RAW semantics
@rawsemantics.bsky.social
Robert Anton Wilson & related blog. Semantic maps, masks, models & muddles. Frames & metaphors. Author of 'Lazy Person's Guide to Framing' (Futura Press, 2023).
http://rawsemantics.home.blog / https://newsframes.wordpress.com/
http://rawsemantics.home.blog / https://newsframes.wordpress.com/
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RAW semantics
@rawsemantics.bsky.social
· Jun 17
Right Men, Natural Law & Platonic Free Markets – part 2
Platonic Free Markets and the Platonic Free Market of Ideas – through the Robert Anton Wilson lens…
rawsemantics.home.blog
Part 2 of new post - 'Right Men, Natural Law & Platonic Free Markets'. Goes into more detail on Platonic Free Markets & the so-called "Free market of ideas". #RobertAntonWilson rawsemantics.home.blog/2026/06/17/r...
Super piece, on which I've left a few comments. We can appreciate the skills of, say, nurses, without elevating them to the status of Super-Important All-Around Geniuses. So why do many folks elevate idiots with successful money-making skills to that Top Dog status? bsky.app/profile/r-mi...
On very recent swath-wide AI gurus pronouncing probable AI-caused megadeaths, and how the 1% are trash and always were.
Smoke ‘Em If Ya Got ‘Em?
Apocalypse Now Or: A Dreaded Philosophical Anthropology Writ Large
overweeninggeneralist.substack.com
September 11, 2026 at 2:41 PM
Super piece, on which I've left a few comments. We can appreciate the skills of, say, nurses, without elevating them to the status of Super-Important All-Around Geniuses. So why do many folks elevate idiots with successful money-making skills to that Top Dog status? bsky.app/profile/r-mi...
Reposted by RAW semantics
Another (related) difference between 80s/90s RAW/Leary futurism & 2026 Silicon Valley - the latter bets on societal COLLAPSE & need for secure elite zones. Leary & RAW tended to gamble optimistically on societal SUCCESS. Two potentially self-fulfilling prophecies: dystopia & utopia. Not the same.
September 3, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Another (related) difference between 80s/90s RAW/Leary futurism & 2026 Silicon Valley - the latter bets on societal COLLAPSE & need for secure elite zones. Leary & RAW tended to gamble optimistically on societal SUCCESS. Two potentially self-fulfilling prophecies: dystopia & utopia. Not the same.
Reposted by RAW semantics
Difference between 80s/90s RAW/Leary futurism & 2026 Silicon Valley - latter revolves around billionaires ideologically ready to sacrifice most of humanity. RAW & Bucky Fuller, in contrast, interested in what works for all humanity. (I won't mention estimates of 700K deaths already caused by Musk).
August 29, 2026 at 4:17 PM
Difference between 80s/90s RAW/Leary futurism & 2026 Silicon Valley - latter revolves around billionaires ideologically ready to sacrifice most of humanity. RAW & Bucky Fuller, in contrast, interested in what works for all humanity. (I won't mention estimates of 700K deaths already caused by Musk).
New book from George Lakoff (now in his 80s) co-written by Srini Narayanan (scientist & AI research director at Google DeepMind, Zurich). Epic, pioneering work combining multiple fields, on neural systems, thought, language & more. Not for lightweights or lazy reviewers.
September 4, 2026 at 6:59 PM
New book from George Lakoff (now in his 80s) co-written by Srini Narayanan (scientist & AI research director at Google DeepMind, Zurich). Epic, pioneering work combining multiple fields, on neural systems, thought, language & more. Not for lightweights or lazy reviewers.
Reposted by RAW semantics
Of course. "Silicon Valley" in these short-form posts refers to the most prominent billionaires pushing a certain ideology. Shorthand, as I've said before. Which prominent voices would you list as pushing back against this dominant, grim elitist SV ideology? rawsemantics.home.blog/2024/08/06/t...
TSOG 2025 – & other scenarios
RAW’s Guns & Dope Party advocated “an end to Tsarism and a return to constitutional democracy”. Does a new Tech Tsarism seem on the cards?…
rawsemantics.home.blog
September 4, 2026 at 2:01 PM
Of course. "Silicon Valley" in these short-form posts refers to the most prominent billionaires pushing a certain ideology. Shorthand, as I've said before. Which prominent voices would you list as pushing back against this dominant, grim elitist SV ideology? rawsemantics.home.blog/2024/08/06/t...
Another (related) difference between 80s/90s RAW/Leary futurism & 2026 Silicon Valley - the latter bets on societal COLLAPSE & need for secure elite zones. Leary & RAW tended to gamble optimistically on societal SUCCESS. Two potentially self-fulfilling prophecies: dystopia & utopia. Not the same.
September 3, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Another (related) difference between 80s/90s RAW/Leary futurism & 2026 Silicon Valley - the latter bets on societal COLLAPSE & need for secure elite zones. Leary & RAW tended to gamble optimistically on societal SUCCESS. Two potentially self-fulfilling prophecies: dystopia & utopia. Not the same.
BBC reports "Russian strikes destroy 12 million books", targeting Ukraine's publishing houses, printing presses, second-hand book markets, etc. More than 35 publishing facilities hit - latest fuckery in Putin's twisted mass-murderous crusade against Ukrainian existence. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Russian strikes destroy 12 million books in Ukraine ahead of new school year
Ukraine says Russia is deliberately attacking its culture, after strikes on publishers and churches.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 31, 2026 at 11:01 AM
BBC reports "Russian strikes destroy 12 million books", targeting Ukraine's publishing houses, printing presses, second-hand book markets, etc. More than 35 publishing facilities hit - latest fuckery in Putin's twisted mass-murderous crusade against Ukrainian existence. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Some folks may've got the wrong end of the stick on this. RAW occasionally *referenced* the topics in question (ESP, "mental telepathy") in his books. But you wouldn't begin a short summary of what his books are "on" with those topics (which is what his Wiki currently does). bsky.app/profile/rawi...
RAWIllumination: Time to revise the Wikipedia article on RAW?
http://www.rawillumination.net/2026/08/time-to-revise-wikipedia-article-on-raw.html
http://www.rawillumination.net/2026/08/time-to-revise-wikipedia-article-on-raw.html
http://www.rawillumination.net/2026/08/time-to-revise-wikipedia-article-on-raw.html
www.rawillumination.net
August 29, 2026 at 11:26 PM
Some folks may've got the wrong end of the stick on this. RAW occasionally *referenced* the topics in question (ESP, "mental telepathy") in his books. But you wouldn't begin a short summary of what his books are "on" with those topics (which is what his Wiki currently does). bsky.app/profile/rawi...
Difference between 80s/90s RAW/Leary futurism & 2026 Silicon Valley - latter revolves around billionaires ideologically ready to sacrifice most of humanity. RAW & Bucky Fuller, in contrast, interested in what works for all humanity. (I won't mention estimates of 700K deaths already caused by Musk).
August 29, 2026 at 4:17 PM
Difference between 80s/90s RAW/Leary futurism & 2026 Silicon Valley - latter revolves around billionaires ideologically ready to sacrifice most of humanity. RAW & Bucky Fuller, in contrast, interested in what works for all humanity. (I won't mention estimates of 700K deaths already caused by Musk).
Gil Duran says the apocalyptic views popular in Silicon Valley look like Christian eschatology + tech. And that a billionaire cult "is chasing a self-fulfilling prophecy of societal collapse" (RAW warned in similar terms of the power of such "self-fulfilling prophecies"). youtu.be/lMM6LgeIbfc?...
Gil Durán and Wajahat Ali: The Rise of "The Nerd Reich”
YouTube video by Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California
youtu.be
August 28, 2026 at 11:22 PM
Gil Duran says the apocalyptic views popular in Silicon Valley look like Christian eschatology + tech. And that a billionaire cult "is chasing a self-fulfilling prophecy of societal collapse" (RAW warned in similar terms of the power of such "self-fulfilling prophecies"). youtu.be/lMM6LgeIbfc?...
And while I'm momentarily online, I want to say I think this paragraph in RAW's wikipedia entry does him a disservice. The idea he wrote books "on ESP, mental telepathy" etc comes from a poorly informed NYT obituary. (He *referenced* many things in his books of course). I hope someone corrects this.
August 27, 2026 at 8:26 PM
And while I'm momentarily online, I want to say I think this paragraph in RAW's wikipedia entry does him a disservice. The idea he wrote books "on ESP, mental telepathy" etc comes from a poorly informed NYT obituary. (He *referenced* many things in his books of course). I hope someone corrects this.
Reposted by RAW semantics
Tales of Illuminatus! #3 now available for KS backers! Print copies shipping out next week :))) www.kickstarter.com/projects/bob...
Update 3: Digital rewards are now available! Print on the way :))) · Tales of Illuminatus! #3 "Opus Chao"
The wheels are in motion!Digital copies of Tales of Illuminatus! #1 - 3 are now available in the digital rewards tab :)))Along with all three albums from the TOI soundtrack and the Windows version of ...
www.kickstarter.com
August 27, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Tales of Illuminatus! #3 now available for KS backers! Print copies shipping out next week :))) www.kickstarter.com/projects/bob...
Unputdownable read, and a positive sign (& no small achievement) that a book on these 'uncomfortable' but urgent matters by a debut author (@gilduran.com) makes it straight to NYT Bestseller status. (Btw, Musk's X *permanently* banned the author for his views)
August 27, 2026 at 7:08 PM
Unputdownable read, and a positive sign (& no small achievement) that a book on these 'uncomfortable' but urgent matters by a debut author (@gilduran.com) makes it straight to NYT Bestseller status. (Btw, Musk's X *permanently* banned the author for his views)
Advance pic #2 for Maybe Day 2026. #RobertAntonWilson. Hi-res version: rawsemanticshome.wordpress.com/wp-content/u...
July 2, 2026 at 7:32 PM
Advance pic #2 for Maybe Day 2026. #RobertAntonWilson. Hi-res version: rawsemanticshome.wordpress.com/wp-content/u...
Going offline for a few months, so a couple of advance pics for Maybe Day 2026. #RobertAntonWilson #1 Hi-res version: rawsemanticshome.wordpress.com/wp-content/u...
July 2, 2026 at 7:29 PM
Going offline for a few months, so a couple of advance pics for Maybe Day 2026. #RobertAntonWilson #1 Hi-res version: rawsemanticshome.wordpress.com/wp-content/u...
Reposted by RAW semantics
Palantir Acquires Pentagon For $800 Billion https://theonion.com/palantir-acquires-pentagon-for-800-billion/
June 30, 2026 at 10:00 PM
Palantir Acquires Pentagon For $800 Billion https://theonion.com/palantir-acquires-pentagon-for-800-billion/
Reposted by RAW semantics
Reposted by RAW semantics
Please do read Jaron Lanier's book. I've just re-read it. Amazing book, full of immediately relevant insights. Don't be put off by the title. It's a short, fun, hugely *essential* read. (Btw, 6yrs ago I wrote a post meshing Lanier & RAW's semantics: rawsemantics.home.blog/2020/08/13/r...)
June 30, 2026 at 3:38 PM
Please do read Jaron Lanier's book. I've just re-read it. Amazing book, full of immediately relevant insights. Don't be put off by the title. It's a short, fun, hugely *essential* read. (Btw, 6yrs ago I wrote a post meshing Lanier & RAW's semantics: rawsemantics.home.blog/2020/08/13/r...)
Please do read Jaron Lanier's book. I've just re-read it. Amazing book, full of immediately relevant insights. Don't be put off by the title. It's a short, fun, hugely *essential* read. (Btw, 6yrs ago I wrote a post meshing Lanier & RAW's semantics: rawsemantics.home.blog/2020/08/13/r...)
June 30, 2026 at 3:38 PM
Please do read Jaron Lanier's book. I've just re-read it. Amazing book, full of immediately relevant insights. Don't be put off by the title. It's a short, fun, hugely *essential* read. (Btw, 6yrs ago I wrote a post meshing Lanier & RAW's semantics: rawsemantics.home.blog/2020/08/13/r...)
Reposted by RAW semantics
Btw, FIRE's Nico Perrino asked me to comment further on my point that the main AI-"media" threats to speech in fact counter-intuitively exist OUTSIDE the "free speech vs censorship" dichotomy. I suspect it'll be misunderstood, but FWIW:
June 29, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Btw, FIRE's Nico Perrino asked me to comment further on my point that the main AI-"media" threats to speech in fact counter-intuitively exist OUTSIDE the "free speech vs censorship" dichotomy. I suspect it'll be misunderstood, but FWIW:
Reposted by RAW semantics
Yo Delaware! Stop by and say hi! Free art show at the Create Magic Art Shop on July 23rd from 11 AM - 8 PM :))) <3<3<3
June 27, 2026 at 8:53 PM
Yo Delaware! Stop by and say hi! Free art show at the Create Magic Art Shop on July 23rd from 11 AM - 8 PM :))) <3<3<3
Reposted by RAW semantics
So much of the AI / SM-algorithm problem/threat exists (by its nature) OUTSIDE the dichotomy of free speech vs censorship. One shouldn't try to conceptually crowbar it into that binary. Of course government overstepping remains a bad thing. But government isn't the only Big Coercive Entity in town.
June 27, 2026 at 10:38 AM
So much of the AI / SM-algorithm problem/threat exists (by its nature) OUTSIDE the dichotomy of free speech vs censorship. One shouldn't try to conceptually crowbar it into that binary. Of course government overstepping remains a bad thing. But government isn't the only Big Coercive Entity in town.
Reposted by RAW semantics
Jaron Lanier on Channel 4 News, 2018. Good summary of his views on social media. Silicon Valley insider, there at start, helped build foundations of current tech landscape, knows what he's talking about. Also vocal critic of the industry. @taylorlorenz.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc_J...
Jaron Lanier interview on how social media ruins your life
YouTube video by Channel 4 News
www.youtube.com
June 25, 2026 at 10:39 AM
Jaron Lanier on Channel 4 News, 2018. Good summary of his views on social media. Silicon Valley insider, there at start, helped build foundations of current tech landscape, knows what he's talking about. Also vocal critic of the industry. @taylorlorenz.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc_J...
Reposted by RAW semantics
I just signed Foxglove's petition to Andy Burnham: if you become our next PM, get Palantir out of our NHS. A secretive US spy tech firm with deep Trump ties has no business holding our health data. Add your name: www.foxglove.org.uk/campaigns/an...
Sign the petition to Andy Burnham: If you become our next Prime Minister, please get Palantir out of our NHS.
ADD YOUR NAME NOW!
www.foxglove.org.uk
June 25, 2026 at 5:11 PM
I just signed Foxglove's petition to Andy Burnham: if you become our next PM, get Palantir out of our NHS. A secretive US spy tech firm with deep Trump ties has no business holding our health data. Add your name: www.foxglove.org.uk/campaigns/an...
Jaron Lanier on Channel 4 News, 2018. Good summary of his views on social media. Silicon Valley insider, there at start, helped build foundations of current tech landscape, knows what he's talking about. Also vocal critic of the industry. @taylorlorenz.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc_J...
Jaron Lanier interview on how social media ruins your life
YouTube video by Channel 4 News
www.youtube.com
June 25, 2026 at 10:39 AM
Jaron Lanier on Channel 4 News, 2018. Good summary of his views on social media. Silicon Valley insider, there at start, helped build foundations of current tech landscape, knows what he's talking about. Also vocal critic of the industry. @taylorlorenz.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc_J...