World Famous Comics: T.A.Z.: The Temporary Autonomous Zone (Autonomedia New Autonomy Series)
T.A.Z.: The Temporary Autonomous Zone (Autonomedia New Autonomy Series)
By: Hakim Bey Publisher: Autonomedia Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Autonomedia Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 160 Publication Date: September 01, 2003
Product Description: Inspiration for a generation of troublemakers and idealists. Both celebrated in the punk underground (where the original book has become a seminal text) and denounced in academic anarchist circles, the book has proved itself as both influential and relevant to multiple generations of dreamers, agitators, and activists. Hakim Bey's first book, originally published in 1985, refers in its title to "a mobile or transcient location free of economic and social interference by the State," and through a series of incendiary communiques, short essays, and poetic historical analysis insists on the production of greater autonomy in the present moment, rather than the acceptance of domination in exchange for the promise of some future utopia.
Brought a tear to my eye This small book is so big in ideas. This man truly understands the beauty and love of freedom itself.
I'm not saying this as an "Anarchist" or -ist or -tarian or -whatever. I like this book for the thoughts in its essays.
And yes, indeed, I do want somehow to find/create even for a brief time a truly T.A.Z... Perhaps on an artificial island in the pacific? Or perhaps in a decade or so with our economy trashing we can have "Free Cities" briefly?
Wisdom, or laughing madman's ANARCHY OF THE MIND? For me, this is the kind of head trip I enjoy reading. It's not deep, but it can be. It's not serious, but it can lead to some very serious considerations. Actually, much of this book is outrageously funny. It's like Salvatore Dali rewriting the Dharmapada on LSD. Maybe what makes this book interesting, is the way it CONFRONTS you on so many levels. Sometimes, you are confronted by your sense of decency. Other times, you are confronting why you have the sense of humor you do. Because I found myself laughing over and over, about a story conserning incest producing a small tribe of half crazed gypsies living within the lonely trailors in the Pine Barrens. But mostly, the book confronts the mediocracy of normalacy. What can you say when a man tells you, "HEY, mysticism doesnt dissolve the Ego, only Death does that, nor does mysticism destroy the carnal desires." It sounds like a wise jester at our disposal. In fact, history tells us that the most enlightened zen masters, were ALWAYS seen as madmen, just as you have "divine idiots" in eastern Christianity, or crazed yogis who tell you the meaning of life, is that life has no meaning. Or whatever. This book takes the stuffing out of SO MUCH, and with great insight, and black humor, that you cant put it down. Hey, what can you say if someone writes down a title chapter as "BLACK MAGIC AS A REVOLUTIONARY ACTION"? To me, its back to the yippies trying to levitate the Pentagon, back in the 1960s peace marches. So, the book's not demonic, just confrontational. Indeed, its primarily a book about how to be an ANARCHIST. Or, how to conduct LIVING THEATER to confront the banality of existence. Let's have a revolution, and make Popeye our new leader. (We've done worse.) As such, Bey's work could easily be the philosophical underpinning of NEVER MIND THE BULLOCKS HERE'S THE SEX PISTOLS. (The book has a very "punk" Zeitgeist, mixed with Yippie revolution philosophy.) This is someone that sees that the problems on earth, are caused NOT by individuals, as much as its caused by Countries, Institutions, Churches, Colleges, as well as a whole sleu of "-ISMS" that produce philosophical, theological, economic, or political points of view, that often OBSCURE our views on the world, and cause wars, rather than clarifiy our role in life, and bring peace. I think Bey is a FREE THINKER, trying to break thru the crystalized conformities and stale philosophies that have frozen our minds into robotic mode. If we take ourselves too seriously, or take the ideas of institutions too seriously, we might miss the most important thing that CAN happen to us in our lives. WE MIGHT HAVE AN ORIGINAL IDEA OF OUR OWN. And, if POETIC TERRORISM is about anything, it might just be about that. How to break free of the NORMAL, to find the truth in the TRANS-NORMAL. So, if you have a strong sense of humor, and dont mind seeing a little bit of IDOL smashing going on, this is a book for you.
Grand! A masterpiece, quite possibly the best book I have ever read! Hakim Bey managed to synthesize the philosophical statement that I have been looking for my whole life! It is good to see such an articulate voice out there who managed to "see through" the paradigm -the Spectacle- and suggest such creative and joyous ways for all humans realize their TRUE POTENTIAL. I've always felt that mysticism and all that consciousness-expansion talk had received a bad stigma because of all the "new age" framing it undertook, but Bey manages not only to "deframe" this concept, and poetically shows the VALUE that such practices can have to "free one's mind" - show people that they need not be oppressed, dogmatic, hive-minded SLAVES, that they truly are MONARCHS. Mysticism helps in a way that it provides methods for the individual rid himself of the "inner cops" inside their heads -all the social programming of generations, sabotaging us by our Freaudian Superegos. Deep inner changes, deep inner consciousness are monstrous catalysts for social reforms -accompanied by good wine and sense of humour- in true anarchist fashion, as Bey rightly states, even though I have a feeling his intent was more focused on change on an individual level...
Well, it was definitely the first book that made me laugh and cry hysterically, but I understand it might be too overwhelming to some...
I'm hopeful that younger generations, such as mine (I'm 20) have the opportunity to be presented to such work, especially at an early age... Man, why haven't I read this back in my schooldays? I might just have quit everything and ran into the woods! =D
5*s
what do Jello Biafra and Hakim Bey have in common? I saw Jello Biafra speak last night. I had no real desire to listen to him babble but he spoke at a club I work at and I thought a friend of mine might who wasn't too familiar with the former Dead Kennedy might enjoy it if for no other reason than a change of pace and a chance to get out of the house. I saw Jello speak some fifteen years ago at the Univ. of GA. He seemed more animated/theatrical then- or maybe I was just more into what was spewing from his oropharynx. Last night I found his word drool contained a humorous line here or there but was largely boring to just plain tiresome. Whine, whine, whine about the Bush admin and the Dems- for four freaking hours! Well, I guess he LOVES sitting around collecting hundreds of juicy little facts about everyone in the current administration and all the huge companies (Haliburton, et al)they are connected to. I was really hoping that he would show video of the ongoing NBA Draft that was on ESPN and, with each announced pick, he would take a moment offers his opinions (in between all the commentary against Bush). Jello: "Randy Foye chosen by Portland. I realy like this guy! He could be a star ala D. Wade. But wait- he's been traded to Minnesota for Brandon Roy, who may be the most complete player in the draft. So Roy goes to the Trailblazers and Foye will play alongside the "Big Ticket" Kevin Garnett in the Twin Cities. If you are a T'wolves fan you gotta be pleased so far..." What would the crowd have thought? Just a pipedream, I suppose. So what does this have to do with Hakim Bey's collection of essays The Temporary Autonomous Zone (ontological anarchy and poetic terrorism). At the spoken word there was a table set up for a local "infoshop"- an anarcho/lefty bookstore. Everytime they table one of the clubs shows I go up and ask them if they have Bey's TAZ. They never seem to, which is curious to me. I wonder Biafra (or anyone in the crowd) has read it. If he has he either a) doesn't agree w/ Bey or b) he really, really LOVES (his true desire) to gather info on all the amoral activities and motives of politicians and add it to his catalogue. Effectively Jello is engaging in the reproduction of death/death imagery, something Hakim despises. I side with Bey. I first read TAZ about thirteen years ago and loved it. It was humorous, frank, cutting, and I enjoyed the word play. Even the review quotes on the back were funny. I still like it. I'll leave you with what my coworker Al said after I lent it to him: "It's the only rant I've ever read that made me want to jack-off."
Most likely COINTELPRO Hakim Bey/Peter Lamborn Wilson is most likely COINTELPRO-if not literally at least metaphorically. I highly recommend looking at John Zerzan's reaming of this con artist in Running on Emptiness. For gullible wannabe anarchists, beware-you will be indoctrinated into becoming apathetic, self centered/indulgent and rendered quite useless if you subscribe to any of Bey's ideas.
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