Deconstructing Yourself cover image

Deconstructing Yourself

Robert Anton Wilson, High Weirdness, and Buddhist Meditation, with Erik Davis

Dec 14, 2018
Erik Davis, an author and podcaster, discusses author Robert Anton Wilson, anarchism in the 1970s, psychedelics, and Zen practice. They explore the impact of Wilson's book, High Weirdness, and the concept of metasystemic thinking. The podcast also delves into the absorption of psychedelics into capitalist society, the parallelism between meditation and corporate influence, and ways to support the Deconstructing Yourself podcast.
01:04:56

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Robert Anton Wilson's philosophy emphasized the multiplicity of reality, the role of language in constructing reality, and the importance of embracing the weird and the unknown.
  • The increasing acceptance and mainstream integration of psychedelics may sanitize and dilute their transformative potential, eroding their allure and innate weirdness.

Deep dives

Robert Anton Wilson: A Catalyst for Mind Expansion

Robert Anton Wilson, the author of Cosmic Trigger, had a profound impact on the host of the podcast. Wilson's book, read in the early 80s, blew the host's mind and changed his life. The fascination with Wilson's work led to a week-long interview with him in 1999, providing a lifelong fascination for the host. Eric Davis, the guest on the podcast, is currently working on a book that features two chapters devoted to Wilson, exploring the countercultural movements of the 70s and their relationship to psychedelic experiences. Wilson's anarchistic and libertarian views differentiated him from other countercultural figures, making him an outlier. His philosophy emphasized the multiplicity of reality, the role of language in constructing reality, and the importance of embracing the weird and the unknown.

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
App store bannerPlay store banner