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Posts mit dem Label Essays werden angezeigt. Alle Posts anzeigen
Samstag, 31. Oktober 2020
The Devil's Dairy XXXII
Dienstag, 28. April 2020
The Most Sophisticated Version
There’s an instance of my early childhood that has triggered a decisive change in the way my world view was constructed back then. But please let me elaborate on some background facts to get clearer idea of this point in my life. My parents were in their early thirties and at the very beginning of their professional careers. Hence, as both needed to be near to where they worked and their financial means were fairly limited, we moved into in a small flat in a high-rise in the outskirts of the Ruhr region. As we lived on a higher floor, it was easy to have a rather clear view of the surroundings and this way I was offered the opportunity to perceive a panorama here that was a commonplace aesthetic dinginess of modern day urban living, so to speak the West’s equivalent to the satellite towns on the other side of the Iron Curtain in the late 1970s. The entire horizon consisted of nothing but these symmetrically placed blocks of flats and, due to the fact that it was a starlit night sky, one could clearly see the vast number of illuminated windows, one exactly like the other, impersonal and exchangeable. I cannot recall what exactly my thoughts were when I stood there and took this glimpse of this particular dead end of human civilization in, but I can still feel how it left me with a sentiment much too heavy-hearted and disillusioned for my young age. However, I couldn’t turn away and a long time passed, until my focus gradually began to shift to the night time with all its shining and sparkling stars. Their clear and unmatched beauty seemed to exceed everything, elevated and far beyond any comparison I could think of. This was especially reflected by the fact that it was impossible for me to imagine the incredible distance from the very point I happened to gaze at them. Overwhelmed by this beauty and grandeur, the stars became a point of orientation and their tacit majesty a secret code that carried a much deeper personal meaning.
The best of my remembrance, this was the first time I apperceived the deep feeling of alienation from the mentality and conventions of the herd, this imprint that put into the solitary position I found myself in. Unlike the majority of my peers from Kindergarten to high school who almost automatically turned into younger copies of their parents and had started to adopt their value system from early on, what I considered as meaningful impetus was way out of this fairly narrow frame, but was yet still a vague idea for the most part. My focus and orientation remained as upheaved, paramount and unpaired as the stars admired on that very special evening. And there was this crystal-clear realisation that I would never settle for anything less and content myself with any of the mental sedatives that keep the masses in line. It simply would not do the trick for me, none of these manifestations of irrelevance, the common treadmills that the herd is caught in, their minds obsessed with surpassing their mediocre neighbour in terms of status and the related acquirable symbols as an end in itself. Even back then, my ideas of success had been much broader, involving many of the fundamental matters of survival and the ambition to remove the limits commonly seen as axiomatic.
So where was I to begin and how was I to unfold the necessary thrust to make it to the point of being my own creator, leaving all the limitations of conventional thinking behind and determining the venues of my future exclusively alone? For quite a long while this remained more of a philosophical and theoretical question, given that it appeared incredibly difficult to identify any proper starting point to initiate this transformative process. What I did not fully comprehend back then was that many small steps were already being made on an everyday-life-level, often intuitively. And it was there in the often overlooked areas that numerous tools for personal growth were waiting to be discovered. And in astonishing ways detecting one very soon led to finding the next qualified and often more refined means. Hence over time, numerous pieces of the big puzzles came to join and form patterns that provided even more junction points to connect previously discovered isolated elements. The next stage consisted in testing patterns that led to success in one given area in a different field. As I was in the fortunate situation of having an ample collection of books at hand in my parents’ home, I focussed on biographical books of famous and successful individuals to begin to search for the specific formulas that had earned them their success. This way I came across some astonishing similarities, in fact too many to be just coincidental. By implication, drawing my conclusions from the mistakes of others soon became an additional method of learning as well. And gradually I taught myself to apply all of this knowledge to my personal advantage whenever I could. In retrospect, there have been two main determining factors in how I derived benefits from life situations: a strong sense of pragmatism and eclecticism. And as I learned to find more and more ways around the stereotyped thinking that controls the herd, I opened up to even learn my share of lessons from those I otherwise despised, provided that there was any potentially gainful knowledge in a specific field to be obtained. By this point, I had realized that this eclectic approach could be applied to about any concept or philosophy. The growth curve I found myself on had started to turn my quest into much more of a delight.
Yet for a very long time, one very important unanswered question remained: Was there any kind of nucleus, or major hub, where all the different threads I had discovered met? In a way “The kernel of the brute”, as it says in Goethe’s Faust. And it was probably not by chance that this phrase, as well as the core topic of the work resonated strongly with the urge I was being driven by. And it was exactly this urge, this thirst for knowledge and growth combined with a deeply rational worldview, devoid of any superstition, that finally showed me the way to where the answer was to be found. There was not a shred of a doubt about that when I discovered the philosophy and the organization that Doktor LaVey had brought to life. Satanism and the Church of Satan reflected the essence of my deep-felt urge and all of the understanding of the mechanisms I had discovered in perfection and the purest form. And beyond that it has finally closed the circle by confirming my assuredness that any barrier on the way towards my continuing transformation into the most sophisticated version of myself will be broken down. Citizen Prometheus
The best of my remembrance, this was the first time I apperceived the deep feeling of alienation from the mentality and conventions of the herd, this imprint that put into the solitary position I found myself in. Unlike the majority of my peers from Kindergarten to high school who almost automatically turned into younger copies of their parents and had started to adopt their value system from early on, what I considered as meaningful impetus was way out of this fairly narrow frame, but was yet still a vague idea for the most part. My focus and orientation remained as upheaved, paramount and unpaired as the stars admired on that very special evening. And there was this crystal-clear realisation that I would never settle for anything less and content myself with any of the mental sedatives that keep the masses in line. It simply would not do the trick for me, none of these manifestations of irrelevance, the common treadmills that the herd is caught in, their minds obsessed with surpassing their mediocre neighbour in terms of status and the related acquirable symbols as an end in itself. Even back then, my ideas of success had been much broader, involving many of the fundamental matters of survival and the ambition to remove the limits commonly seen as axiomatic.
So where was I to begin and how was I to unfold the necessary thrust to make it to the point of being my own creator, leaving all the limitations of conventional thinking behind and determining the venues of my future exclusively alone? For quite a long while this remained more of a philosophical and theoretical question, given that it appeared incredibly difficult to identify any proper starting point to initiate this transformative process. What I did not fully comprehend back then was that many small steps were already being made on an everyday-life-level, often intuitively. And it was there in the often overlooked areas that numerous tools for personal growth were waiting to be discovered. And in astonishing ways detecting one very soon led to finding the next qualified and often more refined means. Hence over time, numerous pieces of the big puzzles came to join and form patterns that provided even more junction points to connect previously discovered isolated elements. The next stage consisted in testing patterns that led to success in one given area in a different field. As I was in the fortunate situation of having an ample collection of books at hand in my parents’ home, I focussed on biographical books of famous and successful individuals to begin to search for the specific formulas that had earned them their success. This way I came across some astonishing similarities, in fact too many to be just coincidental. By implication, drawing my conclusions from the mistakes of others soon became an additional method of learning as well. And gradually I taught myself to apply all of this knowledge to my personal advantage whenever I could. In retrospect, there have been two main determining factors in how I derived benefits from life situations: a strong sense of pragmatism and eclecticism. And as I learned to find more and more ways around the stereotyped thinking that controls the herd, I opened up to even learn my share of lessons from those I otherwise despised, provided that there was any potentially gainful knowledge in a specific field to be obtained. By this point, I had realized that this eclectic approach could be applied to about any concept or philosophy. The growth curve I found myself on had started to turn my quest into much more of a delight.
Yet for a very long time, one very important unanswered question remained: Was there any kind of nucleus, or major hub, where all the different threads I had discovered met? In a way “The kernel of the brute”, as it says in Goethe’s Faust. And it was probably not by chance that this phrase, as well as the core topic of the work resonated strongly with the urge I was being driven by. And it was exactly this urge, this thirst for knowledge and growth combined with a deeply rational worldview, devoid of any superstition, that finally showed me the way to where the answer was to be found. There was not a shred of a doubt about that when I discovered the philosophy and the organization that Doktor LaVey had brought to life. Satanism and the Church of Satan reflected the essence of my deep-felt urge and all of the understanding of the mechanisms I had discovered in perfection and the purest form. And beyond that it has finally closed the circle by confirming my assuredness that any barrier on the way towards my continuing transformation into the most sophisticated version of myself will be broken down. Citizen Prometheus
Samstag, 7. Januar 2017
Devil's Due Essays of the Elite by E. R. Vernor
A great thank you to Eric Vernor for including one of my essays in this paramount collection of most exceptional and outstanding articles written by members of the Alien Elite! This is a huge honour that I'm grateful to be given and I'm even more thrilled by the range of exquisite treasures to be found in this tome! HS!
Donnerstag, 16. Oktober 2014
Zero Points
“I wish I could start anew!” is an often-heard statement by the average
types who feel that they have been caught in one of the common dead ends
of existence, usually as a result of previous poor decisions. And
mostly it is nothing more than the attempt to ask for another chance
after they have screwed up things entirely. No wonder that second
chances, if offered, lead them into the same dead ends as before. Thus,
what they mean by “starting anew” is rather just being granted another
attempt to try to succeed with the same methods, hoping that their luck
will finally jump in and take care of things, as if some almighty
external entity would direct the luck their way. Little wonder then that
such “new chances” are usually doomed to fail in the same manner as
their previous attempts. What they do is hardly ever putting things back
to zero and start something new as the saying would suggest.
Few people ever dare to take that step forward and start all over again from zero and to enter a blank sheet constellation all on their own. Those who do or are forced to by external circumstances soon find that they have to rely solely on their own abilities and resources and are sometimes astonished to realize that they can accomplish much more than they would have expected. The comfort zones that they had made themselves at home in require little but sticking to the same old routines. A zero point however, provides a considerable challenge and testing ground for the skills and tactics you have acquired and thus makes an ideal environment to learn and grow. Being plunged in at the deep end inevitably forces you to adapt to the new environment rapidly.
In essence, a zero point in itself opens doors to considerable advantages by activating flexibility and the basic animal survival mechanisms that rest deep within our genetic heritage, unnoticed by the dulled types of routine-followers. The latter hardly ever experience the immediate effects, like the sharpened perception or the instinctual fight-or-flight reaction, that result from exposure to zero points like being all of a sudden confronted with an existential hazard. Yet, these situations are rare and zero points are certainly more likely to be encountered in the form of a new living situation that requires a high degree of adaptability.
But once thoroughly understood, it does not necessarily have to take place in such an overt manner as relocating to an entirely new environment with just a suitcase to benefit from it. There are various manifestations of such zero points, some rather hidden and subtle. Entering an entirely new field in the business world or a longstanding relationship breaking up could be examples. In the latter case, most people rush to cling to the next partner to instantly fill the gap. Then you usually hear them state how lucky they are that they do not have to be alone anymore. Personal progress derived from this form of zero point could be the impulse to prove how well you can do on your own first, taking full advantage of the benefits of independence. From that point, the strong individual crafts his own strategies of how to become more of the person that he wishes to be which thus evokes more zero points. And as more and more of the mental and emotional dead wood is thrown out, the way is free for even more profound personal growth. It quickly turns into a never-ending undertaking that can include any field you could possibly think of.
Yet, constant self-optimization is not just one of the short-lived trends of today’s zeitgeist, it runs like a golden thread through history and culture. The Shakespearean tradition of play-writing distinguished two different kinds of fictional characters, the flat and round ones. Very much like in the real world, the flat characters are easily understood and hence predictable, whereas the round types present complex and multi-faceted personalities that sometimes even appear to have contradictory traits at first glance. On closer inspection, these supposed contradictions often turn out as the ability to exceed the narrow confines of common conventions. In order to maximize his potential, the round character has to constantly strive to improve his many facets and skills like a sculptor obsessed with the idea of creating this one perfect piece of art. Like Shakespeare himself, he attempts to become an independent cosmos that knows no limits and is capable of re-inventing himself anytime. Sharpening your personality from different angles this way is the perfect approach to self-perfection, adding whatever facets you choose. And it is probably the closest you can get to the Renaissance ideal of the universal genius.
Most exceptional leading figures in history, culture, science or any other field of expertise one could think of stem from this tradition, as do the movers and shakers of the lesser travelled path in our days. Though often viewed as ahead of the times, they often also have a firm understanding of the wisdom of past civilizations and know perfectly well to maintain the balance. At its heart, these individuals have a natural disposition that fundamentally sets them apart from the herd of humanity and this is based on two major aspects. The first one is the drive to constantly move forward and expand their capacities by sustained learning through zero point after zero point. The second one consists in the ability to regard and analyze situations from a Third Side – perspective while resorting to previously learned lessons to build on authentic experience. This is how the true achievers conquer the ground between themselves and their goals. Starting anew by always picking new challenges is the constant mode of action.
Prometheus
Few people ever dare to take that step forward and start all over again from zero and to enter a blank sheet constellation all on their own. Those who do or are forced to by external circumstances soon find that they have to rely solely on their own abilities and resources and are sometimes astonished to realize that they can accomplish much more than they would have expected. The comfort zones that they had made themselves at home in require little but sticking to the same old routines. A zero point however, provides a considerable challenge and testing ground for the skills and tactics you have acquired and thus makes an ideal environment to learn and grow. Being plunged in at the deep end inevitably forces you to adapt to the new environment rapidly.
In essence, a zero point in itself opens doors to considerable advantages by activating flexibility and the basic animal survival mechanisms that rest deep within our genetic heritage, unnoticed by the dulled types of routine-followers. The latter hardly ever experience the immediate effects, like the sharpened perception or the instinctual fight-or-flight reaction, that result from exposure to zero points like being all of a sudden confronted with an existential hazard. Yet, these situations are rare and zero points are certainly more likely to be encountered in the form of a new living situation that requires a high degree of adaptability.
But once thoroughly understood, it does not necessarily have to take place in such an overt manner as relocating to an entirely new environment with just a suitcase to benefit from it. There are various manifestations of such zero points, some rather hidden and subtle. Entering an entirely new field in the business world or a longstanding relationship breaking up could be examples. In the latter case, most people rush to cling to the next partner to instantly fill the gap. Then you usually hear them state how lucky they are that they do not have to be alone anymore. Personal progress derived from this form of zero point could be the impulse to prove how well you can do on your own first, taking full advantage of the benefits of independence. From that point, the strong individual crafts his own strategies of how to become more of the person that he wishes to be which thus evokes more zero points. And as more and more of the mental and emotional dead wood is thrown out, the way is free for even more profound personal growth. It quickly turns into a never-ending undertaking that can include any field you could possibly think of.
Yet, constant self-optimization is not just one of the short-lived trends of today’s zeitgeist, it runs like a golden thread through history and culture. The Shakespearean tradition of play-writing distinguished two different kinds of fictional characters, the flat and round ones. Very much like in the real world, the flat characters are easily understood and hence predictable, whereas the round types present complex and multi-faceted personalities that sometimes even appear to have contradictory traits at first glance. On closer inspection, these supposed contradictions often turn out as the ability to exceed the narrow confines of common conventions. In order to maximize his potential, the round character has to constantly strive to improve his many facets and skills like a sculptor obsessed with the idea of creating this one perfect piece of art. Like Shakespeare himself, he attempts to become an independent cosmos that knows no limits and is capable of re-inventing himself anytime. Sharpening your personality from different angles this way is the perfect approach to self-perfection, adding whatever facets you choose. And it is probably the closest you can get to the Renaissance ideal of the universal genius.
Most exceptional leading figures in history, culture, science or any other field of expertise one could think of stem from this tradition, as do the movers and shakers of the lesser travelled path in our days. Though often viewed as ahead of the times, they often also have a firm understanding of the wisdom of past civilizations and know perfectly well to maintain the balance. At its heart, these individuals have a natural disposition that fundamentally sets them apart from the herd of humanity and this is based on two major aspects. The first one is the drive to constantly move forward and expand their capacities by sustained learning through zero point after zero point. The second one consists in the ability to regard and analyze situations from a Third Side – perspective while resorting to previously learned lessons to build on authentic experience. This is how the true achievers conquer the ground between themselves and their goals. Starting anew by always picking new challenges is the constant mode of action.
Prometheus
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