Are Male Witches Just Scientists? (Witches Vs. Logic)

Roast some marshmallows alongside us at the very-non-mystical Based Camp fire pit as we question whether the occult has become overly feminized and explore what masculine mysticism actually looks like. Our discussion examines historical figures often labeled as wizards, tracks word usage over centuries, and contrasts failed esoteric paths with the development of real science. We also ask the inevitable question: Why did competent men historically move away from ritual and toward empirical methods?Our conversation covers arguments from a recent YouTube video on the topic (Broken Ruune’s argument that The Occult Has Become Too Feminine), reviews key Renaissance and modern practitioners, and explains why mysticism lacks feedback loops that drive progress. It also touches on why AI and technology now fulfill the creative and constructive impulses once channeled into the occult.Expect analysis of data trends, institutional legacies like Waldorf education and biodynamic farming, and a clear conclusion on why serious inquiry leads to science rather than spells.

Show Notes

Hat tip to Broken Ruune for The Occult Has Become Too Feminine”

Did We Actually Lose Male Mystics?

Trends & NGram Viewer

Comparing: witch, wizard, paladin, druid, sage

Hate to break it to Broken Ruune, but witches have been dominating since at least the middle ages per Google NGram Viewer at least

Unexpectedly, it’s closer on Google Trends, wizards aren’t that much worse off than witches (maybe because of Harry Potter though).

Malleus Maleficarum

In Malleus Maleficarum, is the focus on only female witches? What about wizards, paladins, druids, and sages? Are they also called out as a threat in the book?

ANSWER:

* The Malleus Maleficarum overwhelmingly focuses on women, but it does not say that only women can practice witchcraft.