NP,ex- Very Misc. : On Philip K. Dick

[rich]

On 6/12/09, Paul Mackin <mackin.paul at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> as a young person I see the appeal of that intimate group of like
>> minded sharing a profound secret
>> now, that i'm a bit older, I can honestly say the idea of gnosticism
>> as represented fills me with abhorrance
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> What! You don't want transcendence or somethin'
>
> P
>
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who doesn't--but too many mansons, jones's and hale-bopp jerk offs
floating around.

also, is it the nature of the keeping the secret or the secret
itself--in both cases, what are u transcending? doesn't it keep you
from a more inclusive, open embrace of life which is mostly pain and
sadness
and if you are beyond and you go off on yr merry way with your little
group of transcenders, what does that say about humankind's thrist for
such things?  I got mine, fuck off. its the ultimate capitalist dodge

I think Pynchon is ambivalent (and a bit paranoid about who is
bringign down the word from the other side) about the intrusion of
such otherworldlies into our own cruel and sad one--the longing is
there but in this place of ours that's the best we may ever get,
longing. what makes Pynchon different from the mystical obsession of
some like Dick (even more so in his later life)--maybe he was pierced
by that pink beam or whatever but all that mystical shit is really
tiresome; Pynchon knows when to give it a rest and bring it all back
down to earth (TWIT anyone?)

but what do I know, i live in the belly of the balls of satan, NYC

rich