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Anarchist Ephemera
When Peter Lamborn Wilson sent us the pile of paper that eventually became this book (and the Spiritual series) we could not have been more delighted. Peter has been a writing machine for decades and it would be easy to miss out on the kind of writing that he likes best. Punchy, idiosyncratic manifestos (of a sort). This collection of Peter's Anarchist Ephemera is filled with heart and astute observations.
"All plans for "saving the world" ultimately rest on the assumption that humanity must undergo a change of heart. The paradox here is that if this change were to occur, no plans would be needed to bring about a "different world." The change of heart, the different consciousness, would be in itself the very shift in direction, the Reversion to human and spiritual values required for "salvation." Smash the machinic mind and there'd be no need to smash the actual machines."
"All plans for "saving the world" ultimately rest on the assumption that humanity must undergo a change of heart. The paradox here is that if this change were to occur, no plans would be needed to bring about a "different world." The change of heart, the different consciousness, would be in itself the very shift in direction, the Reversion to human and spiritual values required for "salvation." Smash the machinic mind and there'd be no need to smash the actual machines."
192 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2016
22 people want to read
About the author
Peter Lamborn Wilson
79 books92 followersPeter Lamborn Wilson also writes under the pseudonym Hakim Bey.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 14, 2018
I really like this book.
This is from someone who's read "Temporary Autonomous Zone" till he could almost quote some of it, along with lots of other works.
Now, I don't see why it doesn't deserve a 5 star review or at least a 4 star review.
This is part of a lifetime journey of an intellectual who's well known in the Anarchist community along with various left/alternative seekers. It's a collection of his writings, much of which you can find online, outlining his thoughts over the years.
And, yes, he changes over times, facing mistakes and disillusionment of the past.
Uh, he's an "Anarchist"...
Did we expect this to be merely another wonderful product to sell, that only confirms not contradicts the TAZ perfect thought that only people in the 'right way of thinking' on our side see as genius and anyone who sees otherwise is an enemy? Don't want that. Want a hip, fashionable, 'socially acceptable radical' to make some grand utopian vision for humanity that we can rally around and wear prison slave labor foreign made bling and go to festivals and buy TAZ labelled Coca Cola made from draining water from farms in India to show how hip and 'socially acceptable radical' we are...?
There was an earlier philosopher - jiddu krishnamurti - who said "Truth is a Pathless Land" to an army of followers who'd have set him up like Thulsa Doom from the 82 Conan movie. To seek something like Anarchy in the grandest sense - maximum individual freedom and determination by definition can not be achieved by some 'grand manifesto' - it would only create another government by another name and quickly fall into the same failings. For this to be achieved there must be some change at man's most fundamental level. For the record I don't think we can achieve a true "Anarchist Utopia" but the implanted desire for it and willingness to work for it would create something close.
I think the works of one man who has devoted his life to thinking on this are better than anyone's "Manifesto".
And, check out and read about the "TAZ" concept. It's no fantasy of Mr. Wilson. It's what he observed has and does and will happen. A brief "Return to the Garden". Pops up magically, then lasts a little while, then "State Smash" then is legendary and something pops up here and there later, repeat...
Oh, btw, as a warning if I inspire anyone here to look up this author - Check out Temporary Autonomous Zone as a start - you can find free online - then I'd suggest Immediatism... Some is even read on YouTube. You aren't stealing, he's made it clear it can be 'pirated' etc.
But the warning is - well this is why he gets so many "one Star" reviews - he's for 'alternatives' think the 50s Hygeine film "Boys Beware".
So the "Anarchist" has a "Non-socially acceptable deviation"... Ick, but do I have to hate everything that is different than 100% my path? I choose to chase ladies, adult ones, though some have made me wish I was a Queer but nope, straight dog, oh well... Well GOOD. You see if he was squeaky clean we'd have tons of t-shirts, commercialization, official groups for talking about 'the revolution, dood' but doing nothing dangerous or criminal... - "Babylon can make money off nearly anything" he's noted. If you read him and like his words you think about what he says, what he has observed - don't worry he won't try to turn you into a perv - his work is on freedom and man's freedom. BUT - you won't go around wearing T.A.Z. t-shirts printed in China, sophomoronically (sic, deliberate) quoting him to prove how 'smart' you are. Like Burroughs from years back "Homosexuality is the best cover for an agent" -his issues get him dismissed so the State doesn't try to Smash him since he's near-underground and keep the 'hipster' crowd from enshrining him for a few weeks than forgetting him for the next Babylon excreted 'hip, radical thing'...
This is from someone who's read "Temporary Autonomous Zone" till he could almost quote some of it, along with lots of other works.
Now, I don't see why it doesn't deserve a 5 star review or at least a 4 star review.
This is part of a lifetime journey of an intellectual who's well known in the Anarchist community along with various left/alternative seekers. It's a collection of his writings, much of which you can find online, outlining his thoughts over the years.
And, yes, he changes over times, facing mistakes and disillusionment of the past.
Uh, he's an "Anarchist"...
Did we expect this to be merely another wonderful product to sell, that only confirms not contradicts the TAZ perfect thought that only people in the 'right way of thinking' on our side see as genius and anyone who sees otherwise is an enemy? Don't want that. Want a hip, fashionable, 'socially acceptable radical' to make some grand utopian vision for humanity that we can rally around and wear prison slave labor foreign made bling and go to festivals and buy TAZ labelled Coca Cola made from draining water from farms in India to show how hip and 'socially acceptable radical' we are...?
There was an earlier philosopher - jiddu krishnamurti - who said "Truth is a Pathless Land" to an army of followers who'd have set him up like Thulsa Doom from the 82 Conan movie. To seek something like Anarchy in the grandest sense - maximum individual freedom and determination by definition can not be achieved by some 'grand manifesto' - it would only create another government by another name and quickly fall into the same failings. For this to be achieved there must be some change at man's most fundamental level. For the record I don't think we can achieve a true "Anarchist Utopia" but the implanted desire for it and willingness to work for it would create something close.
I think the works of one man who has devoted his life to thinking on this are better than anyone's "Manifesto".
And, check out and read about the "TAZ" concept. It's no fantasy of Mr. Wilson. It's what he observed has and does and will happen. A brief "Return to the Garden". Pops up magically, then lasts a little while, then "State Smash" then is legendary and something pops up here and there later, repeat...
Oh, btw, as a warning if I inspire anyone here to look up this author - Check out Temporary Autonomous Zone as a start - you can find free online - then I'd suggest Immediatism... Some is even read on YouTube. You aren't stealing, he's made it clear it can be 'pirated' etc.
But the warning is - well this is why he gets so many "one Star" reviews - he's for 'alternatives' think the 50s Hygeine film "Boys Beware".
So the "Anarchist" has a "Non-socially acceptable deviation"... Ick, but do I have to hate everything that is different than 100% my path? I choose to chase ladies, adult ones, though some have made me wish I was a Queer but nope, straight dog, oh well... Well GOOD. You see if he was squeaky clean we'd have tons of t-shirts, commercialization, official groups for talking about 'the revolution, dood' but doing nothing dangerous or criminal... - "Babylon can make money off nearly anything" he's noted. If you read him and like his words you think about what he says, what he has observed - don't worry he won't try to turn you into a perv - his work is on freedom and man's freedom. BUT - you won't go around wearing T.A.Z. t-shirts printed in China, sophomoronically (sic, deliberate) quoting him to prove how 'smart' you are. Like Burroughs from years back "Homosexuality is the best cover for an agent" -his issues get him dismissed so the State doesn't try to Smash him since he's near-underground and keep the 'hipster' crowd from enshrining him for a few weeks than forgetting him for the next Babylon excreted 'hip, radical thing'...
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August 6, 2016It's clear to me why Wilson enjoyed some popularity with the OWS crowd. Even the poetry in this volume isn't terrible. For my own studies, the final chapter/essay, "Caliban's Masque: Spiritual Anarchy and the Wild Man in Colonial America" is a tremendous inspiration. There's also a lot of alternative history/reality stuff in here that serves as the kind of poetic-mythical motivation a new culture desperately needs.
April 9, 2017
Low quality writing from a beginner who does not have a clear "what to write about" and "why write about". So each paragraph is disjointed, almost as if belonging from a different text.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews