In 'Character Analysis', Wilhelm Reich expands psychoanalytic resistance into a more inclusive technique, focusing on character attitudes that block emotional excitations. He introduces the concept of 'character armor', which is linked to chronic muscular spasms, integrating mind and body in a biophysical approach to disease prevention. The book is considered a foundational work in understanding human behavior and neurosis.
In 'What Works on Wall Street', James P. O'Shaughnessy provides an in-depth analysis of over 90 years of stock market data to identify the most effective investment strategies. The book examines various factors such as price-to-earnings ratios, price-to-sales, price-to-book value, dividend yields, and more. It challenges conventional wisdom and offers multifactor strategies that have historically generated the best returns. The book is designed to help investors of all levels, from conservative to aggressive, in selecting the best strategies for their investment objectives.
A critical examination of the limitations and biases within scientific discourse, challenging the accepted methods of knowledge acquisition and promoting a more open-minded approach.
The Waste Land is a 434-line poem divided into five sections: 'The Burial of the Dead', 'A Game of Chess', 'The Fire Sermon', 'Death by Water', and 'What the Thunder Said'. It is a complex and erudite work that incorporates numerous allusions to mythology, classical literature, and religious texts. The poem reflects the spiritual disillusionment and moral decay of the Western world after World War I, portraying a sterile and fragmented society. It was initially met with controversy due to its innovative and often obscure style but has since become a central work in the modernist canon[2][3][4].
The Illuminatus Trilogy is a complex and multifaceted work that blends elements of science fiction, satire, and conspiracy theories. The narrative is nonlinear, switching between third- and first-person perspectives, and includes a wide range of themes such as counterculture, numerology, and Discordianism. The story involves a millennia-old conflict between the Illuminati and the Discordian Society, incorporating historical references and surrealist fantasy. It features a diverse array of characters and scenarios, including talking dolphins, secret societies, and historical figures, all woven together in a style that challenges the reader's perceptions of reality and believability. The trilogy was written by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson during their time as associate editors at Playboy magazine, inspired by the paranoid correspondence they received on civil liberties[2][4][5].
Finnegans Wake is James Joyce's final and most complex work, written over a period of seventeen years. The novel is set in a dream world where the protagonist, Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker (HCE), and his family—wife Anna Livia Plurabelle (ALP) and their children Shem, Shaun, and Issy—undergo various transformations and identities. The book is known for its innovative use of language, combining elements from multiple languages and creating new words through portmanteaus and puns. It explores themes of identity, history, and the cyclical nature of life, drawing on Irish mythology, biblical narratives, and personal experiences. The novel's structure is circular, ending with the sentence that begins the book, creating a continuous loop[3][4][5].
Prometheus Rising by Robert Anton Wilson is a profound exploration of human consciousness, blending psychology, neuroscience, and esoteric philosophy. The book uses the Eight Circuit Model of Consciousness to explain how the human mind operates and how it can be developed. Wilson challenges readers to question their conditioned beliefs and offers practical exercises and humor to make complex ideas accessible. The book aims to help readers break free from imprinted and programmed behavior, enhancing their cognitive abilities and consciousness through techniques like meditation and biofeedback. It encourages a broad perspective and self-awareness, inviting readers to become conscious participants in their own evolution and to unlock their full potential[2][3][4].
If you’ve heard me speak for more than five minutes you’ve probably caught me dropping a Robert Anton Wilson reference (or several). Wilson is one of the most interesting (and underappreciated) writers I’ve ever come across — a Nostradamus for modern times.
I was delighted to sit down with Gabriel Kennedy, author of the excellent biography Chapel Perilous: The Life and Thought Crimes of Robert Anton Wilson. I could talk about this stuff for days, and we had a blast discussing Wilson’s ideas, influence and impact. Consider it a beginner’s guide to avoiding cosmic schmuckery.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, “Hmm, that’s interesting!”, check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Show Notes:
- The most interesting man of the last fifty years?
- How can we escape chapel perilous?
- The anti-determinist, rock & roll philosophy of Bob Wilson
- Tune in: a 30 minute masterclass on the influences, ideas and impact of Robert Anton Wilson
- How to avoid becoming a cosmic schmuck
- Who influenced Wilson the most?
- Why you should read Wilson
- Gabriel as World Emperor
- MORE!
Books & Articles Mentioned:
- The Thinker and the Prover; by Jim O’Shaughnessy
- Chapel Perilous: The Life and Thought Crimes of Robert Anton Wilson; by Gabriel Kennedy
- Prometheus Unbound by Robert Anton Wilson
- Quantum Psychology: How Brain Software Programs You and Your World by Robert Anton Wilson
- The Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea
- Cosmic Trigger Volume I: Final Secret of the Illuminati by Robert Anton Wilson
- The New Inquisition: Irrational Rationalism and the Citadel of Science by Robert Anton Wilson
- Prometheus Rising by Robert Anton Wilson
- Quantum Psychology: How Brain Software Programs You and Your World by Robert Anton Wilson
- The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot
- From Ritual to Romance by Jessie L. Weston
- Finnegans Wake by James Joyce
- Science and Sanity: An Introduction to Non-Aristotelian Systems and General Semantics by Alfred Korzybski
- On the Einstein Podolsky Rosen Paradox; by John S. Bell
- How the Hippies Saved Physics: Science, Counterculture, and the Quantum Revival by David Kaiser
- Character Analysis by Wilhelm Reich
- Man Meets Dog by Konrad Lorenz
Infinite Loops 
