Finally read Aleister Crowley and the Temptation of Politics by Marco Pasi. I am especially happy to see a true scholar directly take on the role of politics in the life and thought of the Magus of the Aeon. It is a brilliant book, which is most notable, in my opinion, for the fact that it acknowledges Crowley’s ambiguities. Pasi is sophisticated enough to not see consistency in Crowley’s political views and smart enough to stop looking for it. Crowley was both a man of the left and right, liberal and conservative, modernist and reactionary, both a fierce patriot and one revolted by the degeneracy of his beloved nation. I particularly like the author’s characterization of AC as a conservative revolutionary. Sounds familiar. Like many geniuses, including Thomas Jefferson, Crowley’s politics cannot be pigeon-holed in some convenient category created of opinions to one’s liking. I think pride was an important concern for Crowley, as it is for me. For example, I particularly find the current presidency an insult. Obama’s war against what he calls the “Charter of Negative Liberties”— i.e. restrictions against the power of government to interfere with the autonomy of the individual—is disheartening. I believe the ideological design of America’s founding documents to instead be Charters of Human Liberty, like Crowley’s Liber Oz. “Democracy [indeed] dodders.” We’ll see where it goes from here. I must mention that I had the expensive hardcover of this book on order the moment it was announced in 2013 (or earlier?). When I learned the paperback was available, I still gallantly awaited the hardcover. I finally surrendered and ordered the paperback. Opening its pages to the undersized typography and narrow margins—hallmarks of both bad book design and poor economic choices by publishers—I had to wait to read it till I got the prescription renewed for my eyeglasses. Glad I didn’t spend the $90 for the hardcover. With that sole caveat, this book is infinitely worth reading. In fact, I cannot recommend it highly enough. I learned much here and especially appreciate the author’s fastidious lack of speculation on questions to which he does not know the answer. Ariel Godwin’s English translation is excellent.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Apr 2014 20:31:29 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015