The word “Detritus” is reminiscent of Marcello Truzzi (1935-2003), the sociologist who wrote that occultism is a residual category, a wastebasket of what has been rejected by Science and other types of mainstream knowledge.

Then the Detritus of History Channel’s pseudo-documentaries would be the Detritus of the Detritus.

The following article defines the occult as a “wastebasket” for claims of knowledge that are rejected by mainstream science, religion, or society.

Marcello Truzzi, “Definition and Dimensions of The Occult: Towards A Sociological Perspective” (The Journal of Popular Culture, Volume 5, Issue 3, pages 635–646, Winter 1971).

Truzzi’s work was also published in Edward A. Tiryakian, (Editor): “On The Margin of The Visible: Sociology, The Esoteric and The Occult” (1974).

The definition of occultism as a “residual category” or an “intellectual waste-basket” for knowledge rejected by science and mainstream thought is a prominent concept in sociology and academic studies of Western esotericism.

This perspective, heavily influenced by scholars like Wouter Hanegraaff, suggests that during The Enlightenment and the subsequent rise of modern science, various beliefs and practices – ranging from alchemy and magic to spiritualism and psychic research – were discarded by mainstream rationalism and institutional religion.

Here is a breakdown of this viewpoint:

Rejected Knowledge: The “occult” became a label for what established systems of knowledge (science, medicine, religion) deemed false, irrational, or dangerous. It is a “taxonomical black hole” where disparate, unverified ideas are grouped together.

The “Waste-Basket” Definition: According to this view, the occult is not a single, coherent tradition, but rather a “catch-all” category for anything that does not fit into the established, accepted categories of science or theology.

A Response to Modernity: Modern occultism is often interpreted as a reaction against the disenchantment of the world caused by secularization and scientific materialism. It represents an effort to maintain or rediscover hidden meanings and spiritual forces that science ignores.

A “Counter-Culture”: Far from being just “trash,” this “rejected knowledge” often gains a specific, defiant value within counter-cultural milieus, acting as an alternative or opposing worldview to dominant, rationalist, and technocratic society.