Robert Anton Wilson - Maybe Logic

[adam7117]

During a recent adventure in the wilder-ness and urban-ness of New Zealand, I found an interesting little book by Robert Anton Wilson, Prometheus Rising. It's a humourously peculiar piece of work and I'm looking forward to delving into it, right after finishing Myth of Sanity.

Well, actually, I found another one, too - The Psychology of Man's Possible Evolution by P.D. Ouspensky. This one might need to get finished first as it is a bit of an emergency read. It's a little collection of five summary lectures which I really need to grok - particularly, the three simultaneous lines of Work. But it's probably better to ask about this in a different thread on the forum

Upon return home, I noticed another book of his on my bookshelf, Cosmic Trigger: Final Secret of the Illuminati (as well as the related Valis by Philip K. Dick). The memories cascaded and suddenly I remembered really being into this guy a number of years ago but never quite managing to completely read the books. The "time" was not right.

Google Video actually has a number of movies featuring Wilson and his philosophy and I have started to look at these. They "may be" relevant. Particularly, Robert Anton Wilson - Maybe Logic which contains a summary of his best video quotes.

I'm curious what others think about this guy. His stories seem to be very tuned in and profound. The "tunnel vision", "tuning in", "maybe logic" - these concepts feel very attractive and his views on anger and optimism in the face of oppression - soothing.

Yes, there are some strange aspects - for example, the Crowley magic experiments and channelling of an extraterrestrial from Sirius. However, Wilson seems to get it towards the end of his life and expresses views similar to Keel. I.e., all unusual experiences - be it channelling, contact with extraterrestrials, magic etc are all expressions of the same undercurrent and are merely translated into the "tunnel vision" of the particular individual undergoing the experiences.

Anywhoo, any sort of discussion would be much appreciated.

 

[anart]

Yes, there are some strange aspects - for example, the Crowley magic experiments and channelling of an extraterrestrial from Sirius. However, Wilson seems to get it towards the end of his life and expresses views similar to Keel. I.e., all unusual experiences - be it channelling, contact with extraterrestrials, magic etc are all expressions of the same undercurrent and are merely translated into the "tunnel vision" of the particular individual undergoing the experiences.

Anywhoo, any sort of discussion would be much appreciated.

I think you might find the thread on Graham Hancock quite illuminating - especially relating to how such experiences/practices color what one experiences and how one is influenced, and why it actually makes all the difference in the world. In short, it's not a matter of the 'same undercurrent' in any way, shape, or form - but read the thread for a fuller understanding.

 

[StrangeCaptain]

I read some of Wilson's fiction as a teenager. In the Illuminatus Trilogy, the theme turns out that the "bad guys" are ultra-terrestrial beings trying to foment situations in which mass death occurs to feed on the energies created by human death. There is a complex web of societies and organizations who all think the conspiracy is to rule the world by this or that ideology when really they are all forwarding this other purpose of the ultra-terrestrials. It was interesting that he thought of ultra-terrestrial beings who fed on the energies created by human suffering and that the true conspiracy is so vastly complex that one might not be serving the master one suspects, but the noise factor is ridiculously high in his books. Some of the "good guys" were basically amoral, sex magic practicioners. We do seek conscience on the ascending path it is just that it is a bit more subtle than listing rules in a book. Anyway... Wilson might be entertaining from time to time, but I can not recommend him.

As for Ouspensky, you might want to read "Struggle of the Magicians" (if you have not already) by Peterson first to get a good context of where Ouspensky was coming from.