WARNING: I probably should have tried to organize this letter better, but I wanted to present it at it's most pure.
Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary. ~Albert Einstein
Yes my friends the 21st Century is upon us. Hill and Thornley have brought us this far. The conformism and commercialism of the fifties has morphed into an almost impenetrable beast. It whores it it's false identities - pathetic, conformist selfishness – with far deadlier effect then the prevailing sense of community if offered in Hill and Thornley's time.
The Christian faith is on a crossroads, threatening to tear itself into two entities, especially in the south were the End Time Rapture Movement has positioned itself with organization and power, challenging the liberalizing movement in Chrisitianity. Religiosity is on the rise and in all likelyhood devide faith into those with medieval-like certainty and those without.
So what will disordianism morph into as the 21st Century moves on forward? What will the movement inspired by Hill and Thornley's little book become? Perhaps something that resembles these three principles.
1)Imitate
Our wretched species is so made that those who walk on the well-trodden path always throw stones at those who are showing a new road. ~Voltaire
I guess you could go all balls out, write fnord on your money, chant in a tree, or act like a complete jackass in public - but all your going to get is laughed at, as is evident from current forum events. If you want to put a clog in the gears of anything that is ant-freedom you have to get yourself into a situation were you could do some damage, and then fade away into the shadows, so you could cause asshattery again and again... There is something to be said in secrecy as evident with some of Roger's rants.
2) Initiate
This is were the real trick is. Find your target, know your purpose and initiate. Depending on the difficulty of the jake there may require more organization with other discordianists, or other sympathizers. Remember love may bring us together, but it is hate that keeps us together.
With the Internet we have a stepping stone that could be used for greater purpose. But we most not forget the tangibility of something you could hold in our hand, see with our own eyes, feel with your own touch
Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
We all know the old debate. Is Discordianism a religion, is it a parody, is it a joke. Well I think if there's an answer which is more complicated then that. It has something to do with life, and being able to see life and humanity in the dark crevices and the alleyways of the strange, which most people are too afraid to look. To travel down the path of the doomed (to use a Hunter Thompson term) with freedom and chaos in our imagination.
The world needs the wind of freedom more then ever. Here in the west people fear to look into the shadows, the lightly darkened mirror... into the barrooms of the lost. There is comfort in their constructed idenities, and with bliss one is able to maintain this level of comfort.
To me this is what Hill and Thornley were challenging. What they would want us to continue to challenge.
3)Intimidate
He who fears something gives it power over him. ~Moorish Proverb
Simple enough. Make them fear us. Make people go out of their dainty little minds trying to understand us. Attack what is cherished ; Family Values, Ignorant Spirituality, Childish Security, Culture, Apple Pie.
Destroying the Machine headon is like trying to kill a dragon with a wet noodle - next to impossible. Small targets... small strikes... withdrawals... guerrilla warfare it its more pure.
As the 21st Century grinds its way forward our prize has never been more juicy, our targets never more complex, and as discordianism slowly fades into a history (just a book full of hippie bullshit and beatnik sensitivities) with stealth, hate and beauty we can try to imitate, initiate, and intimidate the rising tide of ignorance and stolen identities.
The Discordians . . . are more anarchist than the anarchists, whom they find too bureaucratic. Robert Anton Wilson
Yours, Truely
Dan
I like this.
Point 3) intimidate. - they already fear us i think, its the motivation for them to ignore us. IMO we need to make it impossible for them to ignore the affect we have on the machine, on their lives.
:oops:
I should point out I invented quote number three :oops:
More comment after some more thought.
Well said, Thurnez. Although along with the stranglehold commercialism has on the majority of the world today comes the faux-counterculture shit they spew to try and tie up their loose ends(First it was 'What can we do to get the hippie's money?' Then, 'What can we do to get the punk-rockers to empty their wallets?' And on and on.) The point you make about imitating, being laughed at for fnording bills, etc is a valid one, but you fail to mention that it's the discordians who are laughing, because we know that these actions, which probably worked wonders in Hill and Thornley's day, are now just as much part of The Machine
TM as varsity jackets were in those days.
This makes your initiation point a bit more concise.
Quote from: Thurnez Isa on March 31, 2007, 08:46:28 PMFind your target, know your purpose and initiate.
wierd, I have been gone too long. I used to think and write like that.
You wouldn't by chance be 16?
The problem is I would love to be able to say that this thinking is immature, and diluted. But I have no idea how diluted my own thinking is. I work at the heart of this capitalist beast (btw I am and always have been a firm capitalist (however not quite the way it is)) I need it to eat, have shelter, and communication.
My signature is "non servian" witch means I will not serve. some may say this s a contradiction the way I live my life. My rule is as long as I get more then I feel they are taking from me I am only really serving myself.
My only better idea right now involves a small army.
I like the letter so much I'm going to steal it.
Quote from: Penumbral on April 01, 2007, 07:44:40 AM
wierd, I have been gone too long. I used to think and write like that.
You wouldn't by chance be 16?
The problem is I would love to be able to say that this thinking is immature, and diluted. But I have no idea how diluted my own thinking is. I work at the heart of this capitalist beast (btw I am and always have been a firm capitalist (however not quite the way it is)) I need it to eat, have shelter, and communication.
My signature is "non servian" witch means I will not serve. some may say this s a contradiction the way I live my life. My rule is as long as I get more then I feel they are taking from me I am only really serving myself.
My only better idea right now involves a small army.
no 26
just to point out im nether pro or anti capitalism
and of course there are many forms of capitalism
Im pretty interested though in the effects of cosumerism and comercialization
Quote from: Penumbral on April 01, 2007, 07:44:40 AM
The problem is I would love to be able to say that this thinking is immature, and diluted.
Repent.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on April 01, 2007, 08:25:03 PM
Quote from: Penumbral on April 01, 2007, 07:44:40 AM
The problem is I would love to be able to say that this thinking is immature, and diluted.
Repent.
Misunderstood. I ment "beacuse I see so much of myself at a yonger age in that writting i would like to belive Im smarter now"
its not that I just want to hack at others posts.
Quote from: Penumbral on April 02, 2007, 02:17:52 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on April 01, 2007, 08:25:03 PM
Quote from: Penumbral on April 01, 2007, 07:44:40 AM
The problem is I would love to be able to say that this thinking is immature, and diluted.
Repent.
Misunderstood. I ment "beacuse I see so much of myself at a yonger age in that writting i would like to belive Im smarter now"
its not that I just want to hack at others posts.
Smarter than what?
Quote from: Lysergic on April 01, 2007, 08:10:15 AM
I like the letter so much I'm going to steal it.
Um, you DO know exactly how useful will be outside of the Discordian community, right?
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger
Smarter than what?
I was.
more learned in the ways of the world, but as this made me think about it i doubt that.
end of clarification.
Quote from: Penumbral on April 02, 2007, 03:51:58 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger
Smarter than what?
I was.
more learned in the ways of the world, but as this made me think about it i doubt that.
end of clarification.
Okay.
I've been doing this for about 30 years, give or take, and I'm still dumb as fuck.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on April 02, 2007, 03:47:26 AM
Quote from: Lysergic on April 01, 2007, 08:10:15 AM
I like the letter so much I'm going to steal it.
Um, you DO know exactly how useful will be outside of the Discordian community, right?
There will be a meeting of discordians and the ike from around my area soon on the 23rd of april to see what us asshats here are like, and I figured this might be a good letter to see.
Hopefully it'll inspire them to form some sort of loose cabel of death and destruction and make us want to work in group unison to burn down parliament or something stupid.
I do have one tiny sniggling complaint about this that can be safely igonored, you should have made it 5 things instead of 3, cus you know, fnord and shit.
Quote from: Lysergic on April 02, 2007, 04:16:47 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on April 02, 2007, 03:47:26 AM
Quote from: Lysergic on April 01, 2007, 08:10:15 AM
I like the letter so much I'm going to steal it.
Um, you DO know exactly how useful will be outside of the Discordian community, right?
There will be a meeting of discordians and the ike from around my area soon on the 23rd of april to see what us asshats here are like, and I figured this might be a good letter to see.
Hopefully it'll inspire them to form some sort of loose cabel of death and destruction and make us want to work in group unison to burn down parliament or something stupid.
We'll remember you. For about 10 minutes.
UP THE STRUGGLE! DISCORDIA RULES OKAY!
...
Now, who's deal is it?
Quote from: Lysergic on April 02, 2007, 04:19:04 AM
I do have one tiny sniggling complaint about this that can be safely igonored, you should have made it 5 things instead of 3, cus you know, fnord and shit.
:|
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on April 02, 2007, 04:23:55 AM
Quote from: Lysergic on April 02, 2007, 04:16:47 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on April 02, 2007, 03:47:26 AM
Quote from: Lysergic on April 01, 2007, 08:10:15 AM
I like the letter so much I'm going to steal it.
Um, you DO know exactly how useful will be outside of the Discordian community, right?
There will be a meeting of discordians and the ike from around my area soon on the 23rd of april to see what us asshats here are like, and I figured this might be a good letter to see.
Hopefully it'll inspire them to form some sort of loose cabel of death and destruction and make us want to work in group unison to burn down parliament or something stupid.
We'll remember you. For about 10 minutes.
UP THE STRUGGLE! DISCORDIA RULES OKAY!
...
Now, who's deal is it?
Thanks, it's nice to know I'll be remembered. Maybe you guys can make me some sort of shrine at burning man and have it burnt down?
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on April 02, 2007, 04:24:15 AM
Quote from: Lysergic on April 02, 2007, 04:19:04 AM
I do have one tiny sniggling complaint about this that can be safely igonored, you should have made it 5 things instead of 3, cus you know, fnord and shit.
:|
Dude, fucking joking, fuuuuck, you honestly don't think I'm *that* stupid now do you?
(Maybe that's a stupid question to be asking...)
Quote from: Penumbral on April 02, 2007, 03:51:58 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger
Smarter than what?
I was.
more learned in the ways of the world, but as this made me think about it i doubt that.
end of clarification.
Are you also known as 'Starship: Take Me'?
Quote from: Idem on April 02, 2007, 04:58:49 AM
Quote from: Penumbral on April 02, 2007, 03:51:58 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger
Smarter than what?
I was.
more learned in the ways of the world, but as this made me think about it i doubt that.
end of clarification.
Are you also known as 'Starship: Take Me'?
I would say that was abstract writing. I know what I meant but I can't understand the words.
Let me compleatly retry.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger
Smarter than what?
smarter then I used to be.
I was hoping that as I grew older I was becoming more educated in the ways of the world. This post made me reconsider myself and I am now brought to re examine weather my life, job, and my becoming more active in society has made me smarter about this things or more diluted.
end of clarification.
Quote from: Idem on April 02, 2007, 04:58:49 AMAre you also known as 'Starship: Take Me'?
i guess it must be some standard avatar from somewhere
?
"The older one grows, the more they learn they do not know."
Quote from some asshole.
Nice opener to the thread.