26. Mike Belcher: Is Marxism the New Opiate of the Masses?

In this intellectually rigorous discussion, I meet with writer and New Hampshire state legislature candidate Mike Belcher to discuss his heady piece, “A Resolution to Declare Marxism a Religion.” Mike explains what he means by “Marxism,” including an overview of related philosophers Hobbes, Rousseau, and Hegel, and why he believes Marx's seemingly outdated philosophy is alive and well today. He argues that social Marxism manifests not only as progressivism, structural determinism, applied postmodernism, idea laundering, and queer theory, but also in everyday, implicit aspects of the culture at large. We discuss the quasi- and pseudo- religious elements of these belief systems; their roles in psychological warfare and institutional capture; and Mike’s case for why making the religious aspect explicit is essential for maintaining separation between church and state.