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ANUS Unites Realists

Nationwide Meeting Summons Reality Advocates

February 11, 2008
ANUS News

NEW YORK, New York - On February 8th, delegates from throughout the northeastern United States and Canada convened in the New York metropolitan area for this year's ANUS & Corrupt symposium, the first annual convention dedicated to the advancement of nihilist philosophy across broad geographic ranges. The three-day convention, which bore the theme of "Symbolism and Aesthetics", culminated on Sunday in a visit to New York City for the appreciation of classical and heavy metal art forms.

Co-organizer of the event, staff member Faustian Dreams, explained: "Our thesis is that the situation of the modern world can be conceptualized as both a failure to maintain the transparency of symbolism in our societies, as evidenced by the compartmentalization and destruction of natural systems, as well as a replacement of aesthetic design as a guiding principle with a misperceived 'functionalism'. Resultantly, our environs are rendered incoherent--a disconnect which presents many well-meaning individuals with the dilemma of maintaining consistence across all domains of their personal lives." Upon request of clarification of his statements, he refused to provide further comments, muttering something about eugenics and the defilement of language.

In a gesture that suggested nothing less than the trustfulness charateristic of the noble-minded, delegates were provided with little else than concise information disclosed by organizers in the preceding weeks to aid in the navigation of public transportation systems to scheduled pick-up locations. This, in stark contrast to the increased dependence on excess data that has come to define the Information Age, as well as the sense of alienation and distrust that dominates interpersonal relationships, would prove to be the first of many points of divergence between adherents to nihilist philosophy and the general populace.

The popular misconception that organizational adherence, particularly to such groups as ANUS or Corrupt which espouse third position sociopolitical ideologies, promotes intellectual unilaterality and stifles discourse, was debunked as distinct personalities emerged in the course of dialogue during the opening ceremonies, the latter of which commenced with dinner at a local vegetarian Indian restaurant. Young professionals and college students offered multiple perspectives on contemporary issues, without ever regressing into pessimism or bigotry. Rather, idealism dominated these discussions, regardless of which issues entered consideration.

Saturday was dedicated to hiking in Worthington State Forest at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, despite forecasts indicating inclement weather. Rain turned into snow as the party approached the Kittatinny Ridge, which offered respite from a potentially uncomfortable experience. Dialogue waxed epic, urged on by the surrounding beauty of the region, ranging from the revival of caste roles to the prevalance of rites of passage in traditional cultures. Along the way, the group satiated their hunger for mischief by sacrificing the party's weakest link to stormgods eager to break their fast. The group's remaining members celebrated the evening with light-hearted discussion and a meager parcel of Ghanian rice biscuits at the home of a co-organizer.

The concluding day of the symposium featured an outing to New York City, a first-time visit for many guests, where local members of the organization joined the core group stationed in New Jersey. The Budapest Symphony Orchestra performed Richard Strauss' vivid "Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche" and a waltz from his "Rosenkavalier" under the conduction of Ivan Fischer, followed the main performance piece, Bela Bartok's expansive opera, "Bluebeard's Castle". After an exquisite dinner at Zen Palate in Midtown, participants headed over to B.B. King Blues Club near Broadway, where Averse Sefira, Belphegor, and Immolation supported Rotting Christ on their "Lucifer Over America" tour.

Though opinions varied as to the quality of the metal concert, all in attendance acknowledged the supremacy of the classical art form and its adherence to consistency and precision in the representation of discrete ideas. Nevertheless, devout Hessians among the group identified such a goal to be inherent in exemplars of heavy metal music. To that extent, the experience of two such perfomances in tandem proved an indispensable experience.

After returning to the homes of the co-organizers--an ordeal that was eventful in itself--participants continued their assessment of the weekend, without regard for early morning departures. Mutual agreement was established concerning the pursuit of subsequent meetings, with the goal of even greater outreach. In their final hours of common company, one Corrupt members, who works as an environmental scientist in Washington, D.C., commented: "As strange as it may seem, these past few days seem more real to me than the 'reality' to which I am returning." Indeed, in the face of a loosely threaded and disintegrating semblance of necessity draped upon our modern society, such a sentiment was justly shared by all in attendance.

Perhaps, as the world sifts through its indefinite possibilities, and as the interplay of will yields to the momentum effected by the dedicated few, the apparent dichotomy between vocation and authenticity shall cease to exist.

About ANUS

The American Nihilist Underground Society advocates nihilism, or a removal of interpretive layers from our perception of physical reality, as a means of transcending illusion. Nihilism denies value and purpose, which are byproducts of the human desire to judge reality and make a consensual "social reality" that by seizing on a single material factor misses the intelligible, or design-based, knowledge we need to adapt to reality. ANUS has been promoting nihilism since 1987.

http://www.anus.com/

About Nihilism

Nihilism is the belief that nothing we perceive has Absolute value; reality exists, but beyond its inherent meaning to us as the physical container of our existence, it has no significance outside of what we perceive. "The world is my representation," indeed. When we strip away all of the values projected onto physical reality and its outcomes, we are left only with personal ideal and natural ideal, and bringing the former into adaptation with the latter is the lifetime task to which nihilism is a gateway.

http://www.nihil.org/