AtDTDA: 19 Back in khagne [527/528]

[robinlandseadel at comcast.net]

Kit, sliding along several space-time axes, lands in Ostend, finding himself 
among fellow math-heads and anarchists. 'It was like being back in khagne', 
and could well be Berkeley right about now as well. On the previous page 
we encounter:

          . . . ."Young Congo"—persons of unfailing interest to the Garde 
          Civique as well as to those French Second Bureau Folks who 
          visited Brussels on a regular basis.

The thought is carried over to the next page:

          Fatou and Policarp were fleeing warrants issued in Paris. where even 
          the intent to advocate Anarchism was a crime.

Naturally, the discussion revolves around the finer points of Anarchist theory:

          "Like the Russian nihilists," Denis explained, "we are metaphysicians 
          at heart. There is a danger of becoming too logical. . . ."

Denis is a Stirnerite, and the Pynchonwiki is a mighty handy resource on that 
particular subject:

          Max Stirner's (1806-56) attacks on systematic philosophy, his denial of 
          absolutes, and his rejection of abstract concepts of any kind often 
          places him among the first philosophical nihilists. For Stirner, 
          achieving individual freedom is the only law; and the state, which 
          necessarily imperils freedom, must be destroyed. Even beyond the 
          oppression of the state, though, are the constraints imposed by others 
          because their very existence is an obstacle compromising individual 
          freedom. Thus Stirner argues that existence is an endless "war of each 
          against all". . . .

          . . . .Much complexity in properly understanding Stirner, who has some 
          Pynchon-like qualities, to say the least. . . .

          . . . .Much of Stirner's prose—which is crowded with aphorisms, 
          italicisation, and hyperbole—appears calculated to disconcert. Most 
          striking, perhaps, is the use of word play. Rather than reach a 
          conclusion through the conventional use of argument, Stirner often 
          approaches a claim that he wishes to endorse by exploiting words with 
          related etymologies or formal similarities. . . .

 http://tinyurl.com/2eshco

Of course, 'exploiting words with related etymologies or formal similarities' is
regular gambit in Pynchon's 'Great Game', not quite 'naming names', but getting
might close with puns and similar sounding nomenclature.

After giving the story of Sipido's attempted assassination of the Prince and 
Princess of Wales—"if one is out after Crown Prince, one needs caliber, not 
to mention a larger magazine."—the group admits they probably couldn't 
come up with twenty francs, even if they wanted to.