RAW Deal

Julian Sanchez | October 4, 2006

Like a lot of libertarians, I have a soft spot for Illuminatus! scribe Robert Anton Wilson, who among other things was fond of speculating (before Ray Kurzweil made it cool) about how cumulative advances in bioengineering and nanotechnology might soon make us effectively immortal. Sadly, via Boing Boing, it looks like Bob himself will not be around to benefit from the realization of his prediction. And to make matters worse, Doug Rushkoff (who, come to think of it, I first met at a RAW lecture) is reporting that Wilson's illness has left him in dire financial straits.

If you're a fan and want to do something to help, you can make a PayPal contribution to Wilson's email, "[e-mail]" or send a check to:

Dennis Berry c/o Futique Trust
P.O. Box 3561
Santa Cruz, CA 95063.

Also, one fan is printing some nifty T-shirts, proceeds from the sale of which will go to RAW.

Comments

|10.4.06 @ 2:33PM|#

Just bought me a shirt. I think RAW is one of the great thinkers of our time. Some of the things I read of his definitely changed the way I look at things.

Hopefully his fans can keep him as comfortable as possible until he passes.

dhex|10.4.06 @ 2:59PM|#

big ups to raw.

|10.4.06 @ 3:22PM|#

I gave yesterday. The Illuminatus Trilogy still is one of the best books I've ever read.

SPD|10.4.06 @ 3:27PM|#

I just got an e-mail from the Church of the Subgenius about this very thing.

Robert|10.4.06 @ 3:46PM|#

There's an awful lot of Wilsonian influence on the current TV serial "Lost", at least via "Illuminatus!" and "Masks of the Illuminati".

Paul|10.4.06 @ 5:39PM|#

I confess I know not of this Robert Anton Wilson person, but when you put him in the same sentence as Ray Kurzweil, I respectfully suggest that you do this Mr. Wilson a disservice. Just sayin'.

|10.4.06 @ 5:55PM|#

Like a lot of libertarians, I have a soft spot for Illuminatus! scribe Robert Anton Wilson,

I actually hate him...in fact i never finished his first book of the illuminatus series...i got to when the guy gets kiddnapped and put in a sub...like page 50 or something then stopped reading.

I wonder if there is a substantial libertarian constituant who hates the living crap out of wilson and will celebrate his death by making a coctail...or if in fact I am the only one.

|10.4.06 @ 6:04PM|#

Well, I don't care for Stephen King, but I certainly wouldn't celebrate his passing.

It sounds like you could use that cocktail now.

|10.4.06 @ 6:22PM|#

Illuminatus, while I found it pretty damn cool and interesting, isn't even why I really like RAW.

Coincidence and Prometheus Rising I found much more enjoyable, because they were more philosophical musing straight-up than philosophical musings told in a crazy, fiction story format.

dhex|10.4.06 @ 10:25PM|#

"I wonder if there is a substantial libertarian constituant who hates the living crap out of wilson and will celebrate his death by making a coctail...or if in fact I am the only one."

you hate him based on 50 pages?

you are one intense little dude.

|10.4.06 @ 11:58PM|#

Apparently, some people were absent on the day in Not-Being-a-Douchebag 101 where they covered "appropriate responses to learning that someone I didn't particularly care for is mortally ill."

|10.5.06 @ 1:17AM|#

Well, I don't care for Stephen King, but I certainly wouldn't celebrate his passing.

It sounds like you could use that cocktail now.

I know its is wierd and unnessasarly mean and relects more on me then wilson and it is irrational....but i really hated that fucking book even though i only read 50 pages of it.

But i still do want ot know...am i alone in this?

|10.5.06 @ 5:48AM|#

Yes, you are alone. Go forth with your cocktail-making.

|10.5.06 @ 7:59AM|#

I hated that book too. Also only made it about 50 pages in.

|10.5.06 @ 8:26AM|#

People accused of being SubGenuises are supposed to to honor this guy. I say quote him instead:

http://www.deepleafproductions.com/wilsonlibrary/texts/raw-dying.html

Cheerful Reflections on Death and Dying
Robert Anton Wilson

I don't understand why people fear death -- although of course I see good reasons to fear the process of dying. Dying often involves a great deal of prolonged pain, and in this country at least may drain your life savings into the bank accounts of the A.M.A.. Both prospects seem equally terrifying especially if you hoped to leave a decent estate to your children.

One can avoid these deplorable conditions, however, by moving to a civilized country with a national health plan and legal help to assist you in suicide if you have reached a condition where you can't do it yourself. I personally intend to move to Nederland[*] in the event that a painful, expensive and prolonged death seems inescapable. The medical banditos have made enough money out of me already; I refuse to enrich them further on my way out.

But as for death, and what -- if anything --comes after death, I see no cause for apprehension whatsoever.

...etc...

* http://www.nederlandchamber.org/FrozenDeadGuyDays/