Deliberations

Whilst traversing certain paths, one is confronted with the dilemma of whether to permit oneself the expediency of enjoying music created by people who likewise appear to have associated themselves with unfortunate political opinions - presumably in an attempt to confer some kind of order to a world that appears to be rapidly disintegrating.

It is an interesting question as to why people who are able to produce such sublime sounds choose to adopt such stances - there exist a number of examples of this phenomenon. Perhaps the inner order that they have created is effective, and serves them, in some sense. Consider here Keats' words, "Beauty is truth, truth beauty"- that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."

It seems I made my decision at the age of 15, when I began to enjoy the music of Burzum, created by convicted church-burner and killer (he claims self-defence), and general media bogeyman 'Varg' Vikernes. Somehow my soul was inextricably drawn to his exquisite art (that is, his first 4 albums), despite the fact that my mind was aware of the nature of his political convictions, which I did not share.

Carl Jung once wrote that "one does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious". A curious formulation. Meanwhile, whilst under the influence of psilocybin, one can gain the distinct impression that all that one perceives is but a single continuum, sharing the same consciousness.

I might ask myself, therefore, what is my relationship to the mind of a Vikernes? I could go further and ask, what is my relationship to the mind of a Pol Pot, Stalin, or Klaus Barbie. Indeed, the latter was pondered upon by another 'problematic' band, Death in June, in their piece 'C'est un rêve' - this being a place where most proclaimers of 'we are all one' philosophies dare not go.

"Où est Klaus Barbie
Où est Klaus Barbie
Où est Klaus Barbie
Il est dans le coeur
Il est dans le coeur noir
Il est dans le coeur

Liberté
C'est un rêve...

Où est Klaus Barbie"

The question that arises from such thoughts is whether there actually exist any true distinctions between what are called 'good' and 'evil' impulses in humans. The reality appears to me to be that of a melange, if one is to even use these terms as a frame of reference. It would seem that the implanting of dualistic cultural value systems has distorted humans' innate sense of what is right: concept has overridden percept.

Therefore, ought I be joining the 'Antifa' in vocally condemning (or, indeed, throwing bottles at) anyone who decides to flirt with the one of the few great taboos of this culture? I am reluctant to do so: for one, it'd mean that I'd have to stop listening to Joy Division. Interestingly, displaying hammers and sickles does not invite the same universal disdain, despite there having been an estimated 100 million casualties of that particular delusion.

I stand aghast, surveying the infinite hubris of civilisation. We appear to be up to the hilt in madness, drowning within a culture that has long ago left behind all reference points to nature. What is there left to do but ask questions? Is that not what these artists are doing? Sometimes I wonder whether we avoid asking ourselves certain questions, because we fear what the answers might be?

One might do well to create a space within oneself that is free from the need to find a solution, wherein any thought may be given an audience, no matter how ugly. Most of course will simply deny the darkness that exists within themselves, thus permitting it to grow, outside of their awareness. It is of course far easier to point out another's perceived perversions...

Below are 3 items from the introduction 'Industrial Society and Its Future', by the 'mass murdering Unabomber' (and - less well known - victim of an MK-ULTRA experiment), Theodore Kaczynski. Incidentally, this is a text which I came upon at the ripe old age of 16. Something of heady mix, when combined in equal measures with black metal and cannabis brainfog. Fortunately for me, I later discovered Wilhelm Reich, Robert Anton Wilson, and proper nutrition in the form of the Weston A Price Foundation. Alas, not everyone is so lucky.

• The Industrial Revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race.

• The industrial-technological system may survive or it may break down. If it survives, it MAY eventually achieve a low level of physical and psychological suffering, but only after passing through a long and very painful period of adjustment and only at the cost of permanently reducing human beings and many other living organisms to engineered products and mere cogs in the social machine.

• If the system breaks down the consequences will still be very painful. But the bigger the system grows the more disastrous the results of its breakdown will be, so if it is to break down it had best break down sooner rather than later.

In closing, some words from madcap band Luftwaffe:

"We foresee redemption through the ultimate dissolution of the human species. The light will not be released until the occlusive veil of flesh is torn asunder and exorcised from the Earth. What will remain is our divinity — Our redemption."