Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff Part Two: Druids: Because the Past is Metal as Hell
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Oct 29, 2025 Dive into the mysterious world of Druids and Celtic philosophy, uncovering their cultural practices and the enigmatic concept of sacrifice. Explore Georges Bataille's views on sacredness and hear about human sacrifices as described by Roman accounts and archaeological finds. Discover Druidic wisdom on lunar cycles, their role as memory-keepers, and surprising gender dynamics. Plus, learn about their fierce resistance against Roman conquest, and the legacy of their rituals that echo through history.
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Sacrifice As Nonproductive Sacred Expenditure
- Sacrifice served to make things sacred by removing them from the utilitarian economy.
- Georges Bataille frames sacrifice as creative, nonproductive expenditure that resists capitalist productivity.
The Society With Volunteers To Die, Not Kill
- Georges Bataille's secret society planned a human sacrifice but had no one willing to kill, only volunteers to die.
- The group ended up not actually killing anyone, revealing contradictions in sacrificial fanaticism.
Archaeology Counters Roman Demonization
- Archaeological finds (bog bodies, bound corpses) suggest the Celts likely practiced human sacrifice.
- Roman accounts label the Celts as barbaric, so written claims carry clear bias and need archaeological context.
