The Forest Rebel Today: Part III

The third and final part of my essay on Ernst Jünger's 1951 book, "The Forest Passage."

The Forest Rebellion

In Part II, we discussed who the forest rebel is. Now, we must discuss what he does.

Fearlessness

Perhaps the most fundamental step a forest rebel must take is to overcome the fear of death, since this opens the door to an infinite number of possibilities. Jünger says, “At all times, in all places, and in every heart, human fear is the same: it is the fear of destruction, the fear of death” (50). Overcoming the fear of death is an essential step for the forest rebel in asserting his individuality. The fear of death is one of the chief motivators of the masses in their conformity. For many, it is better to conform than to die. Jünger remarks, “no one is easier to terrorize than the person who believes that everything is over when his fleeting phenomenon is extinguished” (93). Returning to the discussion of COVID-19 in Part I of this series, it is easy to see how the fear of death motivated conformity with tyranny and lies during that time. A forest rebel must be capable of seeing through such crises and not flinching even when told that his life is at stake.

Rather than conform for comfort, the rebel exclaims, “Give me liberty or give me death!” Ultimately, “To overcome the fear of death is at once to overcome every other terror, for they all have meaning only in relation to this fundamental problem. The forest passage is, therefore, above all a passage through death. The path leads to the brink of death itself—indeed, if necessary, it passes through it” (51). It is apparent, then, that the forest rebel is someone capable of becoming a martyr, which bears with it a religious significance.

This is no coincidence. Jünger reminds us that,

[The Christian martyrs] were stronger than the stoics, stronger than the caesars, stronger than the hundred thousand spectators surrounding them in the arena—there also followed the innumerable others who died with their faith intact. To this day this is a far more compelling force than it at first seems. Even when the cathedrals crumble, a patrimony of knowledge remains that undermines the palaces of the oppressors like catacombs. Already on these grounds we may be sure that the pure use of force, exercised in the old manner, cannot prevail in the long term. With this blood, substance was infused into history, and it is with good reason that we still number our years from this epochal turning point. The full fertility of theogony reigns here, the mythical generative power. The sacrifice is replayed on countless altars (51).

The martyr is a potent symbol of resistance and also of freedom. A Christian martyr demonstrates to his murderers that he has transcended fear, and that something greater motivates him to see death as something desirable, something no man can take from him.

There may come a time when the cathedrals really crumble and Christians are once again made to face death at the hands of persecutors. We may also imagine figurative cathedrals crumbling, cathedrals of morality and humanity. The forest rebel is a person who is capable of martyrdom, of plunging into death and thereby making an offering of himself, an offering which is able to eclipse the very physical force which led to his death in the first place. “There exists no great word and no noble thought for which blood has not flowed” (52).

Rather than give in to the fatalism and nihilism which leads modern men to be so afraid of death and so willing to accept any tyranny that promises survival, the forest rebel must hold “that every man is immortal and that there is eternal life in him, an unexplored and yet inhabited land, which, though he himself may deny its existence, no timely power can ever take from him” (93). This is something which runs contrary to certain factions on the Right today. While I understand that we are not able to come to a consensus on religion, it seems to me that there is no future for a Right that lacks belief in in the eternal and in the Divine. Affirming the immortality of man and life everlasting is no small matter, and it is absolutely necessary for a forest rebel. (Once again, we may note Jünger’s latent Christian impulses.)

Non-compliance

The forest rebel must also break free of the State sanctioned methods of participation. The world presents us with supposed “choices” which ultimately further its aims either which way. “Why then is [the forest rebel] supposed to vote in a situation in which choice no longer exists,” Jünger asks (3). Jünger recommends simply abstaining in these situations, and instead engaging in subtle but potent forms of protest. He gives the example of writing things like “NO” in public places (during a referendum where the choices are “yes” or “no”) or writing “resist” in public.

Now, we must understand what is truly being said here below the surface reading. Jünger is not saying you and I need to go spray paint some graffiti messages on a nearby wall. We must accept that things have changed. For starters, we live in the internet age. For another, we must go back to Part I of this series, wherein I explained that Jünger was writing primarily about actual dictatorships where there were true sham elections and referendums. We should not try to universalize that to the point that we view every legal political act as a farce. Such a view would lead to a sort of political quietism that, rather than moving the needle, leaves us immobile with no influence at all.

Despite the circumstances of his writing being a bit different than our own, there is still much to learn from his recommendation. The forest rebel must discern what is real and what is fake, what is effective versus what is impotent, what is friendly or submissive towards the Total State and what is not. The individual must be prudent and recognize when a vote may be necessary and have some legitimate impact versus when it is completely and utterly pointless.

Nevertheless, in certain times and places, we can see how there really is no actual change agent available. I am thinking now of the UK, where the Conservatives somehow managed to ship in more foreigners than ever, and where Reform doesn’t even seem vital enough to pose a resistance. As for whether such an abstract gesture of writing “No” or some other subversive phrase could have any impact on things, I suggest we consider internet memes and gestures, which are a modern version of such actions. Posting a transgressive political meme has perhaps an even greater impact than what Jünger suggests, given its potential to be seen by people around the world. Apparently this act is subversive enough to warrant jail time in certain “free” countries.

Art, Philosophy, and Theology

“A gamble of this kind [the forest passage] can only hope to succeed if the three great powers of art, philosophy, and theology come to its aid and break fresh ground in the dead-end situation” (25).

Art, philosophy, and theology. These are, according to Jünger, the three great powers at the disposal of the forest rebel. Let us discuss each.

Art

The forest rebel must exercise his imagination in creative endeavors and engage in and with art. Jünger especially highlights the poet as being a great threat to the Regime. “Any power struggle is preceded by a verification of images and an iconoclasm. This is why we need poets—they initiate the overthrow, even that of titans. Imagination, and with it song, belong to the forest passage” (33). Martin Heidegger concluded The Question Concerning Technology by suggesting poetry as the potential savior from technology’s enframing (read more). Poetry, he says, is another form of revealing reality, but with poetry (and the other fine arts), man is actively involved and participates in the poetic revealing.

Imagining and the bringing of the imagined into existence is a uniquely human activity, and it is one where near unlimited freedom presents itself. A person may imagine things which, in fact, do not even exist and cannot exist. We may consider dreams as one of the highest representations of the imagination at work; in the dream, our minds go so far as to create alternate worlds that we can interact with and even be lucidly aware of. Poetry and song are similarly the imagination at work. Man tells his story through poetry and song. He relates myth through poetry and song. He understands reality through poetry and song. He expresses his emotions through poetry and song. He praises God with poetry and song. He builds brotherhood and community with poetry and song. Jünger writes, “the poet…in his works and in his life, manifests the vast superiority of the world of the muses over the technical world. He helps people find the way back to themselves—the poet is a forest rebel” (39). One of the main takeaways from The Forest Passage, then, is the importance of the poet and of poetry. Through poetry, man can exercise his imagination, a truly free space which the Total State cannot fully control, and a capacity which no machine possesses. Imagination and creativity allow the individual to express himself in terms beyond those provided by the system.

Moreover, the pursuit of beauty itself can be a liberating act, an act of freedom which strikes at the heart of the ugly, demonic forces at play. The spine of the first print magazine that IM-1776 published reads: “Beauty is the battlefield where God and the devil war for the soul of man,” and I think this is a very fitting quote for the forest rebel to keep in mind. Much of the demonic forces that are at work today are characterized by ugliness and disorder, acting out of resentment for the beautiful and well-adjusted. The forest rebel ought to cultivate a habit of creating and not merely consuming. This is why I have tried my hand at poetry; to exercise the imagination is as important as exercising the body.

Philosophy & Theology

What is philosophy, really? It is the love of wisdom and of truth. What is theology? It is the study of God and of those things related to him.

There is so much on this topic I am struggling to keep myself from posting it all, so I will have to settle for a few passages.

Here are a few key selections:

Another question is this: how is man to be prepared for paths that lead into darkness and the unknown? The fulfillment of this task belongs chiefly to the churches, and in many known, and many more unknown, cases, it has effectively been accomplished. It has been confirmed that greater force can be preserved in churches and sects than in what are today called worldviews—which usually means natural science raised to the level of philosophical conviction. It is for this reason that we see tyrannical regimes so rabidly persecuting such harmless creatures as the Jehovah’s Witnesses—the same tyrannies that reserve seats of honor for their nuclear physicists (59-60).

It shows a healthy instinct that today’s youth is beginning to show new interest in religion. Even if the churches should prove themselves unable to cater to this instinct, the initiative is important because it creates a framework for comparisons. It reveals what was possible in the past, and hence what one may be justified in expecting from the future (60).

A person scraping by, if not in an actual wasteland then in a wasted zone such as an industrial city, to whom a mere glimmer, a brief whiff of the immense power of being is imparted—such a person begins to sense that something is missing in his life. This is the prerequisite for him to start searching. Now it is important that it is a theologian who removes the scales from his eyes, because only in this way will this seeker have any prospect of reaching his goal (62).

Man thus dying of thirst looks quite correctly to the theologian to alleviate his suffering, to alleviate it according to the original theological model of the staff striking water from the rock (94).

There is much more on theology, the churches, and spirituality in The Forest Passage. This topic in particular deserves its own unique treatment. Nevertheless, we must say a few things.

First, let us note the parallel between our own time and his in regard to the youth and their seeking for religious identity. It is apparent to all that today’s youth have taken an interest in religion that, say, Millenials and Generation X did not. The internet is full of young men and women who are converting to this or that faith and making it a large part of their life and identity. In fact, young men today are even more religious than their femal peers, an incredible development that no one could have predicted. This is a good thing. It is a healthy thing. But, as Jünger points out, the churches must be willing and capable to meet those young people and satiate their thirst for spiritual things. Are the churches up to the task? It is the theologian who must see to it that they are.

Jünger sees the theologian as playing a fundamental role in assisting people in finding meaning and hope in the face of modernity’s suffocating routine and materialism.

In another paragraph, Jünger talks about the task of the theologian and churches in meeting people where they are. I wrote an essay about this some time ago:

What is fascinating to me about The Forest Passage is that theology, Christian imagery, and the churches are given far more ink than traditional philosophy. This is not to say philosophy is unimportant. After all, the whole book may be seen as an exercise in philosophy. Yet, Jünger seemed to believe that our world desperately needed theology in a special way. Why? Because I think deep down Jünger understood the religious significance of our time. I think he also understood that man really does have an innate desire for God in his heart. He has, as Pascal said, a God shaped hole. It is up to Christian men today to take up the task of theology and to offer his fellow man something worth living and dying for. It is up to the Church to reach out to man as he is, to speak to him clearly and firmly, and to show him the Light. The Church must return to its most fundamental mission: the salvation of souls and the worship of Almighty God.

Health

Another recommendation of Jünger’s includes the cultivation of physical vitality. He suggests, “Avoiding doctors, trusting the truth of the body, and keeping an ear open to its voice: this is the best formula for the healthy…Whatever opinion one may hold of the world of health plans, insurance, pharmaceutical firms, and specialists, the person who can dispense with all of this is the stronger for it” (68). this leaves no question as to what Jünger would think of our contemporary “health experts” who managed the COVID crisis and who peddle nonsensical “health” advice, like avoiding eggs, meat, and alcohol.

Jünger makes another shocking statement regarding vaccines, which has never been more relevant than now. He says, “A regularly vaccinated and sanitized crew, habituated to medication and of high average age, has a lower chance of survival than a crew that knows nothing of all this. A minimal mortality rate in quiet times is no measure of true health; overnight it can switch into its opposite. It is even possible that it may generate previously unknown contagions. The tissue of the people weakens, becomes more susceptible to attack” (70). How close this hits to home, seeing the abysmal failure of the COVID-19 vaccines. What he means here is that a sanitized society is not actually a safe or healthy society. We have the greatest medical technology ever developed, yet how much of it is devoted merely to treating and maintaining people’s unhealth? The forest rebel, then, is someone who trusts in his own body, who does not follow the whims of the health and nutrition industries, and who avoids “living off of processed foods, communication connections, and utility hookups; and all the synchronizations, repetitions, and transmissions” (38). Being capable of detaching oneself from these systems and having an existence beyond them is crucial. If a man is reliant on all the trappings of modernity to live, is he free?

[Redacted]

Jünger also envisions the forest rebel potentially waging a literal war against the Regime. “The forest is everywhere—in the wastelands as much as in the cities, where a forest rebel may hide or live behind the mask of a profession…He conducts his little war along the railway tracks and supply routes, he threatens bridges, communication lines, and depots” (75). The forest rebel actually blows up critical infrastructure! We must remember again that Jünger wrote during the Cold War and that our situation today is quite different. I do not condone terrorism, and I think the Christian witness is more potent now than any terroristic actions. Actual armed rebellion is a delicate thing and I recommend everyone to read St. Augustine and St. Thomas on the issue.

Conclusion

The forest rebel can count himself among the “people who were not overcome by the hate, the terror, the mechanics of platitudes. These people withstood the propaganda and its plainly demonic insinuations” (45). The freedom which the forest rebel embraces is the same freedom that,

constitutes the theme of history in general, and it marks off its boundaries: on the one side against the demonic realms, on the other against the merely zoological event. This is prefigured in myth and religions, and it always returns; so, too, the giants and the titans always manifest with the same apparent superiority. The free man brings them down; and he need not always be a prince or a Hercules. A stone from a shepherd's sling, a flag raised by a virgin, and a crossbow have already proven sufficient (41)

The Total State, the Leviathan, the Goliath; all are capable of being brought down by those who, at first glance, appear weak or unlikely to succeed. It is interesting that Jünger references David and Joan of Arc here, once again illustrating his Christian tendencies. While the modern State and global order may appear invincible, the forest rebel can count himself among other underestimated forces and figures throughout history that triumphed against all odds.

What you can do

At this point, having read all parts, you might be wondering, “Okay Forest, you have taught us about Jünger’s idea of the forest rebellion and becoming a forest rebel. But what does this actually look like in real life?”

I will answer that question succinctly by giving my own personal advice on what I think a forest rebel ought to be doing today.

First and foremost, I believe the forest rebel needs to be a man of faith. He needs to have a strong belief in God, he needs to be active in his faith, and he needs to cultivate virtue, both natural and supernatural. He needs to fight and overcome his vices and bad habits and be a man that others can look at and say, “he has his stuff together, he is a good man.”

The forest rebel needs to be learning, constantly. He should be reading classic literature, reading about philosophy, reading about theology, reading about history, and so forth. He should be strengthening his mind and sharpening his intellect. He should be, above all, pursuing Truth.

The forest rebel ought to be physically fit and active. There is no such thing as a fat and lazy forest rebel. You don’t need to be David Goggins, but you need to be able to run a mile or do 25 solid pushups. It’s not that hard. You should be eating well. No, you don’t need to subscribe to one “fix all” diet, but you shouldn’t be living off of slop 24/7.

I also believe the forest rebel must band together with his fellows and form small cells, perhaps no greater than half a dozen. Small autonomous cells of intelligent, fit, and religious men, characterized by a strong sense of fraternity, will be able to operate with supreme effectiveness against the demonic forces. Essentially, you need to be making good friends who do good things together. Whether it’s forming a book club, going to the range, weightlifting together, gathering for combat training and survival skill training, camping, or whatever else, you should be engaging in formative (and enjoyable) activities with fellow men you can trust and rely on. The forest rebel may be outnumbered, but he needn’t be alone.

On this note, the forest rebel must find consolation and support in his family and, if he has one, his spouse. In Across the Line, Jünger wrote that the romantic love between two individuals is capable of creating a space outside the Leviathan’s control, and I truly believe this. Love is important, and you should not be closed off from your loved ones.

Another point I would like to add is that the forest rebel today face a much softer and more ambiguous enemy than Jünger may have imagined in his day. The enemy now is not nearly as easily identifiable as the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century. Today, the enemy operates on a public and private level. The enemy has infiltrated nearly every institution at every level. The State often does not need to exert any actual force against the dissenters itself. Instead, a mob, acting on its behalf, will form and attack anyone who dares question the Narrative and the Civil Religion. Companies will not hesitate to rid themselves of anyone who seems to smell of rebellion or nonconformity to today's supreme values. The forest rebel, as Jünger suggests, must learn to blend in and wage his war under their noses. He must be an anon. He must master their tactics and become an expert in their methods and even their logic, and then use it against them. The forest rebel today, though, must above all, take care not to lose his mind. The State, Hollywood, social media, the news, companies, and even churches are conducting a psychological operation that has ever been seen before.

To not go mad, to not fall into the dopamine lull, to not require pills to function, and to hold true to one's beliefs is a great victory in the face of the nihilistic campaign, and it is a true expression of freedom and individuality. The forest rebel knows that he possesses “wealth that no one can steal from him” and safeguards this wealth against the nihilistic assaults of the world. He also knows that above all, he is a free being. He is an individual. He is his own. He has a sovereignty which no one can take from him, and he aims to assert this in the present moment, to which he has been fated to exist in. “‘Here and now’ is the forest rebel's motto—he is the spirit of free and independent action” (65). We must be forest rebels. We must be free and fearless. We must resist the machine and its propaganda. We must take initiative. “The initiative will always pass into the hands of a select minority who prefer danger to servitude. And their action will always be preceded by reflection” (35). Let us each reflect on how we may truly be ourselves—free men with noble hearts and immortal souls, unafraid of death and the persecution of the machine—in this time of immense pressure to conform to a truly demonic spirit.

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Postscript

The pitiful alternative to the forest rebel is nothing less than Nietzsche’s THE LAST MAN:

“What is love? What is creation? What is longing? What is a star?”—so asketh the last man and blinketh.

The earth hath then become small, and on it there hoppeth the last man who maketh everything small. His species is ineradicable like that of the ground-flea; the last man liveth longest.

“We have discovered happiness”—say the last men, and blink thereby.

They have left the regions where it is hard to live; for they need warmth. One still loveth one’s neighbour and rubbeth against him; for one needeth warmth.

Turning ill and being distrustful, they consider sinful: they walk warily. He is a fool who still stumbleth over stones or men!

A little poison now and then: that maketh pleasant dreams. And much poison at last for a pleasant death.

One still worketh, for work is a pastime. But one is careful lest the pastime should hurt one.

One no longer becometh poor or rich; both are too burdensome. Who still wanteth to rule? Who still wanteth to obey? Both are too burdensome.

No shepherd, and one herd! Every one wanteth the same; every one is equal: he who hath other sentiments goeth voluntarily into the madhouse.

“Formerly all the world was insane,”—say the subtlest of them, and blink thereby.

They are clever and know all that hath happened: so there is no end to their raillery. People still fall out, but are soon reconciled—otherwise it spoileth their stomachs.

They have their little pleasures for the day, and their little pleasures for the night, but they have a regard for health.

“We have discovered happiness,”—say the last men, and blink thereby.—