Tom

William S. Burroughs's concept of the "Ugly Spirit" is complex and multifaceted, evolving throughout his life and work. It's not a straightforward idea, but rather a metaphorical representation of various negative forces that Burroughs believed influenced human behavior and society. Here's a breakdown of the key aspects:

Origins and Early Interpretations:

 * Personal Demon: Burroughs initially conceived the Ugly Spirit as a kind of personal demon, an external entity that possessed him and drove him to destructive actions. This idea stemmed from his lifelong struggles with addiction, guilt, and self-destructive tendencies. He even linked it to the accidental killing of his wife, Joan Vollmer, in 1951, suggesting that the Ugly Spirit was responsible.

 * Literary Catalyst: In his autobiographical novel Queer, Burroughs wrote that Vollmer's death brought him into contact with the "invader, the Ugly Spirit," and that this encounter forced him into a lifelong struggle, which he could only confront through writing. Thus, the Ugly Spirit became a catalyst for his creative process, a dark muse that fueled his work.

Evolution of the Concept:

 * Social Critique: Over time, Burroughs's understanding of the Ugly Spirit expanded beyond the personal realm to encompass broader social and political forces. He began to see it as a representation of "Monopolistic, acquisitive evil. Ugly evil. The ugly American," embodying the negative aspects of capitalism, consumerism, and American imperialism.

 * Control and Manipulation: The Ugly Spirit also became associated with the forces of control and manipulation that Burroughs believed were pervasive in society. This included government, media, and other institutions that sought to control individuals' thoughts and actions. He saw language itself as a tool of control, and his "cut-up" technique was a way to disrupt language and resist these forces.

Exorcism and Resistance:

 * Shamanic Ritual: In his later years, Burroughs even participated in a shamanic ceremony aimed at exorcising the Ugly Spirit, demonstrating the literalness with which he sometimes viewed this concept.

 * Writing as Sorcery: Burroughs considered his writing to be a form of "sorcery," a way to disrupt and challenge the forces of control represented by the Ugly Spirit. His experimental techniques and transgressive content were intended to break down conventional ways of thinking and perceiving reality.

Key Takeaways:

 * Metaphorical Representation: The Ugly Spirit is best understood as a metaphor for the various negative forces that Burroughs believed influenced human existence, both on a personal and societal level.

 * Dual Nature: It embodies both personal demons and broader social evils, reflecting Burroughs's own struggles and his critique of the world around him.

 * Catalyst for Creativity: The Ugly Spirit, despite its negative connotations, also served as a catalyst for Burroughs's creative process, driving him to write and explore the darker aspects of human experience.

 * Resistance to Control: Ultimately, the concept of the Ugly Spirit represents Burroughs's lifelong struggle against the forces of control and manipulation, his attempt to "write his way out" of their grasp.

It's important to note that Burroughs's concept of the Ugly Spirit is not always clearly defined or consistent. It's a complex and evolving idea that reflects his own unique worldview and experiences. However, by understanding its various aspects, we can gain a deeper appreciation of Burroughs's work and his critical perspective on society.

From Parable of the Talents:

Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought.

To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears.

To be led by a fool is to be led by the opportunists who control the fool.

To be led by a thief is to offer up your most precious treasures to be stolen.

To be led by a liar is to ask to be told lies.

To be led by a tyrant is to sell yourself and those you love into slavery.

What attracted you so much to Dick?

CARRÈRE

For me, he’s the Dostoyevsky of the twentieth century, the guy who understood it all. Actually, I am struck by his posthumous life—not only all the movies based on his books, but all the movies that aren’t, like The Matrix, The Truman Show, and Inception, that show reality disappearing behind its representation. It used to bother me that all these people didn’t admit their debt to Dick. But in the end, I think it’s great. What twenty years ago we called the world of Philip K. Dick is now just the world. We don’t need to cite him anymore. He’s won

Italy

Bar All'Arco Venice

Instagram Page

noun.

a shadow or faint image of something:In the south, where the Tibetan plateau begins its gradual rise, we can just glimpse the hazy adumbration of its mountains above the undulating horizon

ob·lo·quy

/ˈäbləkwē/

noun

strong public criticism or verbal abuse.

"he endured years of contempt and obloquy"

Similar:

vilification

opprobrium

vituperation

condemnation

castigation

denunciation

abuse

criticism

censure

flak

defamation

denigration

disparagement

derogation

slander

revilement

reviling

calumny

calumniation

execration

excoriation

lambasting

upbraiding

bad press

character assassination

attack

invective

libel

insults

aspersions

mudslinging

bad-mouthing

tongue-lashing

stick

verbal

slagging off

contumely

animadversion

objurgation

Opposite:

praise

disgrace, especially that brought about by public abuse.

Link to a reprise of the Trumpian phenomenon and a caution to us all against apathy and under estamating the peril we are still in.

Another figure who rises in that moment, and who remains central within Trump’s orbit, is Rudy Giuliani, who became mayor of New York in the 1990s after, interestingly enough, leading a riot of mostly off-duty New York policemen on the steps of City Hall to protest the Dinkins administration’s plans for an all-civilian police review board. Talk about an echo. The police riot at City Hall launched Giuliani into the NYC Mayor’s office. There he was again before the riot at the Capitol on stage with Trump calling for a “trial by combat.” #politics

From:  Karl Polanyi’s Great Transformation and the Countermovement to Capitalism

The outright abolition of democracy was the fascist project. In Polanyi’s view, it aimed to overcome society’s division into economic and political spheres by subordinating politics (democracy) to the unconstrained rule of capital. 

_____

Polanyi argued that democracy was not a political regime of capitalist society. Rather, democracy and capitalism were separate systems, pulling in opposite directions.

Mike Davis Riot on the Hill:

https://newleftreview.org/sidecar/posts/riot-on-the-hill

. What was essentially a big biker gang dressed as circus performers and war-surplus barbarians – including the guy with a painted face posing as horned bison in a fur coat – stormed the ultimate country club, squatted on Pence’s throne, chased Senators into the sewers, casually picked their noses and rifled files and, above all, shot endless selfies to send to the dudes back home. Otherwise they didn’t have a clue. 

Rebecca Solnit in Lithub:

"Rebecca Solnit: When the President of Mediocrity Incites an Insurrection"    January 7, 2021

The last four years have been dominated by Trump and Trumpists throwing tantrum after tantrum about the possibility that their entitlement might eventually run into limits. 

There are no identity politics more passionate (and sulky) than straight white Christian-identified male politics

the use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself; prevarication.

"I say this without equivocation"

From Wikipedia

It has been defined elsewhere as "turning expressions of the capitalist system and its media culture against itself"—as when slogans and logos are turned against their advertisers or the political status quo

From Logic Magazine

 

It seems to me that our politics these days require us to give each other the heart to do just that. To figure out how, with each other, we can open up possibilities for what can still be. And we can’t do that in in a negative mood. We can’t do that if we do nothing but critique. We need critique; we absolutely need it. But it’s not going to open up the sense of what might yet be. It’s not going to open up the sense of that which is not yet possible but profoundly needed.