March 31, 2025: More Artists on Evil: An Opera on the Anti-Christ Playing in Berlin
Matthew tells us that art helps us find a language for what is going on in the world today. And then, a friend sent Matthew an email about an opera being performed in Berlin right now called “Anti-Krist,” or Anti-Christ. In the opera, Lucifer sends the Antichrist into a godless world. Humankind is tested and tempted by pride, lust, lies, despondency and hatred. Based on the Book of the Apocalypse, the opera warns of catastrophe and denounces the vices of the modern age. Blessedly, the opera’s finale features the world free of evil and sorrow. Of course, apocalypse also means revelation. The end of time contains the seeds of a rebirth.
April 1, 2025: Michael Moore Invites You to a Contest: Painting The Donald
Michael Moore wrote an article recently titled: “Donald Trump Wants a New Portrait of Himself: A Call to Artists and Non-Artists Everywhere!” There’s a portrait of trump hanging in the Colorado State Capitol. Other presidents have portraits there as well. Trump doesn’t like his, even though the Republican Party commissioned it and paid for it. Michael Moore suggests a contest. He knows we’ll come up with some doozies. Says Moore: “In times like these, Art can be a great healer.” He invites us to send photos of our drawings and paintings to him and he will forward them to trump and the Colorado capital.
April 2, 2025: The Power of Art to Melt Hearts, Minds, & Icy Politics
Matthew shares a fascinating story about the power of art to break through challenging situations. In 1969, Matthew was invited, along with a woman, to chaperone 70 American college students as they traveled to Russia. One day the students were to meet with Russian college students. It did not go well. Each person, indoctrinated with the propaganda of their respective governments, were nervous. American students congregated at one end of the great room; the Russian students at the other end. It was extremely awkward. Finally, one American student broke the ice by starting to sing “Leaving on a Jet Plane.” The Americans all joined in. The Russians responded with a song of their own. This went back and forth until some Russian students began dancing a Cossack dance. Eventually everyone was dancing and the gathering was no longer segregated and uncomfortable. The Power of Art.
April 3, 2025: A Good Day For Democracy, Bad for Mad Hatter & His Boss
Yesterday brought welcome news in the fight for our democracy. Senator Cory Booker spoke on the Senate floor against the horrors of this administration for an astounding 25 hours and 4 minutes. He said, “This is not right or left, it is right or wrong. This is not a partisan moment. It is a moral moment.” Fasting and dehydrating himself in order to accomplish the feat without bathroom breaks, Booker is the very definition of a spiritual warrior. In further good news, Musk got a wake-up call as the millions he poured into the Wisconsin supreme court election did not have his intended effect. Voters instead chose Progressive candidate Susan Crawford.
April 4, 2025: Challenging Unhealthy Masculinity & a Cult of Toughness
One of the most important issues of our day is the funk that many young men find themselves in. Studies show that it was the shift toward Trump among young men that got him elected this past November. Journalist Harold Meyerson believes that the MAGA movement is “reliant on the cult of toughness and hypermasculinity.” We need instead to hear messages like those of former Navy Seal Admiral William McRaven, who said, “You must have compassion. You must ache for the poor and disenfranchised. You must feel for the vulnerable.”* And messages like those from the kids of Colby College who have started a TikTok page dedicated to positive masculinity called SexEdForGuys.**
April 5, 2025: Positive Masculinity for Young Men on TikTok
Matthew applauds the efforts of young people from Colby College who are working to change the narrative about masculinity in our culture. Matthew has found that teaching about the archetypes of healthy masculinity can be very helpful. They include: Father Sky—a celebration of the Cosmos and our part in the Universe. Green Man celebrates and protects Nature and the Earth. The Blue Man celebrates mankind’s Creativity. The Spiritual Warrior is committed to Justice and the Common Good. The Hunter-Gatherer is that ancient part of our DNA that hunts and gathers to feed family and community. Fatherhood is about the love and protective instincts that can arise when one brings children into the world. Grandfatherhood—a celebration of the wisdom of Elderhood.
* David French, “Hulk Hogan Is Not the Only Way to Be a Man,” New York Times, July 28, 2024.
** Fortesa Latifi, “Meet the College Kids Making ‘Positive Masculinity’ TikToks to Counter the Manosphere,” Rolling Stone, March 25, 2025.
Banner image: Right vs. wrong. Sign carried by a woman at a Hands Off! protest in a small town in Pennsylvania. Photo by DM team member, Cynthia Greb.
2 thoughts on “Week of 3/31-4/5/2025: Positive Masculinity, the Power of Art & Some Good News”
Making my sign for the demonstration, and then connecting with others yesterday who are of the same opinions, was a great thing for me to do. Living in a small mountain town and connecting with my community was very powerful. Thank you Matthew for putting the links and information into your meditations.💗Meg
In Prescott, Arizona, a Republican town of 48,000 people, we drew 1600 to 2,000 people to our Hands Off rally. Estimates are 50-100 counter-protesters. In a town full of guns, we had no incidents. A lot of chanting from both sides, angry shouting from the MAGA side (and some from the Hands Off crowd, but not much), the event was hopeful, strong, and inspiring. Thanks to everyone who attended a rally anywhere.