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Robert Anton Wilson May Die Broke and Homeless

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My Mom Thinks I'm Cool

18:54 / 03.10.06

anyone see the copy of this thread that just respawned back in the Temple? better intro post, this time.

Chiropteran

18:56 / 03.10.06

There's one in Books, too.

ghadis

18:59 / 03.10.06

Yes, and, please god, i hope no-one links to this one. I'd rather this thread just sunk away without trace as i'm feeling terrible about it. Oh well, you drink the tequila, you pay the price. I hope the other thread develops along the way that Pegs suggested. I may have a re-read of Prometheus Rising or Quantum Psycology and try and post something better.

20:51 / 03.10.06

Well, RAW may have a lot of detractors (and an equal large number of fawning followers), but you have to admit he does have an impressive body of work. I can't think of too many people who have written a large number of fictional books, non-fiction books, a screen play, a play, and so forth. As noted above, he's also influenced quite an impressive number of notable artists and writers... everyone from Philip K. Dick to Grant Morrison. So... I don't see him as some sort of god or anything, but the guy definetly gets my respect (Yeah, so he has some flaws... who doesn't?). My favorite work of his? I loved his play "Wilhelm Reich in Hell".

Whisky Priestess

21:36 / 03.10.06

Quantum, am I being thick (quite possible) or are you confusing/conflating RAW with Ray Bradbury?

see here

The Natural Way

11:04 / 04.10.06

I think he's confusing Heinlein and Bradbury, actually.

Mistoffelees

12:01 / 04.10.06

As noted above, he's also influenced quite an impressive number of notable artists and writers... everyone from Philip K. Dick to Grant Morrison.

Now, let´s not get too carried away with the praise, please. I believe with PKD it would be the other way round.

When RAW was first published in 1972 (Playboy's Book of Forbidden Words), PKD had already published ca. thirty novels since 1955. Among them were The Man in the High Castle (1963, winner of the Hugo award) and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968).

Just ten years after RAW was first published PKD died, and in that time I don´t see much of RAW´s influence in PKD´s work.

jamesPD

13:28 / 04.10.06

I'd imagine the RAW-PKD link comes from a quote which is often found on Wilson's books:

"Wilson managed to reverse every mental polarity in me, as if I had been pulled through infinity."

However, I've no idea what of RAW's material Dick is refering to, and I've not read enough of PKD's books to really comment.

(Incidently, concerning the original request for donations, Boing Boing has run a story saying that he has received enough money for next months rent, plus more: link)

jamesPD

10:28 / 06.10.06

Boing Boing have another posting regarding the appeal which apparently raised 68,000 USD in donations.

Mistoffelees

09:22 / 10.12.06

Jim Carrey does a movie about the infamous 23.

Will RAW get even one single dollar for this?

Our Lady Has Left the Building

09:53 / 10.12.06

Why should he? The twenty-three conspiracy theory is not his, it's Burroughs (or one of the Beats IIRC) if it's 'anyones'. It's like saying that RAW should get royalties for copies of Ulysses sold...

Mon Oncle Ignatius

19:30 / 11.01.07

"Robert Anton Wilson Defies Medical Experts and leaves his body @4:50 AM on
binary date 01/11."

So it seems RAW has gone.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

21:54 / 11.01.07

RAW and Yvonne de Carlo.

Spaniel

07:25 / 12.01.07

Well, I'm sad about this. The man was important to the teenage Boboss, and helped prod the world into shape for me.

lord nuneaton savage

07:59 / 12.01.07

Seconded. Like Colin Wilson, not someone I feel a burning urge to read again but very important while my fontanelle was hardening.

RIP.

Sniv

09:14 / 12.01.07

I'm sad about this. I read the Illuminatus! recently and enjoyed it very muchly and the man has earned my lifelong respect if nothing else than for making me chuckle. Repeatedly. For 900 pages.

Also I wish to add, in the spirit of RAW and his work - OMG!!1!^^ 11 has two 1's. 11 times two plus one is 23!! OMGZORS!!! RIP!!2269

ONLY NICE THINGS

09:32 / 12.01.07

Calgodot? Your witness...

Haus of Mystery

09:46 / 12.01.07

Yup. I'm sorry to hear of his passing. Ripe old age, impressive innings etc...but definitely sad to hear of.

Could this perhaps remain snark free for a bit?

ONLY NICE THINGS

10:47 / 12.01.07

Well, on the plus side, nobody has asked ghadis to pay out...

Obviously rather a shame. Rereading this thread, though, I'm mainly stuck on poor Paranoidwriter's email. God. I wish we could have helped him.

Char Aina

12:23 / 12.01.07

you may find yourself destitute with some ignorant fucker laughing about it on t'internet.

maybe if i'd read more of his books i'd find that less funny. it is also possible that 'read' and 'his books' are interchangable with 'slept' and 'more hours'.

but i mean.
if i was lying dying and destitute i hope my priorities would be such that some ignorant fucker[...]on t'internet's opinion on my chosen mode of fundraising would be the last of my concerns.

Our Lady Has Left the Building

12:33 / 12.01.07

Still, it's nice that only five days previously he'd been writing things like 'Please pardon my levity, I don't see how to take death seriously. It seems absurd.'

I'm just wondering if Hannibal Rising is really the last book he would have chosen to read before the end?

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

12:34 / 12.01.07

No, it is sad, as I read and enjoyed the majority of his work when I was younger, and it pointed me in the direction of a lot of the stuff I like today, for which I'm grateful.

Still think toksik and ghadis' points stand, though.

ONLY NICE THINGS

13:04 / 12.01.07

Well. Can we agree that it's sad when anyone who did not actively want to die and who has not been personally responsible for the death and/or horrible suffering of a hundred or more people dies? That gives us an out for Pinochet, Saddam Hussein and Thatcher, should we wish to take it. Having said which, I'm glad that he died at a ripe old age, having lived an eventful life, having apparently had quite a lot of fun and done lots of things which he liked (drugs, ladies). Thoughts with his family, who will at least have the spare cash from the appeal, which succeeded beyond expectations, and the support of his friends to get through this difficult time.

Less searchable M0rd4nt

14:19 / 12.01.07

Is it can be hugs tiem now?

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

00:55 / 13.01.07

I can has cookie for RAW.

Char Aina

02:12 / 13.01.07

oooh cookie! i likes it RAW!
oooooh, cookie! i likes it RAAAAAAAAW....

penitentvandal

19:15 / 13.01.07

This is actually quite sad. I feel like crying.

Reading RAW was a massive inspiration to me when I first started studying teh madjyyykks. I still re-read Illuminatus! every couple of years and, even though as I get older I find myself wanting to say 'No, BOLLOCKS!' to just about every character including the dolphins, I still love the manic energy of it and the way it reads like two grown-up, highly intellectual guys writing the kind of book you want to write when you're seven ('And then the COWBOYS come out of the SPACESHIPS and punch HITLER!').

You know, somehow, I always thought I'd meet him someday.

RIP, RAW.

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