JustARandomPanda Posted February 16, 2012 So... Every now and then I see someone post about this Robert Anton Wilson dude. Can anyone explain to me what was so remarkable about him and his Trilogy (or any of his other writings for that matter)? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
konchog uma Posted February 16, 2012 So... Every now and then I see someone post about this Robert Anton Wilson dude. Can anyone explain to me what was so remarkable about him and his Trilogy (or any of his other writings for that matter)? I find him very smart, insightful, halarious even. Hard to put my finger on the exact quality of his excellence but i find him excellent, and recommend that you read something of his for yourself and form your own opinion! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jetsun Posted February 16, 2012 I read Cosmic Trigger and wasn't that impressed, perhaps when he first published his books there weren't many people talking about many of the ideas he was writing about so he make a name for himself in counter-culture. When I read it I was looking for more substance and depth teachings rather than entertainment which maybe was why I didn't like it that much. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RyanO Posted February 16, 2012 (edited) I read Cosmic Trigger and wasn't that impressed, perhaps when he first published his books there weren't many people talking about many of the ideas he was writing about so he make a name for himself in counter-culture. When I read it I was looking for more substance and depth teachings rather than entertainment which maybe was why I didn't like it that much. I really enjoyed Prometheus Rising, which is all over the place (taking theories from Leary, Gurdijeff, Crowley, Yoga, et.), but it's more practically oriented. RAW is big with fans of occultism and magick, particularly chaos magick. It's a very postmodern take, and the emphasis is on the Goddess of Discord, Eris, whose great ability lies in deconstructing false beliefs. The maxim of chaos magick is "Nothing is true, everything is permitted" so it tends to be left-handed, so to speak. It's a great counter to dogmatism. But at the end of the day, after all the deconstructing, what is there to build? That is the harder task. Prometheus Rising is full of exercises that range from humorous to existentially meaningful, which follow Timothy Leary's Timothy Leary's Eight Circuit Model of Consciousness and have the primary goal of having us examine our preconceived beliefs about reality. Here is a list of them: http://brev.pbworks.com/w/page/35670760/Prometheus%20Rising%20Exercises My favorites are: Why aren't you a nudist? Make up five good reasons, then go find a nudist an explain them to him/her. Lol and Try living forever with the metaprogram, "Everything works out more perfectly than I plan it." Here is the book: http://www.amazon.com/Prometheus-Rising-Robert-Anton-Wilson/dp/1561840564 Edited February 16, 2012 by RyanO Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ralis Posted February 16, 2012 So... Every now and then I see someone post about this Robert Anton Wilson dude. Can anyone explain to me what was so remarkable about him and his Trilogy (or any of his other writings for that matter)? Wilson was brilliant in being able to examine both sides of an argument simultaneously. His book on Quantum Psychology gives exercises for this. If I remember correctly, that book was written without the use of 'is' or the 'isness of identity'. To have a better understanding of Wilson's work and the importance of changing one's perception from the 'isness of identity' i.e, Aristotelean to a non Aristotelean view, read Korzybski's 'Science and Sanity'. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustARandomPanda Posted February 16, 2012 RAW is big with fans of occultism and magick, particularly chaos magick. It's a very postmodern take, and the emphasis is on the Goddess of Discord, Eris, whose great ability lies in deconstructing false beliefs. The maxim of chaos magick is "Nothing is true, everything is permitted" so it tends to be left-handed, so to speak. Interesting. To me that's another take on Buddhist (and Quantum Physics) emptiness teachings. Wilson was brilliant in being able to examine both sides of an argument simultaneously. His book on Quantum Psychology gives exercises for this. If I remember correctly, that book was written without the use of 'is' or the 'isness of identity'. To have a better understanding of Wilson's work and the importance of changing one's perception from the 'isness of identity' i.e, Aristotelean to a non Aristotelean view, read Korzybski's 'Science and Sanity'. I would except my library doesn't have a copy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
