Info
Read excerpts from the book-in-progress:
1) “The Agent of Apathy” (12/14/2010, Reality Sandwich) — Over the last decade the cultural figure known as the “hipster” has increasingly turned into a target of scorn, despite an apparent disagreement over what the term means and to whom it refers. This semi-mythological character reveals our own compliance with barbaric totalitarianism, a fault we’ve been projecting onto others.
2) “The Not-So-Comfortable Concentration Camp” (or, the Consumer Concentration Camp; 3/29/2011, Reality Sandwich) — Propaganda tactics developed during World War I are now the foundation for our entire addiction-based consumer system. The dehumanizing force we now call “public relations” has been targeting demographic groups since the 1920s, starting with the American housewife.
3) “Double-Think and the Mental Construction of Reality” (9/19/2011, Reality Sandwich) — The concept of truth-seeking has long been a cornerstone of individualism. But in order to be effective as individuals, we have to make sure that our perception of reality actually contains a significant amount of what we call “truth.” So how can we ever be certain that we possess the actual truth? Is human objectivity even possible in reality?
4) “Death Within a Chrysalis” (online 10/24/2011, Beatdom) — Shorter version, “Kerouac: A Psychonaut in Denial” (11/10/2011, Reality Sandwich) — Jack Kerouac’s experiments with mescaline, ayahuasca, and psilocybin mushrooms influenced his 1962 novel Big Sur, just as earlier trials with peyote shaped his trademark “spontaneous prose” style. So why does the public still think he scorned psychedelics?
5) “Eating the Beat Menu” (Dec 2011, Beatdom issue #10 — online version coming soon! — download the manuscript PDF) — Jack Kerouac’s Dharma Bums and other statements on Buddhism heavily influenced the sector of the “counter culture” interested in spiritual matters. But in trying to spur a Western spiritual movement, Kerouac relied too much on ancient texts, missed out on the “religious” experience, and led us into a metaphysical dead-end.
This video briefly describes my book project (just ignore the part about Kickstarter):
For the last five years or so, I’ve been on a “search for truth.” The “real world” didn’t turn out to be how I expected, and I wanted an explanation. Now that I’ve found some answers, I’m writing a book. But I need your help!
I recently stopped working as a web manager in order to focus on writing full-time. The Internet allows creative workers to gather micro-payments to help support their work, and I think this is the perfect opportunity to try it for myself. I’ll be offering various gift packages for people who donate to support my project.
The nonfiction book will look at the place where the human race is stuck through topics such as creative evolution, consciousness, and madness, as symbolized by the life and work of “Beat Generation” writer Jack Kerouac.
The thesis of this book, to state it briefly, is that life, existence, and the universe are all, in a way, extensions of the subjective individual experience. So fixing society’s problems and improving our world all depend on the development of the individual mind. The working title for the book is All These Serious Faces Will Only Drive You Mad.
The project was conceived in July 2010, and I started writing in September. I expect to have the book ready for distribution by late 2011 or early to middle 2012 (updated June 2011), and it’ll likely end up being 300-400 pages long. This won’t be a very “academic” book, but it also won’t be geared towards the mainstream market.
At the same time, I will draw heavily on other works in an attempt to create a cultural collage and uncover new meaning. In other words, I think it’s time for a new kind of nonfiction book, and this will be an experiment with that goal in mind.
I wrote an update on 11/20/2010 to further explain the inspiration behind this project. Please visit the Updates page to see all blog posts. To see what GIFTS I’m offering to supporters, please visit the Support page.
About Me
My “official” background is in science and online media, but in my writing I also draw from psychology, philosophy, and literature. You can also visit the About Me page at nickmeador.org.
If you’re unfamiliar with my writing, feel free to check out some of my essays, stories, and other work on the Writing page of my personal website. The tone and subject matter will likely be similar to my essays published on Reality Sandwich. I also recently self-published the e-book Seeking the Upward Spiral, a collection of early works (essays, stories and poems) which is available as a free PDF download.
I created the artwork and video, but the song is by Jeff’s Holiday (used with permission): myspace.com/jeffsholiday
