advise them to listen to an hour’s worth of programming from Dr. James Dobson’s daily broadcast on Christian radio. He is perhaps the most influential voice of the religious right on the broadcast medium. During that time, you will hear far greater criticism of American society and Americans on subjects such as greed, materialism, alienation caused by rampant individualism and the lack of supportive communities than you will hear on the purportedly liberal airways of Air America’s Radio Programs.
Bageant goes on to explain why the religion of pop culture is destined to triumph over fundamentalism, because it demands so little from us, keeps us so distracted, and is largely disconnected from ground-floor reality. Obviously, this analysis will bring to mind the utter chaos surrounding our current economic crisis. If the credit crunch isn’t a mass crisis of belief–belief that our bank accounts will keep expanding, that our luck will never run out, that we will never have to actually curtail our consumption–then what is it?
Make sure and read Bageant’s entire essay.