Robert Anton Wilson, The tale of the tribe and Open Source Conspiracy theory.
Robert Anton Wilson lived a life dedicated to sharing. RAWs shared wisdom and information packed writings seem to me to present a special methodology and an illuminating example of comprehensive critical thinking, critical for our grasping a handle on 'what the hell is going on' as he often said. RAW had his hands on the handle or the 'tool' we know as 'language' since a remarkably early age, reading James Joyce, Ezra Pound, William Butler Yeats and Semanticist Alfred Korzybski and many more heavyweights while still in his teens.
RAWs early adoption of various linguistic, mathematical and semantic 'systems', plus his experimental and practical approach to sex, drugs and meditation put him in a unique position during the fabled 1960's consciousness revolution, next to Dr. Timothy Leary and literally--on the same page--as the founding fathers of the 'free' or 'underground press' in the United States: appearing as early as 1958 in Paul Krassner's mother ship of 'hip' scholastic insights; the Realist.
RAWs early adoption of various linguistic, mathematical and semantic 'systems', plus his experimental and practical approach to sex, drugs and meditation put him in a unique position during the fabled 1960's consciousness revolution, next to Dr. Timothy Leary and literally--on the same page--as the founding fathers of the 'free' or 'underground press' in the United States: appearing as early as 1958 in Paul Krassner's mother ship of 'hip' scholastic insights; the Realist.
The Realist, standing alone provides us with RAWs performances by example, evidence for his early adoption of principles and methodologies such as 'cybernetics' as defined by Norbert Weiner; 'Synergetics' as defined by Buckminster Fuller, and 'hologrammic Prose' as defined and refined by W.B Yeats, James Joyce and to some extent Ezra Pound who may more properly be summarized in RAWs 'multiverse' of early quality critters by his 'ideogrammic method' or globalist collage of textual exhibits.
Together with RAWs 'belly laugh' and 'lightening wit' and his 'brave' insights and broad experiential knowledge I detect his 'scientific' and 'operationalist' methodology in his first, right up to his last writings and communications. Approximately 50 years of consistent 'critical' thinking expressed through delightful prose and 'balanced' 'fair' feedback, RAW, in my opinion stands out as an exemplary figure who represents the spirit of our 'information activism revolution' kicking into gear and the 'global eye/ear' of the emerging 'digital global village ' in 2011.
In short, RAW has given us an illuminated history of 'information activism' reaching back to the European Renaissance, and one that includes some of the greatest minds of the 20th century with a name yet to come. RAWs History of 'revolutionary information activists' is called 'the tale of the tribe'; with a nod to Ezra Pound, who he liked to called uncle Ez, due to his major IMPACT on RAWs writing and critical thinking. "The Faben Works still intact?"
RAWs 'tale of the tribe' has been the subject of my on-going study since reading the introduction to the unfinished project at the back of his book called TSOG: The Thing That Ate The Constitution, and studying alongside Dr. Wilson himself during an eight week class hosted by the MaybeLogic Academy titled 'tale of the tribe'. My studies into TTOTT have culminated in my own recent six week class, also held at the MaybeLogic Academy: Email to the Tribe, where I reviewed the main characters and their methodologies with the goal of providing a useful resource for others who may discover RAWs 'tale of the tribe' and also wonder 'what the hell it’s all about?'
I found that the best metaphor I can give for what 'the tale of the tribe' is all about is to invoke the theory of 'holograms' or the idea that each section of something (the tale of the tribe) contains a miniature 'copy' of the whole. This Holographic theory is of particular interest and use to me as it seems like it can be quickly fitted to correspond, generally to every characters innovation from Giordano Bruno to Orson Wells, and of course including RAW himself, who of course uses many other terms to describe what I view as the generally holographic' 'hermetic' and 'cybernetic' nature of 'revolutionary information activism'
I might simply argue that the 'revolutionary information explosions' and 'leaks' reflect the nature of information entropy vs. information negentropy, and the dance between 'order' and 'disorder' in any system whatsoever, and the fumble to measure and interpret this 'waltz' or oscillation that I like to think of, as RAW did, generally as the heart and marrow of Daoism. RAW often noted Daoism and Quantum Mechanics as his main interests, and I think that this combination indeed captures the flavour of RAW information activism or Guerrilla Ontology; in his hands these forms take on the feel of 'timeless evidence' and historical scientific support for the 'multiplistic' and 'infinite flux' at play in the Universe.
Call it 'chaos theory' or 'the multiple worlds model' or 'quantum psychology' if you like, but RAW may refer back to Joyce and something like 'the mamma matrix most mysterious' at those critical moments where many other a scientific philosopher would sign off and collect the cheque, no, RAW always takes you all the way through post-absurdum, where logic and reason fly out the window land like rolling papers in a hurricane and your left floating somewhere beyond language, somewhere near the beginning of reading, you might say.
Together with RAWs 'belly laugh' and 'lightening wit' and his 'brave' insights and broad experiential knowledge I detect his 'scientific' and 'operationalist' methodology in his first, right up to his last writings and communications. Approximately 50 years of consistent 'critical' thinking expressed through delightful prose and 'balanced' 'fair' feedback, RAW, in my opinion stands out as an exemplary figure who represents the spirit of our 'information activism revolution' kicking into gear and the 'global eye/ear' of the emerging 'digital global village ' in 2011.
In short, RAW has given us an illuminated history of 'information activism' reaching back to the European Renaissance, and one that includes some of the greatest minds of the 20th century with a name yet to come. RAWs History of 'revolutionary information activists' is called 'the tale of the tribe'; with a nod to Ezra Pound, who he liked to called uncle Ez, due to his major IMPACT on RAWs writing and critical thinking. "The Faben Works still intact?"
RAWs 'tale of the tribe' has been the subject of my on-going study since reading the introduction to the unfinished project at the back of his book called TSOG: The Thing That Ate The Constitution, and studying alongside Dr. Wilson himself during an eight week class hosted by the MaybeLogic Academy titled 'tale of the tribe'. My studies into TTOTT have culminated in my own recent six week class, also held at the MaybeLogic Academy: Email to the Tribe, where I reviewed the main characters and their methodologies with the goal of providing a useful resource for others who may discover RAWs 'tale of the tribe' and also wonder 'what the hell it’s all about?'
I found that the best metaphor I can give for what 'the tale of the tribe' is all about is to invoke the theory of 'holograms' or the idea that each section of something (the tale of the tribe) contains a miniature 'copy' of the whole. This Holographic theory is of particular interest and use to me as it seems like it can be quickly fitted to correspond, generally to every characters innovation from Giordano Bruno to Orson Wells, and of course including RAW himself, who of course uses many other terms to describe what I view as the generally holographic' 'hermetic' and 'cybernetic' nature of 'revolutionary information activism'
I might simply argue that the 'revolutionary information explosions' and 'leaks' reflect the nature of information entropy vs. information negentropy, and the dance between 'order' and 'disorder' in any system whatsoever, and the fumble to measure and interpret this 'waltz' or oscillation that I like to think of, as RAW did, generally as the heart and marrow of Daoism. RAW often noted Daoism and Quantum Mechanics as his main interests, and I think that this combination indeed captures the flavour of RAW information activism or Guerrilla Ontology; in his hands these forms take on the feel of 'timeless evidence' and historical scientific support for the 'multiplistic' and 'infinite flux' at play in the Universe.
Call it 'chaos theory' or 'the multiple worlds model' or 'quantum psychology' if you like, but RAW may refer back to Joyce and something like 'the mamma matrix most mysterious' at those critical moments where many other a scientific philosopher would sign off and collect the cheque, no, RAW always takes you all the way through post-absurdum, where logic and reason fly out the window land like rolling papers in a hurricane and your left floating somewhere beyond language, somewhere near the beginning of reading, you might say.
I feel RAW was trying to make us, the readers, smarter, and constantly peppers his readers with references and source after source, in hope that some may get their feet wet and take a dip into the kinds of territory he has been wading in since first discovering that something was not right with the way the United States--in particular, also the rest of the world and its Governments and Religions--were 'fucking things up' in the name of private profit and religious piety. RAW, above his brilliant prose and wit, always aims his critic and gaze at the heart of the matter, striking blows to pivotal points and 'taboos' where most fear to tread with their typewriter when they have evidence for the horrific destructive and violent powers of the beasts they hunt using their 'word' sound power.
This brevity and unwillingness to water down his often 'shocking' truths and observations has helped define RAW, for me; the Bobfather of the 'information activism revolution' and with the additional practical steps all-humanity can take to influence the co-operation and connection of all peoples and 'systems' who favour 'evolution' 'information' and 'perpetual questions' in contrast to 'predictable' 'noisy' and 'secretive'. There seems to be no sides in this 'Information activist revolution' due to the fact that information permeates every bit of any proposed enemy, information permeates each and every part, everyware! Ubiquitous!
To fight information and the decent into novelty is like fighting a mirror or trying to contain the Novelty engines of our neuro-logical and cosmological 'realities' with any 'earth bound' doctrine or scripture, today's news seems out-dated when compared with 'tomorrows' news leaked through a superior 'hyper intelligence' working upon 'hermetic' decentralized principles that simply 'out-mode' and obsolete what came before it i.e.; secret communications between a few private individuals with purely 'company business' interests.
To fight information and the decent into novelty is like fighting a mirror or trying to contain the Novelty engines of our neuro-logical and cosmological 'realities' with any 'earth bound' doctrine or scripture, today's news seems out-dated when compared with 'tomorrows' news leaked through a superior 'hyper intelligence' working upon 'hermetic' decentralized principles that simply 'out-mode' and obsolete what came before it i.e.; secret communications between a few private individuals with purely 'company business' interests.
But still the question of 'interpretation' lingers like a fart after twelve scotch eggs, the match and sulphur are contained in the phrase I already quoted in part: "Think for yourself, and question authority". This usually requires a certain level of critical judgement and attention to detail found in artists and philosophers by the bucket load, but usually absent from the limited 'programs' of Governmental representatives and major corporate bodies and think tanks.
Like with the excellent case in point of 'Wikileaks decentralized hyper intelligence', it often takes an underground minority maverick (hacker) to introduce the silver bullet to the chamber of the gun that will fire the crack-shot that starts the ball rolling towards an avalanche and maybe a total 'paradigm shift' or something resembling the idea that everything will change so fast and so drastically our concept of 'revolution' will once more rise through the murk of 'Che' T-shirts, and with luck gain its positive 'information rich' meanings connected to 'cyclical' processes, the 'wheels' of Buddhist 'Samsara', the 'recorso of the ages' from Gimabattista Vico, the 'Gyres' of W.B Yeats and so on; the revolutionary process, the infinite flux of consciousness and all that resembles its traces. Here we touch on a tale that I think deserves a new chapter, the 'information activist' cables of the tribe or 'the common speech of the tribe and its leaders' a leak that illuminates the speech of the great tribal henchmen and women of each nation, a new chapter in any 'poem' including history.
I think that in some sense Wikileaks, among other things it does, brings us a new kind of 'tale' and a new global concept of 'the tribe' together with the novel and probably 'hyper intelligent process' of distribution, marketing, editing and presentation--what I would call 'decentralized, shared and rotational concepts--as I have said before at the Pivot area of Robert Anton Wilson's broad history of 'revolutionary information networks' and those critters that 'translated' the holographic reality of things into a somewhat orderly and defined set of messages: novels, poems, geometries, histories, equations, movies, methodologies etc. Communications containing the seeds of future trends and revolutions, and usually, to add IMPACT, RAW liked to point out how most 'innovators' and 'geniuses' are misunderstood, unacknowledged, and often actively pursued, charged, jailed, executed (as in the case of Giordano Bruno), proving that it can be hazardous to have 'new ideas' when surrounded by morons.
Considering the gravity of the situation in 2010 concerning the Pope and his Catholic Priesthood and their documented 'repetitive' sex offences--child molestation and rape of young boys--we might consider the flimsy allegations currently floating about Julian Assange like a CIA fog seeping into the world media. Can you balance the statements recorded by some Catholic Priests and the Pope himself concerning the use of condoms with the broken condom allegation and 'smear' campaign, I think, being waged against Julian. Have some perspective here, why oh why are we not pursuing these child rapists, hunting them down and trying them for their physical and total crimes against an underage, vulnerable and innocent human being?
I don't wish to get into a Ping-Pong game of back and forth here, trying to compare one criminal case with another as I think that each case should be tried separately and have its own chance to represent the facts. But as a recent Wikileak has shown, the highest authorities within the Vatican actively campaigned to prevent their Priests standing trial, or even being questioned by those investigating claims of 'Catholic Priest abuse of children' Have some perspective please.
Ask yourself and read a few articles about each case, ask yourself where the major media biases are, and why they might choose to protect their interests? Not to mention the low profile stories concerning most of the victims of these leaked cables and war logs, those who actually suffered due to the criminal actions and law breaking by our supposed heroes and soldiers, their stories are not plastered all over the headlines in many media outlets, instead we have the high profile 'whimsy' of what read like celebrity gossip magazine 'news clippings', reaffirming my paranoid contention that 'hello' magazine is a CIA front and Simon Cowell is a sextuple agent working for twenty or more companies and acting as a major bridge between CIA-MI5-Mossad operations.
Considering the gravity of the situation in 2010 concerning the Pope and his Catholic Priesthood and their documented 'repetitive' sex offences--child molestation and rape of young boys--we might consider the flimsy allegations currently floating about Julian Assange like a CIA fog seeping into the world media. Can you balance the statements recorded by some Catholic Priests and the Pope himself concerning the use of condoms with the broken condom allegation and 'smear' campaign, I think, being waged against Julian. Have some perspective here, why oh why are we not pursuing these child rapists, hunting them down and trying them for their physical and total crimes against an underage, vulnerable and innocent human being?
I don't wish to get into a Ping-Pong game of back and forth here, trying to compare one criminal case with another as I think that each case should be tried separately and have its own chance to represent the facts. But as a recent Wikileak has shown, the highest authorities within the Vatican actively campaigned to prevent their Priests standing trial, or even being questioned by those investigating claims of 'Catholic Priest abuse of children' Have some perspective please.
Ask yourself and read a few articles about each case, ask yourself where the major media biases are, and why they might choose to protect their interests? Not to mention the low profile stories concerning most of the victims of these leaked cables and war logs, those who actually suffered due to the criminal actions and law breaking by our supposed heroes and soldiers, their stories are not plastered all over the headlines in many media outlets, instead we have the high profile 'whimsy' of what read like celebrity gossip magazine 'news clippings', reaffirming my paranoid contention that 'hello' magazine is a CIA front and Simon Cowell is a sextuple agent working for twenty or more companies and acting as a major bridge between CIA-MI5-Mossad operations.
Joking aside, my decentralized points point here, to the orbiting contention that RAW created the master conspiracy theory, the greatest grandest and 'truest' or 'most probable' conspiracy of all: the conspiracy of the stupid. That those people in power are so dumb and thick that they just don’t know what they're doing, walking blind in a land of thieves and imitators, unaware of the damage and suffering and pain they are inflicting due to their orders, due to their upholding of the strictest laws, the trade embargos and the general warfare on sanity and blockage to the co-operative 'open source' hyper intelligent methodology of our main example: Wikileaks.
I have always liked the connotations to the term 'conspiracy' that imply connection, and in a somewhat Burroughsian fashion, and by extended metaphor we can imagine 'conspiracy' as a virus, a 'language' virus that consumes as it connects, a language 'virus' that assimilates everything and anything in its path, a hyper intelligent 'language' agent. Conspiracy theory seems to me to be unfairly associated with mighty global events and historical events between powerful people, when in effect the 'force' of conspiracy must also have an equal and opposite 'prospiracy' component. Wikileaks has made this apparent and explicit in its all-around-the-world total communication and distribution of 'once secret' documents, reversing the private and secret network upon which so much 'power' hinges, in these times, I think.
The speed at which people receive their feedback based upon the actions and orders they give has sped up to an almost instantaneous momentum, to a world where reports about reports are released before the original 'report' can come out, whatever the original 'report' is. I find it interesting that the mainstream press has always obtained its scoops and dirty-secrets through conventional, tired and tested methods probably passed on by the spy-craft, that include simple payment or blackmail and if necessary a little physical threat of violence.
In contrast to this 'trading in secrets' that goes on behind the scenes of every corporate controlled 'secret cabal' and 'intelligence agency' we have Wikileaks, a decentralized 'process' committed to sharing information, and running based upon donations and voluntary contributions.
I have always liked the connotations to the term 'conspiracy' that imply connection, and in a somewhat Burroughsian fashion, and by extended metaphor we can imagine 'conspiracy' as a virus, a 'language' virus that consumes as it connects, a language 'virus' that assimilates everything and anything in its path, a hyper intelligent 'language' agent. Conspiracy theory seems to me to be unfairly associated with mighty global events and historical events between powerful people, when in effect the 'force' of conspiracy must also have an equal and opposite 'prospiracy' component. Wikileaks has made this apparent and explicit in its all-around-the-world total communication and distribution of 'once secret' documents, reversing the private and secret network upon which so much 'power' hinges, in these times, I think.
The speed at which people receive their feedback based upon the actions and orders they give has sped up to an almost instantaneous momentum, to a world where reports about reports are released before the original 'report' can come out, whatever the original 'report' is. I find it interesting that the mainstream press has always obtained its scoops and dirty-secrets through conventional, tired and tested methods probably passed on by the spy-craft, that include simple payment or blackmail and if necessary a little physical threat of violence.
In contrast to this 'trading in secrets' that goes on behind the scenes of every corporate controlled 'secret cabal' and 'intelligence agency' we have Wikileaks, a decentralized 'process' committed to sharing information, and running based upon donations and voluntary contributions.
Steven 'fly agaric 23' Pratt. Amsterdam, December 22. Greenhouse Effect. 7-8 P.M.
Fly On The Tale Of The Tribe: A Rollercoaster Ride With Robert Anton Wilson
by Steven James Pratt
Link: http://a.co/gOGNKyV
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