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Zenarchy
Zenarchy is a way of Zen applied to social life. A non-combative, non-participatory, no-politics approach to anarchy intended to get the serious student thinking. - Zenarchy was first self-published by Kerry Thornley, under the pen name Ho Chi Zen, as a series of one-page (or broadsheet) newsletters in the 1960s. This book is a selection of that material was reedited and expanded by Kerry Thornley. A must have for any discordian!
128 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1991
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About the author
Kerry W. Thornley
7 books13 followersKerry Wendell Thornley, wrote under numerous pen names, including 'Omar Khayyam Ravenhurst' and 'Lord Omar'
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 21, 2018
A deeply 60s blend of hippie anarchism and beat zen. Huge swerves back and forth between what would today qualify as left and right wing. One paragraph is pushing for communism, the next for libertarian voluntaryism, then topping it with a koan. It doesn't sound like it makes sense, but it's more than the sum of its parts.
No longer need the Anarchist dream of a utopian millennium as he struggles to outwit the State - for he can find freedom in the contest, by simply knowing that freedom is everywhere for those who dance through life, rather than crawl, walk, or run.
Much of Zenarchy is framing the constraints of society as an elaborate mental game, and pushes Zenarchic thought as the "countergame". Rather than addressing the political causes of the problems, Zenarchy's looking at the effects on the individual and the subsequent coloring of their perceptions. Adjust the effects, change the perceptions, and those constraints can't constrain you anymore. The chains can only hold you if you consider the flesh "you".
Ho Chi Zen wrote an article for the Bird called "Mind Fucking Zen". Briefly, it argued that the essential element of Zen tactics is surprise. For surprise is nature's way of saying, "You're wrong! Think again!" Sanctified by aeons of evolution, this survival trait, the capacity for surprise, could be used by revolutionists to change minds.
Tactics is tactics. Zen is nature. Nature's surprises tend to be more punishing and more permanent, so Zen's are the ones to trend toward.
Jay Gould, the monopoly capitalist, once boasted that he could cure unemployment by hiring one half of the jobless to kill the other half.
What's really staggering is how many people you know who think that's a critique of capitalism.
Once I was driving through Atlanta with my Hindu friend, Suresh, an exchange student from India. Upon noting that the largest adult book center in town was located right next door to the Baptist book store, also the largest of its kind, he commented, "Why not? They keep each other in business!"
That's countergame, babe.
Sociality comes as easily to the unconditioned mind as reason or sex.
I liked this one because it's evolutionarily solid. We're compelled to associate. Introversion is a learned response.
Validation: A Stoned Sermon
Cultures that validate their elders possess wise old people; cultures that invalidate them have senile old ones.
Cultures that validate sexuality enjoy clean, healthy and beautiful erotic play; societies that invalidate it have dirty, exploitative commercial smut.
Societies that validate women possess strong, serene and intelligent females; societies that invalidate them suffer dumb broads and bitches.
Societies that validate children possess cheerful, wise and responsible youth; societies that invalidate them end up with delinquents and brats.
A culture that validates its ethnic minorities boasts of rich pockets of exotic cultural variety; a society that invalidates them is divided between drab suburbs on one hand and filthy ghettos on the other.
Validation is not automatic agreement with someone you think is wrong. All forms of flattery are deceptive and, hence, invalidating.
Validation is treating someone with a respect that assumes that if they are given enough information, they'll use it with their minds.
That's the whole damn game, boys and girls. Nothing more to it than that. People act how you treat them. I watched my high school turn into a prison, and the countermeasures were preemptive. They treated us like criminals, so that's what we showed them.
Zenarchist Coffee Drinking Ceremony
One of the few formalities of Zenarchy, the Coffee Drinking Ceremony must be observed in strict conformity with the following procedure:
Roll five joints of high quality marijuana and prepare one large pot of very strong coffee. Place these items in the center of a kitchen table together with a book of matches. Next, place on the table two large earthenware mugs and one simple but attractive ashtray.
Now sit at the table with someone you love very much and spend the hours from late night until sunrise in animating conversation.
Inwardly observe the discipline of always keeping in mind a heartache during intervals of the discussion that are light and full of laughter. When you chat of sorrowful things keep in mind something beautiful, funny and hopeful.
Christ, what more is there?
I loved Zenarchy because it's my favorite of both without the worst parts of each. Like peanut butter and jelly, but filling and it doesn't stick to your fingers. Anarchists become dogmatic almost immediately, and they never fucking shower. Zen is full of anxiety-ameliorating wisdom that borders on magic, but is likewise held in bondage by arbitrary ancient rules, still acknowledged only because of their age. Exactly the sort of shit Zen was invented to remove from Buddhism.
Zenarchy rolls in with Tomas Kalnoky's thunderous "Fuck it, thank you, I love you all!" and endorses this counterculture blend of mindfulness, prosociality, and existentialism with just enough acidhead Satanism to keep things interesting.
No longer need the Anarchist dream of a utopian millennium as he struggles to outwit the State - for he can find freedom in the contest, by simply knowing that freedom is everywhere for those who dance through life, rather than crawl, walk, or run.
Much of Zenarchy is framing the constraints of society as an elaborate mental game, and pushes Zenarchic thought as the "countergame". Rather than addressing the political causes of the problems, Zenarchy's looking at the effects on the individual and the subsequent coloring of their perceptions. Adjust the effects, change the perceptions, and those constraints can't constrain you anymore. The chains can only hold you if you consider the flesh "you".
Ho Chi Zen wrote an article for the Bird called "Mind Fucking Zen". Briefly, it argued that the essential element of Zen tactics is surprise. For surprise is nature's way of saying, "You're wrong! Think again!" Sanctified by aeons of evolution, this survival trait, the capacity for surprise, could be used by revolutionists to change minds.
Tactics is tactics. Zen is nature. Nature's surprises tend to be more punishing and more permanent, so Zen's are the ones to trend toward.
Jay Gould, the monopoly capitalist, once boasted that he could cure unemployment by hiring one half of the jobless to kill the other half.
What's really staggering is how many people you know who think that's a critique of capitalism.
Once I was driving through Atlanta with my Hindu friend, Suresh, an exchange student from India. Upon noting that the largest adult book center in town was located right next door to the Baptist book store, also the largest of its kind, he commented, "Why not? They keep each other in business!"
That's countergame, babe.
Sociality comes as easily to the unconditioned mind as reason or sex.
I liked this one because it's evolutionarily solid. We're compelled to associate. Introversion is a learned response.
Validation: A Stoned Sermon
Cultures that validate their elders possess wise old people; cultures that invalidate them have senile old ones.
Cultures that validate sexuality enjoy clean, healthy and beautiful erotic play; societies that invalidate it have dirty, exploitative commercial smut.
Societies that validate women possess strong, serene and intelligent females; societies that invalidate them suffer dumb broads and bitches.
Societies that validate children possess cheerful, wise and responsible youth; societies that invalidate them end up with delinquents and brats.
A culture that validates its ethnic minorities boasts of rich pockets of exotic cultural variety; a society that invalidates them is divided between drab suburbs on one hand and filthy ghettos on the other.
Validation is not automatic agreement with someone you think is wrong. All forms of flattery are deceptive and, hence, invalidating.
Validation is treating someone with a respect that assumes that if they are given enough information, they'll use it with their minds.
That's the whole damn game, boys and girls. Nothing more to it than that. People act how you treat them. I watched my high school turn into a prison, and the countermeasures were preemptive. They treated us like criminals, so that's what we showed them.
Zenarchist Coffee Drinking Ceremony
One of the few formalities of Zenarchy, the Coffee Drinking Ceremony must be observed in strict conformity with the following procedure:
Roll five joints of high quality marijuana and prepare one large pot of very strong coffee. Place these items in the center of a kitchen table together with a book of matches. Next, place on the table two large earthenware mugs and one simple but attractive ashtray.
Now sit at the table with someone you love very much and spend the hours from late night until sunrise in animating conversation.
Inwardly observe the discipline of always keeping in mind a heartache during intervals of the discussion that are light and full of laughter. When you chat of sorrowful things keep in mind something beautiful, funny and hopeful.
Christ, what more is there?
I loved Zenarchy because it's my favorite of both without the worst parts of each. Like peanut butter and jelly, but filling and it doesn't stick to your fingers. Anarchists become dogmatic almost immediately, and they never fucking shower. Zen is full of anxiety-ameliorating wisdom that borders on magic, but is likewise held in bondage by arbitrary ancient rules, still acknowledged only because of their age. Exactly the sort of shit Zen was invented to remove from Buddhism.
Zenarchy rolls in with Tomas Kalnoky's thunderous "Fuck it, thank you, I love you all!" and endorses this counterculture blend of mindfulness, prosociality, and existentialism with just enough acidhead Satanism to keep things interesting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2021
Of course I loved it.
March 16, 2016
This was a fun little book with many sparkling gems of wisdom. Thornley lost me a bit, especially toward the end, but I enjoyed it none the less. Once again, I am left thinking that I was born in the wrong era-- I would have made an excellent crack pot.
One of my favorite quotes from "Zenarchy:" People like them had been in existence in California at least since the early Forties. Gary Snyder insists in his writings that their tradition goes back in West Coast history past the turn of the century. I recall seeing them when I was a child — my nose pressed against the car window as we drove through the environs of Hollywood. In those days, they were generally gathered around the entrances of the local health food stores.
I asked my mother what they were and she said they were crackpots; I determined then and there that when I grew up I was going to be a crackpot.
One of my favorite quotes from "Zenarchy:" People like them had been in existence in California at least since the early Forties. Gary Snyder insists in his writings that their tradition goes back in West Coast history past the turn of the century. I recall seeing them when I was a child — my nose pressed against the car window as we drove through the environs of Hollywood. In those days, they were generally gathered around the entrances of the local health food stores.
I asked my mother what they were and she said they were crackpots; I determined then and there that when I grew up I was going to be a crackpot.
June 6, 2016
I would have raced through this one much faster if I hadn't misplaced it in the middle of reading. A triumph by Kerry Thornley, combining political activism with spiritual practice in an irresistable Zen/Discordian format.
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December 31, 2012I do not know! I do not know!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews