Ok, so we look around the world and it's falling apart economically and politically. Resources are tapped out, the privileged few are sitting fat and getting fatter on all the wealth, and we're heading for the first 21st century equivalent of the French and American Revolutions on a global scale. What's it going to look like? I suspect it's going to be beautiful and terrible, all at once. I'm feeling pretty lucky to be alive. This is some good shit.
In the last Aeon, rulership of the land (and all the benefit that comes from this) was passed down generationally to an elite and wealthy Oligarchy. The outer order of faces that ruled countries and had political power morphed, but in general the wealthy power-dealers have maintained their status and power regardless of whether their country went fascist, communist, or democratic. Privilege was inherited.
Does everyone remember Hagbard Celine's lesson on Privilege? A quick refresher, "privilege" is latin for "Private Law." The people of society with privilege are not answerable to the same laws as the common man or woman. We see examples of this most clearly in celebrity gossip here in the US. If I destroyed a posh hotel room, held a woman hostage, and confessed to doing it all while high on over 7 grams of crack cocaine, I wouldn't have a national tour where I went around bragging about it. I'd be in jail. Serving time. And I wouldn't even be getting as harsh of a sentence as those of a different cultural demographic would. There are degrees of privilege. Everyone in America does NOT get held to the same standards of accountability as everyone else.
But like I said, we're living in exciting times of revolution. Privilege is directly impacted by wealth. The more wealth you have, the greater the privilege. We have the internet. The internet is a license to print currency. It is a gold. mine. Through it, we have access to more wealth than anyone has ever had at their beck and call in the history of mankind. Global markets, the power to reach everyone through Android apps.
If only one person in 10,000 likes your product, you can still reach 36,098 people through the internet. How much a month would you need to make off 36,098 people to live the lifestyle of privilege reserved for the wealthy elite in previous eras? Even if every one of them were so poor they could only afford to spend $5 a year on your product, that's $180k a year. That's enough to start a minor fiefdom if you live somewhere with a low cost of living.
One of the Revelations of Jupiter I've had explained it to me this way: What once was Privilege is being alchemically transmuted in this day and age into Opportunity. Anyone can do anything. It takes work, but there is also grace.
And Magicians get to tap right into that. It's right there on the other side of the Gate of Jupiter. Walk on through and enjoy the show. Open up the taps and let the prosperity flow. El/Jove, Iophial, Hasmodai. Just waiting. For you. To call.
Will it all be easy? Course not. Fuck you if you're lazy, and fuck you if you're greedy too, it doesn't work that way. You get your resources for ruling your world based on your needs. Do you need to be wealthy and powerful to accomplish your goals? No? Maybe you need to AIM HIGHER then, because if you really wanted what you can have from Hermetic Magic, then your goals should require wealth and power, imho.
In this age, that which has been Privilege before has been transmuted into Opportunity. It's at your fingertips, waiting for you to seize it. Seize it!
Head for the Red: The ongoing adventures and insights of a magician's attempts to accomplish the Great Work.
I couldn't agree more. I started my blog with the sole purpose of building an audience for potential products and services. Like the saying goes "the game is to be sold, not told." But seriously, I have been thinking a lot lately about the potential that magicians have to create the lifstyles they desire and change the world in the process. Reading my copy of "Aradia: Gospel of the Witches" again recently I was reminded of a spirit of rebellion and civil disobedience that is missing from the mindset of many a modern magician. One theme within the book is that witchcraft can and should be used as a tool to level the playing field between the ruling class and the people when there power and position is being abused. Whining, or rolling over and taking it won't change things, but action both physical and metaphysical will. I return the soapbox back to R.O. Excellent post.
ReplyDeleteHttp://crossroadsorcery.blogspot.com
I think is is more along the lines that Globalism doesn't work. It can't work because the playing field isn't level. This is why there is economical crisis. This is why there is political crisis. It is all because our conglomerate-governments are trying to level the playing field when it shouldn't be level at all. Every location and nation has their own unique set of problems and limited resources.
ReplyDeleteThe only way these problems can be solved is by the ingenuity and protectionism of nationalism, not globalism.
As for the Aeon thing? Well, you know I don't believe in that thelemic junk, but I hope there is a change coming, if only by crisis, to restore the natural order.
Should everyone be held to the same level of accountability? Heck no. No one in nature is 100 percent equal, so equality has to be a lie. The role of a national leader is very different from a lumberjack and thusly has to live by slightly modified rules. They should however be held accountable by the standards of their class or role.
Should magic be used as a status equalizer? Only if the magician is completely solid in knowing the exact role the opponent is playing, why s/he is doing those actions, know what those actions will produce in the long term, and whether or not it is good for society.
Thats pretty complex and I am not sure the run of the mill type of magician is smart enough.
Just my dollars and some change...
Sigh. I think I have went down a whole other topic alltogether.