Reflections on Immediatism and Aesthetics
Victor Cirone
Intersections conference journal September 7, 2016 DOI: 10.25071/1718-4657.36753 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Hakim Bey's Immediatist project, grounded in the cosmogonic notions of Chaos and nothing, provides an experiential foundation for interdependent non-dual wholeness and underpins his critique of 'the sleep of Order', calculative reason, and Western technological development, with implications for contemporary artistic practice, especially music. |
Abstract
This paper considers the aesthetic and political implications of Hakim Bey’s (also known as Peter Lamborn Wilson) Immediatist project. The paper begins with a discussion of the cosmogonic notions of Chaos and nothing that Bey adopts in his work and explores the ways in which these notions are foundational to his concept of Ontological Anarchy. It is then explained how, through indiscriminately drawing on a variety of mystical and magical traditions (from those of Pagan Greece and Ancient India to the contemporary Western Occult world) Immediatism aims to establish an experiential foundation for the reality of interdependent non-dual wholeness. In order to advance Bey’s critique of ‘the sleep of Order’, pathological (calculative) reason, and Western technological development, his work is brought into dialogue with that of schizoanalyst and philosopher Felix Guattari. The final part of this paper discusses the implications of Bey’s Immediatist project for contemporary artistic practice, with special emphasis placed on musical forms and the possibility of reviving Occidental sacred musical traditions. KEYWORDS: Hakim Bey, Peter Lamborn Wilson, Felix Guattari, Chaos, Nothing, Ontological Anarchy