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Robert Anton Wilson: Beyond Conspiracy Theory
"The world is not a word"
Join Robert Anton Wilson and V. Vale as they discuss Wilson's ideas and experiences as a writer, eclectic philosopher, and noted conspiracy expert. In this recently rediscovered (and previously unpublished) interview from 1985, Wilson shares his thoughts on his favorite authors (such as William S. Burroughs and Philip K. Dick), critiques occultist Aleister Crowley, advocates for agnosticism about all ideas, and humorously illuminates how to upgrade your "brain software".
Speaking to us from 1985, Robert Anton Wilson seems to be directly addressing our present world. Included is a list of fifty books recommended from his library, letters, a list of lecture topics, and more.
Lushly illustrated with Yoshi Yubai's street photography.
Join Robert Anton Wilson and V. Vale as they discuss Wilson's ideas and experiences as a writer, eclectic philosopher, and noted conspiracy expert. In this recently rediscovered (and previously unpublished) interview from 1985, Wilson shares his thoughts on his favorite authors (such as William S. Burroughs and Philip K. Dick), critiques occultist Aleister Crowley, advocates for agnosticism about all ideas, and humorously illuminates how to upgrade your "brain software".
Speaking to us from 1985, Robert Anton Wilson seems to be directly addressing our present world. Included is a list of fifty books recommended from his library, letters, a list of lecture topics, and more.
Lushly illustrated with Yoshi Yubai's street photography.
- GenresPhilosophy
144 pages, Paperback
Published May 15, 2019
1 person is currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
V. Vale
46 books119 followersJapanese-American writer and publisher. He also played keyboards for the later famous power trio Blue Cheer.
In 1977 he started to publish the punk fanzine "Search and destroy" In 1980, he began publication of RE/Search, a tabloid format zine focusing on various counterculture and underground topics.
RE/Search later became always a format for books, of which Vale is a regular contributor.
In 1977 he started to publish the punk fanzine "Search and destroy" In 1980, he began publication of RE/Search, a tabloid format zine focusing on various counterculture and underground topics.
RE/Search later became always a format for books, of which Vale is a regular contributor.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 6, 2025
”It’s strictly impossible to predict the number of breakthroughs that are coming up, but you can say there will be more changes than ever before. Which means that the reactionaries are going to get shriller and more paranoid — they always do in times of change…Reactionaries are basically terrified of change, and they’re going to be getting more and more of it.
Robert Anton Wilson, 1985
”I see language as a means of human liberation, potentially — and the main mechanism of human slavery most of the time. It depends on how you use language.”
This short (less than 150 pages) book from RE/Search resurrects a 1985 V. Vale interview of Robert Anton Wilson from their archive. Originally, the plan had been to do a full sized volume on Wilson, similar to RE/Search #8/9 on J.G. Ballard, but for whatever reasons, that never came about.
The interview will delight, but probably not surprise RAW fans. It covers Wilson’s primary themes: Model Agnosticism as an operating system to interpret everything and replace the antiquated idea of belief, the rejection of either/or thinking and “is” statements, and of course, his investigation of conspiracy theories (here, primarily P2). He also discusses favorite authors who influence him — William Burroughs, Raymond Chandler, Philip K. Dick, Bertrand Russell, Nietzsche, Korzybski. He touches on Jung and Crowley as well. He discusses personal matters, such as why he had chosen to live in a small fishing village in Ireland, and the differences he observed between the Irish and Americans. It’s a breezy, fast moving interview that covers a lot of ground without going into much depth.
In addition to the interview, there are a couple of items that were also intended for the original, cancelled full volume. There is a list of 50 books from Wilson’s library, and a darkly hilarious International Conspiracy Trivia Quiz.
While this little book doesn’t break any new ground for RAW fans, it is a lot like finding a recording of a long lost favorite relative or friend and hearing their voice once more. It also is a reminder, in this Age of Trump, where conspiracy theories have moved from the lunatic fringe into the halls of power, that Wilson’s mischievous, kung fu approach to conspiracy theories and theorist would be valuable to cultivate.
Robert Anton Wilson, 1985
”I see language as a means of human liberation, potentially — and the main mechanism of human slavery most of the time. It depends on how you use language.”
This short (less than 150 pages) book from RE/Search resurrects a 1985 V. Vale interview of Robert Anton Wilson from their archive. Originally, the plan had been to do a full sized volume on Wilson, similar to RE/Search #8/9 on J.G. Ballard, but for whatever reasons, that never came about.
The interview will delight, but probably not surprise RAW fans. It covers Wilson’s primary themes: Model Agnosticism as an operating system to interpret everything and replace the antiquated idea of belief, the rejection of either/or thinking and “is” statements, and of course, his investigation of conspiracy theories (here, primarily P2). He also discusses favorite authors who influence him — William Burroughs, Raymond Chandler, Philip K. Dick, Bertrand Russell, Nietzsche, Korzybski. He touches on Jung and Crowley as well. He discusses personal matters, such as why he had chosen to live in a small fishing village in Ireland, and the differences he observed between the Irish and Americans. It’s a breezy, fast moving interview that covers a lot of ground without going into much depth.
In addition to the interview, there are a couple of items that were also intended for the original, cancelled full volume. There is a list of 50 books from Wilson’s library, and a darkly hilarious International Conspiracy Trivia Quiz.
While this little book doesn’t break any new ground for RAW fans, it is a lot like finding a recording of a long lost favorite relative or friend and hearing their voice once more. It also is a reminder, in this Age of Trump, where conspiracy theories have moved from the lunatic fringe into the halls of power, that Wilson’s mischievous, kung fu approach to conspiracy theories and theorist would be valuable to cultivate.
September 24, 2019
Quick read, was pretty interesting.
September 7, 2019
“A labyrinth -- that's Joyce's metaphor, too. Somebody could write a good Ph.D. dissertation on the metaphor of the labyrinth in James Joyce, Philip K. Dick, and Robert Anton Wilson. We all regard the universe as a maze that we're running around in and trying to figure out.”
A little bit before I found this quote, I found the following books at my local GoodWill:
J. Alexander McGillivray, Minotaur: Sir Arthur Evans and Archeology of the Minoan Myth
Nigel Pennick, Mazes and Labyrinths
Jodi Lorimer, Dancing at the Edge of Death: The Origins of the Labyrinth in the Paleolithic (signed by the author)
Helmut Jaskolski, The Labyrinth: Symbol of Fear, Rebirth, and Liberation (with handwritten marginalia referring to a "Philip Dick novel")
What is Cosmic Coincidance Control Center trying to say??
A little bit before I found this quote, I found the following books at my local GoodWill:
J. Alexander McGillivray, Minotaur: Sir Arthur Evans and Archeology of the Minoan Myth
Nigel Pennick, Mazes and Labyrinths
Jodi Lorimer, Dancing at the Edge of Death: The Origins of the Labyrinth in the Paleolithic (signed by the author)
Helmut Jaskolski, The Labyrinth: Symbol of Fear, Rebirth, and Liberation (with handwritten marginalia referring to a "Philip Dick novel")
What is Cosmic Coincidance Control Center trying to say??
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews