Customer Reviews

Apocalypse Culture

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"The Apocatastis: We are living during the time of a great apocatastis, the Greek term for the return of all things that have been lost and the revelation of all things at the end of time."

The apparent thesis of Adam Parfrey's APOCALYPSE CULTURE is that all insane, mind-blowing and utterly bizarre ideas, theories and behaviors will be manifested and then the end will come. The book, published in the late 80's, is a collection of essays, short stories, articles, rambling tid-bits and other odds-and-ends from a variety of authors. The prevailing themes in APOCALYPSE CULTURE could be classified as conspiracy theory, paranoia, schizophrenia, apocalypticism, surrealism, ultra-anarchism, nihilism, libertarianism, anti-materialism, Luddite, anti-establishment, occultism, Satanic, and egotism.

A number of the essays stood out. "Infernal Texts" is a collection of quotes from various sources about man's total worthlessness and the need for a massive upheaval to eradicate the false social order that is now in place. "The Invisible War" by ... La Vey is about how constant sensory bombardments upon human beings in the modern world constitutes a collective genocide against humanity. "The Cereal Box Conspiracy" details the negative effects of sugar breakfast cereal marketing towards children, how it takes advantages of their inner fears and sexual ambiguity. "From the Mark of the Beast to the Black Messiah Phenomenon" is about a Christian researcher's theories as to who the antichrist is, and the antichrist will apparently be a black man who will be worshipped by Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and others the world over. "Eugenics: the Orphaned Science" presents the pro-eugenics position, and gives quotes of famous people who argued for improving the biological stock of mankind through selective breeding. "The Christian Right, Zionism and the Coming Penteholocaust" is an especially disturbing and interesting study examining the relationship between militant Israelis and their Christian fundamentalist supporters in the US. Their goal is a 'Greater Israel' in the Middle East with a rebuilt Temple and Jewish control of most of Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Lebannon. This is supposed to be a part of Biblical prophecy, according to the fundies, and it is necessary for this set up to occur before World War III begins and Christ can return. "Vengeance in Secret Societies" studies how secret societies in world history used violence and terrorism to further their political goals, starting with the Assassins in the Middles East during the time of the Muslim Caliphate. "The Call to Chaos" by James Shelby Downard is one of the most ???--huh things I've read--something about a magical bottle at the test site of the first nuclear bomb and it has something to do the the cabalistic/Masonic uniting of the mystical male and female sexual energies. Speaking of nukes, the last essay, "Meditations on the Atom and Time" will blow your mind as it relates how the nuclear bomb has achieved godlike status in our collective psyche.

An important lesson to be learned from APOCALYPSE CULTURE considering the popularity of US meddling in Middle Eastern affairs today: "It is an ancient belief of black magic that manifesting the presence of the diety required sacrifice of human victims. It was also believed that the life energy of the victims would increase the potency and longevity of the sorcerer. A mass sacrifice might even confer enough energy to make the sorcerer immortal. Could this be the reason among the circles of the Christian Right, that the Penteholocaust, the sacrificial burning of death, will invoke Christ the vampire and render his disciples immortal."

_Apocalyspe Culture_ edited by Adam Palfrey (second edition) is a hard book to classify; perhaps the closest one could get is to describe it as a compilation of alternative writings on the sorry state of current society.

The book is divided into two parts. The first part points to the evidence of our society's moral decay, with essays ranging from one that encourages self-castration, to an interview with an admitted necrophiliac, to the Muslim program as outlined by Elijah Muhammed. The second part of the book purports to show the sociopolitcal results of the decay of our culture, and includes an essay by the founder of the Church of Satan, much about the supposedly secret role that the Freemasons play in the political arena, and the connection between the atomic bomb and mysticism.

This book isn't for everyone, particularly not the faint of heart because of some of the photos included. However, I found it interesting, if disturbing, reading. Highly recommended for people who think the world's going to hell in a handbasket, or just like to read material about the outer fringes of society.

Reality is mediated, and most people don't have the time or interest in exploring different realities -- but for those of us who know that reality is a strange and wonderful place, AC is alot of fun. This book opens up the world for the reader and explores regions of mankind which are ignored by the national media. Get this book and read it, and never again be satisfied with the commodified, safe version of humankind delivered by traditional sources. Conspiracy, freaks, the end of civilization; Take a look.

Ah, a book displaying the fears and conspiracy theories of the eighties (a bad time period indeed). Oh, sure, there are still 'interesting' people out there right now, but i recommend reading this book as solely the relic of a bygone era. According to some accounts in the books, we should already have mechanical replacments for every organ, and have our hands serve as credit cards. Oh, and the apocalypse is already supposed to have happened. Perhaps the only use for this book is to read it for the shock value, for it still supplies plenty of that. The oft-lauded tale of the necrophiliac is actually quite tame compared to the interveiw with Peter Soto- a misogynist, sado-masochist who admires someone who tortured a girl to death after raping her in every way possible (and then the book goes on to say free speech as we know it is going down the drain, presumably because of this man's arrest. Ideals in the wrong places guys?)
However, not all of the articles are solely for shock value. 'Agriculture: demon instrument of civilization' has fascinating things to say about 'progress,' Surprisingly other articles are down-right boring (as if we didn't already know about revenge in secret societies!), but this doesn't mean that the book as a whole doesn't have the effect on the reader it's supposed to have. I made the mistake of reading some over midnight, and sub sequentially lost a night of sleep!
This book could be read by those with weak stomachs, but i don't recommend it for those who still have faith in human beings. It is not the 'truths' presented in it (weather control? really.) but the people who write those truths that are so upsetting.

There are definitely some different strokes for some pretty different folks depicted here--and some of these folks are *not* going to stroke you the right way. But as a look-see into what's really "out there" out there--here's a book that will give you things you haven't seen before. If you don't mind sampling some radical points of view on some pretty way-out things (fetishes and mutilation anyone?), give it a shot. Just remember--this book might shoot back. And they use live ammo during the Kali-yuga.

When Apocalypse Culture first made its rounds through the publishing industry, it was hailed as a near revelation. Now, over a decade later, it continues to invoke a sense of the underlaying chaos running rampant in the minds of millions. Many of the reactions can be judged en masse; revealing the phycophyciatry of the shadow side of America's most extreme tendrils.

Althrough not as shocking as its successor, it is just as relevant. The main thing one must remember is that this is a Feral House book; it's only for those who are either strong of stomach and/or cynical and looking for a jolt.

One of the highlights about the material covered in this tome is that it comes from such a variety of viewpoints; there are articles by wannabe serial killers, an admitted necrophiliac and and myriad others, all scraping for a place in the sordid landscape of medernism gone awry.

I look at it as mainly a study of subersive counter-culture- nothing more, nothing less. It will most likely continue provoking controversy and igniting sparks of angst, but this is, after all, part of Apocalypse Culture's undeniable charm.

All in all, this is one hell of a ride.

I was looking for the First Edition since it contains James Shelby Downard's essay called King Kill 33.
I was expecting it to be more rare and thus more expensive, bt it just hapeened to be the cheapest one.
The condition is fairly decent and I have yet to read it all.

Just be sure to click the link in the product description to the other page that has the first editions if that is the one you want like I did.

I remember when this came out. Somewhat like a previous commenter had mentioned, this was on the shelf of every wannabe anti-hero of the 90s. It is very interesting, informative and well compiled. The doom and gloom can be cloying, but like the title says, it's "Apocalypse Culture!"
Editing is a different matter. There are some mistakes and it seems that Parfrey sometimes wishes to drive home the fact that he is no dilettante by generously peppering the entire work with sesquipedalian words (like so).
I know I am happy to have it again.

Heady book with a profound impact for thinking types. Well worth the read. Shocking, provocative and memorable. Then again, that's to be expected from Feral House.

Every thought, every crackpot ideology will be revealed -- and then the world will come to an nd. That's the driving point behind "Apocalypse Culture,_ a comependium of extreme, radical and malevolent thought. One wishes that this book, and not RE Search's "Modern Primitives" caught on with the public. We would be looking at some very interesting art and literature right now, in lieu of stupid piercings and tattoos.