Ordinary Unhappiness Bonus Episode: Martyrdom, Mourning, and the Legacy of Charlie Kirk
Sep 29, 2025
Patrick Blanchfield, a cultural critic and co-host of the Ordinary Unhappiness podcast, dives deep into the televised memorial for Charlie Kirk, exploring its theatrical elements and political ramifications. He discusses how biblical texts and martyrdom narratives are manipulated to create a powerful political spectacle. The conversation highlights the normalization of evangelical rhetoric in mainstream politics, the role of grief in mobilizing communities, and the broader implications of selective mourning in America. Patrick's insights bridge theology, politics, and emotional performance.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Martyrdom As Culture-Making
- Elizabeth Castelli's view treats martyrdom as culture-making rather than just historical fact.
- Martyr narratives retroactively create meaning to negotiate a group's place relative to secular power.
The Psychic Life Of Persecution
- Martyrdom supplies an imaginative psychic life of persecution for groups who claim victimhood.
- That imagination helps majorities fashion a persecuted-minority identity for political and theological ends.
Stadium-Scale Memorial Spectacle
- Hosts describe the Kirk memorial as a four-and-a-half hour, stadium-scale spectacle mixing political figures and religious rites.
- The event blended pastors, Trump allies, and media figures into a single revival-like program.
