Of all the stupid phrases popularized in online discourse in the last ten years or so, I think "Read the room" is one of the worst. It really reveals how lib/prog politics are, at root, based on the desire to stay within what's perceived as being a stable consensus. /1

The "Room" in question is an imaginary place in the lib/prog's head, full of a phantom audience of cool, influential people whom the lib hopes to ingratiate himself to. He carries this imaginary audience everywhere, & it constantly approves/disapproves of every deed & thought. /2

The Room is a carefully choreographed dinner party, with all the right social ornaments on display and all the right shibboleths being said. It provides a measure of reassurance and belonging, but is constantly menaced by an undercurrent of anxiety, because... /3

...directly below the room is the basement, where all of the lib's fear, regret, shame, rage & secret desire is stashed. It's a cluttered, damp, humiliating place, & it's also the origin of the Room. /4

In fact, the Room is really a hallucination the lib has while he crouches ankle deep in the basement's filthy water. In his horror, he thinks that only he has a basement, and believes that the Room's inhabitants are simple and clean. /5

Thinking about how the modernist religious response to accusations that religion = magic was to say "nuh uh, it's, uh, philosophy." This was not a good move, because the heart of "religion" is exorcistic alchemy (or alchemical exorcism if you prefer a different emphasis).

I do not think you need systematic theology in order to engage in the practice of transforming your black, iron heart into radiant gold, and there is actually some danger that it will get in the way.

Nietzsche was, I think, correct that the "rationalizing," "systematizing," element of Greek thought helped to produce the implosion of Christendom.

Metaphysics, cosmology, etc... So much fluff the moment they are no longer tethered to the purpose of casting out the demons and healing the sick.