×

Begin here!

Reason & Faith

– The Good Alliance

ErikPleijel.se

ENGLISH VERSION

Cartoon boy
Star
COUNTER­FORCE
A Classical Defence Against Populist Power Cults
The populist power cult revels in the spectacle. They applaud when their demagogic leader makes grandiose displays of raw power. They cheer when he sows division and wreaks havoc on the world. What is the price they have to pay for this thrilling entertainment?
This is the ‘Faustian pact’: selling one's soul in exchange for power. How to resist this temptation is a crucial question of our time. There is an ancient strategy that everyone should know: the seven classical virtues.
Quick overview. Reading time 5 – 8 minutes.
Broader and deeper. Like a 70-page book.


Erik Pleijel

ABOUT ME. I’m Erik Pleijel from Sweden. My interest is in theology and philosophy that can be rooted in everyday life. I have done some work in programming and in water supply in Africa. 


In my book Adventures and Reflections I share my experiences. Here are extracts from newspapers that have written about it: 

In fast-moving, sometimes dramatic texts , he takes us to genocidal Rwanda, civil war Sri Lanka and an absurdly closed North Korea. ... But he is not an ordinary technology nerd, rather a humanist, philosopher and theologian. Who thrives on human diversity, listens, learns, reflects and tries to empathise with the history and identity of other individuals and cultures. ... [Swedish prime minister], give this book to your ... minister for international development ...!
Column in Bohusläningen newspaper (6 Oct 2014), by Stefan Edman.
Based on his life experience, he reflects on aid, philosophy and Christian faith on a Lutheran basis. It is a wise man who writes and his wisdom is often easily transferable to everyday life in Sweden.
Review in KT, the Swedish church newspaper (34-2014), by Mikael Mogren (Bishop).
Recommend this website!


COUNTERFORCE: A Classical Defence Against Populist Power Cults, Copyright © 2025 Erik Pleijel. All rights reserved. Exception: The short essay is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Illustrations: Cartoon boy: VectorStock; Cartoon queen, sloth: FriendlyStock; Cartoon priest: Copyright Brad Fitzpatrick; Aristotle Kaio hfd CC BY-SA 3.0;
Contact: email