| |
|
*locks you up before you hurt someone* 
Now, what's going on? I don't pretend to know, if you mean "WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON?????"
If you mean, "why do I keep running into the same ideas everywhere I turn, almost like these ideas are chasing me, or someone is trying to make sure that I don't miss the message this time...???," there are plenty of reasons for that. One of the most important (in terms of maintaining some kind of equilibrium and perspective) is also the simplest: many many people have read many of the same books, and go on to write books of their own based on that same set of influences. Especially in the case of the Invisibles and/or Illuminatus!, et al: Morrison and Wilson have made a point of - quite deliberately - wearing their influences (and assorted diverse interests/obsessions) on their sleeves. Both of these writers' bodies of work, in addition to any merit of their own, act as signposts to their source material.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise when you find the same or similar ideas outlined elsewhere. The commonalities you will find between writers are just a sign that the ideas themselves have enough appeal to keep people reading about them. And, it just so happens, the ideas explored in the Invisibles, etc. went through a terrific upsurge in popularity in recent years, so that you couldn't spit a shoggoth without sliming another book/website detailing the meta-psycho-magickal barbe-realitoid shamanic tunnel-matrix, and how to get the Merovingian machine elves to show it to you.
The initial brain-bust when you first start to immerse yourself in this genre (he said, carefully avoiding danger words like 'current') can really be a kind of initiatory experience (speaking loosely), in that it can help one begin to question the world around one in ways one never has before.
The trick to it, though, is that there is a lot of shit out there for every pearl of "wisdom," and even that "wisdom" is likely to be thoroughly marbled with even more shit, because the authors that are setting off fireworks in our brains are as human as we are, and thus intrinsically fallible. The most valuable thing to do at this point (read: indefinitely) is not to make up your mind.
I'll repeat that:
Do not make up your mind.
For the time being, we'll say. Some of the stuff you were typing in the other thread sounded like you were trying really hard to make it all fit. It doesn't. At least not in any way that spewing it all out on an internet message board is going to make any clearer.
I would just suggest (and this isn't just for you) that you try to relax a bit - and look to your bullshit-o-meter. If you're feeling overloaded (and it certainly looks that way, forgive the presumption), it's probably time to start filtering some things out. Not as a way of getting closer to the "TRUTH," but just to give yourself a little thinking space.
As far as this board is concerned, it isn't really a place to soapbox about your revelations - there are other spots on the web for that. The Temple is specifically set up for discussion, which cryptic pronouncements of the type you've been making do not lend themselves to. And, believe me, there have been plenty of cryptic pronouncements made in the Temple, which should explain the reception you've gotten. On the one hand, it is a little reactionary, and can easily be mistaken for personal hostility (which, generally speaking, it isn't) - but on the other hand it should make you pause to think: the regulars on Barbelith, which is "supposed" to be the counterculture, as you put it - people who cut their first teeth on R.A.W., McKenna, Leary, Lily, PKD, and, uh, Morrison, and who are fairly familiar with the type of headspace you're exploring - are telling you to chill the fuck out. Seriously. That bears thinking about.
It's not about "suppressing thoughtcrime." It's not about the 'lith "not being able to face the TRUTH." It's about, like I said above, equilibrium and perspective. Organize your thoughts. Use the bullshit-o-meter liberally. Work on expressing yourself in a way that is open to discussion - knowing that others will be bringing some different ideas and perspectives to the table. Don't just bomb the board with everything you're thinking all at once, in a declarative mode. And, while I'm sure that you were upset and frustrated by some of the responses you've gotten, posting the same SHOUTING post four times in four minutes isn't necessary to make your point.
Anyway, what was I talking about? Has this been coherant at all?
Eh, I've got to get back to work.
Good luck.
~Lepidopteran |
|
|
