We’re a’ John Knox’s bairns

John Knox

Often while I sit doing nothing, vague, almost subliminal, thoughts, feelings and moods (a) arise from the unconscious, (b) occupy the attention centre for a few short moments and then (c) disappear – presumably back into the unconscious.

This mental churn has been going on since childhood and one of my early songs capture the politics of what is going on:

“There’s a voice inside you it’s the voice of other men.
It’s the voice of people dead and gone
Who’s preaching makes the world go on – or off!”
Clark (1970) http://www.toonloon.bizland.com/cureblues/track-01.htm

At university the main subject of my degree was Zoology and my extended essay at the end of Honours year dealt with primate social behaviour. A subsequent move towards the social sciences (especially anthropology and sociology) was a natural if informal progression of my indoctrination.

Emile Durkheim (1858–1917) was one of the founding fathers of Sociology. He gave us the idea of Homo duplex to signal that Homo sapiens comes in two forms – sacred and profane. The sacred refers to group interests that are embodied in magical, collective symbols, or totems (religious systems). The profane refers to mundane, secular individual concerns. (cultural and social systems). The two systems run concurrently and are mutually reinforcing.

Max Weber (1864–1920) was another founding father of sociology. His main concern was with understanding the processes of rationalisation, secularisation, and "disenchantment". He associated these with the rise of capitalism and modernity which he saw as being the result of a new way of thinking about the world. There was a movement from sacred to profane – but it was far from total!

Weber is best known for combining economic sociology and the sociology of religion. His thinking is captured in his book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, in which he proposed that ascetic Protestantism was associated with the rise in the Western world of market-driven capitalism and the rational-legal nation-state. Against Marx's "historical materialism," Weber emphasised the importance of cultural influences embedded in religion as a way of understanding the genesis of capitalism and the new thrust of indoctrination.

The Protestant Work Ethic was the brainchild of the Frenchman John Calvin (1509-1564) and the Scotsman John Knox (1514-1572). They were key players in the Protestant Revolution (1517-1648) which was waged against corruption in the Catholic Church.

John Knox is one of the main voices inside me (see above lyrics). He was a key player in the development of Scottish Presbyterianism. He was born 600 years ago but his dreech and dour commandments have been implanted in my brain:

• No pain no gain; 
• the devil finds work for idle hands to do; 
• dine on hamely fare; 
• respect your elders and betters; 
• if it is pleasant it is sinful; 
• all work and no play makes Jack a suitable Church elder.

In the summer of 1558, Knox published his best known pamphlet, The first blast of the trumpet against the monstruous regiment of women. In calling the "regiment" or rule of women "monstruous", he meant that it was "unnatural". The pamphlet has been called a classic of misogyny. Knox states that his purpose was to demonstrate "how abominable before God is the Empire or Rule of a wicked woman, yea, of a traiteresse and bastard". I like to think that I have transcended that particular line of thought but the continuing gender glass ceiling suggests that my culture still holds it sacred.

My meditation group is multinational and most individuals suffer existentially. And the suffering of the more local ones has a 16th century Scottish flavour. Old habits die hard. We’re a’ John Knox’s bairns.

But there is good news for modern man and woman - neural plasticity. It is never too late to be mindful and to change your mind. I can be still and watch the mental stuff passing though my attention centre. Witnessing makes it wilt. The self and cultural chains can nowadays be shed. We can all do it – alone or in groups.

If you've got a mind for listening there's no reason why you can't
But if your mind is deaf itinerant just go
No one will say that you can't - Or that you can
Clark (1970)

Be still and witness the thought/feelings in the mind/brain – let John Knox go!