TRTR on the hero and charisma thread

[Paul Mackin]

On 6/24/2011 3:07 PM, Mark Kohut wrote:
> Paul M. writes
> Don't recall the remarks but I suppose anti charisma would mean routinized.  As
> societies develop, the need for charismatic authority decreases.  Heroes are
> traditionally charismatic, but protagonists less so.
>
> Brecht's line about unhappy the land that needs heroes might also apply to
> places that still require charisma.
>
> But in a different way.
>   
>   
> I think the case can be made that as Pynchon uses charisma.....taken it seems
> from a famous Weber essay----anti-charisma
>
> means simply something like not having/using the power of personality......power
> being key.........................
>   
> just being another regular guy/woman.............
>
Weber is certainly The Man when it comes to the topic of charismatic 
authority.

Was Pynchon talking about the stage at which bureaucracies come to the fore?

In pre-war Germany, Walter Rathenau was the great industrial 
rationaizer--we meet him "on the other side" in GR.

Ike was a great organizer but not very charismatic--unlike old Blood and 
Guts and Dugout Doug.

A bureaucracy such as the world had never seen formed around Winning the 
War.

Roger and Pointsman side by side.

P