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Robert Anton Wilson, RIP
Reason Online ^ | 1/11/2007 | Jesse Walker

Posted on 01/12/2007 7:20:03 AM PST by oblomov

The libertarian novelist, journalist, humorist, and philosopher Robert Anton Wilson died at about 4:50 this morning, Pacific Coast time. As far as I'm aware, the last thing he wrote was this, posted on his blog last Saturday: Various medical authorities swarm in and out of here predicting I have between two days and two months to live. I think they are guessing. I remain cheerful and unimpressed. I look forward without dogmatic optimism but without dread. I love you all and I deeply implore you to keep the lasagna flying.

Please pardon my levity, I don't see how to take death seriously. It seems absurd. One of the best things Wilson ever wrote was an essay for The Realist called "13 Choruses for the Divine Marquis." Here's how it ended: I dreamed I called D.A.F. de Sade on the phone and asked him, "Jesus told me that he and you agree on at least one thing and it explains freedom. What is that one thing?"

"Quite simple," he replied, "don't be afraid of the Cross. The fear of death is the beginning of slavery."

And the line went dead with a triumphant click like a barred door falling open.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cosmictrigger; discordian; drugs; eris; fnord; guns; gunsanddopeparty; haileris; illuminati; illuminatus; libertarian; robertantonwilson; sciencefiction; sex; sirius; wilson
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To: oblomov

Rest in peace.


21 posted on 01/12/2007 12:05:41 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (Cheney X -- Destroying the Liberal Democrat Traitors By Any Means Necessary -- Ya Dig ? Sho 'Nuff.)
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To: oblomov
RIP

THE MANAGEMENT

22 posted on 01/12/2007 4:26:39 PM PST by killjoy (Life sucks, wear a helmet.)
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To: oblomov
A huge influence on my life and thinking during the critical ages of 18 to 25. I later rejected a lot of his ideas as sophomoric and intellectually sloppy, but much of his body of work still holds up for those of us concerned with individual freedom, and living life with intelligence and humor. To us sex-drugs-n-rocknroll-loving young literati, he was our Ayn Rand, and no doubt will continue to be for young people alienated by ideology and theology.

Rest in peace, Bob. The Great Salon in the Sky welcomes you, and has a bowl of sticky buds and a big-boobed redhead waiting to make your acquaintance.

23 posted on 01/13/2007 2:45:10 PM PST by TFFKAMM
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To: oblomov
Réquiem fnord aéternam dona ei, Dómine. Et lux fnord perpétua lúceat ei. Requiéscat in fnord pace. Amen.
24 posted on 01/16/2007 8:25:49 PM PST by Dajjal (See my FR homepage for new essay about Ahmadinejad.)
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To: Tanniker Smith

LOL!


25 posted on 01/16/2007 8:28:37 PM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly.)
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To: Tanniker Smith

(To your post, not Mr. WIlson's death).


26 posted on 01/16/2007 8:30:26 PM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly.)
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To: Sherman Logan

Yes, De Sade was a Libertine, not a Libertarian.


27 posted on 01/16/2007 8:53:17 PM PST by BnBlFlag (Deo Vindice/Semper Fidelis "Ya gotta saddle up your boys; Ya gotta draw a hard line")
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To: Smokin' Joe

I figured as much.


28 posted on 01/17/2007 4:27:03 AM PST by Tanniker Smith (I didn't know she was a liberal when I married her.)
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