Moral Anarchopathology (1/5): The Octopus of Judas-like Opportunism and Betrayal upon the Shoulders of Political Practice

 Moral Anarchopathology (1/5):

 The Octopus of Judas-like Opportunism and Betrayal upon the Shoulders of Political Practice

Mahmoud Sadeghi Janbehan

Translation: ChatGPT

Judas of Betrayal and Profit-Seeking

The historical figure of “Judas,” as a symbol of betrayal and opportunism, is employed in this work to anatomize and analyze the pathological patterns of politics through the dual frameworks of political and moral anarchopathology. This approach aims to demonstrate how political practice, in the vast majority of cases, aligns with a “Judas-like” orientation. When politics becomes tainted by the logic of personal gain and opportunism, it loses its capacity for moral rebellion, the realization of justice, and the preservation of human dignity. In such circumstances, politicians, instead of resisting injustice and inequality, serve to reinforce domination and pursue individual or group interests.

This pathological pattern is characterized by features introduced here as a prelude to the main discussion, illustrating the mechanics of Judas-like betrayal and opportunism:

• Moral and cognitive submission: Politicians, rather than engaging in deep, justice-oriented analysis and making rational and ethical decisions, follow the logic of personal gain and moral surrender.
• Reproduction of domination: Political, economic, and cultural institutions become instruments for reinforcing control, limiting freedom, and perpetuating domination.
• Disruption of moral courage: The capacity for ethical rebellion and resistance against corruption and injustice is minimized, reducing political activity to personal or group gain.

Judas of Cognitive Fear and Moral Submission: The Basis of Opportunistic Politics, Remnant of Cain’s Rebellion

In the framework of political anarchology, politics is understood as a sphere in which liberation from sources of authority and domination, respect for human dignity, social justice, and the opening of a field of freedom are realized. In this sense, politics is not a tool of domination but a means for social elevation, freedom, and moral rebellion against any imposed authority that constrains the possibility of a free life. This understanding is in direct opposition to organized politics under states and political systems. From the perspective of moral anarchology, politics and political practice should be grounded in justice and deep respect for human dignity in all political orientations.

Historical experience shows, however, that politics has often been trapped in a fundamental deviation and profound pathology, resulting in social injustice and the degradation of freedom. This pathology can be metaphorically described as the “octopus of opportunism and betrayal,” which coils around the shoulders of political practice like a venomous serpent, paralyzing its backbone. Such a pattern is most apparent in authoritarian and dictator-cultured systems.

This perspective becomes more intelligible through the narrative of “Judas,” allowing an analysis based on historical symbols. The character of Judas, in religious history, sold truth, loyalty, commitment, and faith for trivial personal gain, becoming a symbol of betrayal. Similarly, politics has often been caught in such Judas-like opportunism: from overt dealings of power-centered regimes to covert alliances for personal or group survival, all reproducing the same pattern of betrayal. In the political marketplace, self-sale is always available, cheaply offered.

From the standpoint of political anarchology and moral anarchopathology, such politics is entirely pathological. When politics is contaminated by profit and utility orientation, it loses its capacity for moral rebellion and cannot achieve justice or freedom. In this state, politicians bow to power instead of standing by truth and justice and transform human dignity into a commodity for exploitation and a tool for survival in the power struggle.

Judas of Profit-Seeking, with unrestrained greed, is an inseparable element of opportunistic politics. These elements often disguise themselves with concepts such as “revolutionary transformation,” “consciousness-raising change,” “national security,” “patriotism,” “nationalism,” and “service.” Yet behind these concepts and orientations lies the bitter truth: profit-seeking. Judas-like politics has become a structural betrayal, incapable of establishing freedom, justice, or higher human and ethical aims.

In such a space, the “Judas of cognitive fear and moral submission” casts its shadow over all individual and social relations. This shadow suppresses the impulse for moral rebellion and fills all political practice with self-serving, justice-destroying tendencies, creating a fundamental contradiction with human dignity and honor.

Historical and Contemporary Examples of Profit-Driven Judas:

1. Betrayal of the opposition to the people’s ideals: In many contemporary political movements, opposition groups that initially appear with slogans of freedom and justice often, at critical junctures, engage in deals with external powers or divide potential future gains instead of standing by their ideals. The experience of Iranian opposition groups in recent decades illustrates this clearly, where personal profit, media position, and social status have taken precedence over the necessity of people-centered justice. Politicians living off public resources in such circumstances not only sustain domination but also become instruments for reproducing inequality and corruption. This is a concrete manifestation of the octopus of opportunism, suffocating moral courage and steering politics toward profiteering and betrayal.
2. Profit-driven liberalism politics: In the West, political liberalism ostensibly upholds individual freedom and rights, yet in practice, the octopus of opportunism heavily burdens it, and profit-orientation underlies its decision-making. Major political decisions in many liberal democracies are based not on social justice but on the interests of large corporations, the arms industry, and financial networks. Freedom and justice become commodities in the political marketplace, citizens are transformed into objects of power’s profit, and moral courage gradually suffocates under economic and political structures.
3. Historically entrenched religious/political traditions: In some traditional societies, religion becomes a tool for the profiteering of dictator-aligned leaders. Religious/political leaders, instead of upholding ethics and human dignity, legitimize their interests through history and tradition. Historicism and sanctification of tradition in this context play a role similar to Judas-like betrayal—trading ethical truth for political domination.

A defining characteristic of the octopus of opportunism is that it rests upon the “shoulders of politics,” not merely individual politicians’ behavior. That is, this deviation is rooted in structures, institutions, and political culture. Any political practice that marginalizes ethics and prioritizes profit inevitably falls into the Judas grip, which, like an invisible rope, strips political practice of moral courage and binds it in domination.

Thus, political practice under the grip of opportunism becomes inherently betrayal-oriented and unethical: betrayal of humanity, justice, and freedom. Though such betrayal may align with power and profit in the short term, from the anarchological horizon, it produces nothing but the reproduction of domination and the perpetuation of injustice.

Structural Features of the Octopus of Opportunism

In this text, reference to “Judas” serves solely as a symbol of betrayal and opportunism in politics, without any intention of critiquing religious anarchology or historical interpretation. The historical event is used to highlight the moral pathology of political practice. The salient feature of the octopus of opportunism is that it is not limited to individual politicians’ behavior but is rooted in structures, institutions, and political culture. Any politics that sidelines ethics and centers on self-interest will sooner or later fall into the Judas grip, which, like an invisible rope, strips politics of moral courage and chains it in domination.

Thus, political practice under the grip of profit-seeking is inherently betrayal-oriented and unethical: betrayal of humanity, justice, and freedom. While such betrayal may coincide with power and gain in the moment, from an anarchological perspective, it yields nothing but the reproduction of domination and the perpetuation of injustice.

Reference:

Sadeghi Janbehan, M. (2025). Political Anarchology / Moral Anarchopathology (1/5): The Octopus of Judas-like Opportunism upon the Shoulders of Political Practice. Retrieved from https://anarchology.blogfa.com