Ali's Smile: Naked Scientology Read online

  The Reactive Mind, as set forth by Mr. Hubbard in the Clearing Course, is a model control instrument well worth the attention of anyone who is looking for inner freedom. Familiarity with this artifact gives one a considerable emancipation from crippling automatic reactions. Mr. Hubbard places the Reactive Mind in unimaginable antiquity, thus making any examination of its origin impossible. In view of a dim rusty label 'Made in USA September 17, 1889,' I cannot go along with this. My guess is that this control artifact was set up around the turn of the century. That is was largely the work of one man. That its purpose was and is to keep people enslaved on this planet, to block the exploration of space and to ensure a parasitic ersatz immortality for the founder andhis confederates. As long as anyone reacts to the Reactive Mind, HE is there. I have, in fact, an identical picture of this man. He was neither very famous nor completely obscure. He was neither very rich nor poor. He was probably a mathematician, perhaps a composer of music, almost certainly a Mayan scholar. The tip off came from the Mayan codices. To summarize my personal impression: I feel that Scientology has scratched some surfaces and turned up some leads. Experimentation and research carried out by workers in the fields of electronics, virology, cybernetics, biology, and operant conditioning could result in revolutionary advances.

  Mr. Hubbard says that the mere sight of his confidential materials would make any WOG - (His revealing term to designate those unversed in Scientology) - violently sick. I can claim some experience and skill in the scrivener's trade, but I could not undertake to write a few words guaranteed to make any appreciable number of readers physically sick. So, if this claim is justified, it is certainly a matter for investigation. I am sure that volunteers in abundance would step forward.

  Who would pass up an opportunity to read such potent prose? A head ache or a cold or the loss of the last supper is a small price to pay. This is not a frivolous suggestion. If words can make people vomit how are these particular words effecting the vomiting centers in the hypothalamus? Or is this claim put forward to give his followers a feeling of importance and to justify rather substantial fees?

  Only an actual test can give us the answer.

  If the Scientologists persist in a self-imposed isolation and in withholding their materials from those best qualified to evaluate and use them, they may well find themselves bypassed. Mr.

  Hubbard says he wants recognition for his discoveries. Well, let him then show his confidential materials free of charge and without any restrictions to qualified workers in other fields. He says he has the road to freedom. Others have been a long time on that road. At the Edinburgh Writer's Conference in 1952 Alex Troochi coined the phrase 'astronauts of inner space.' Let him show his confidential materials to the astronauts of inner space: Alex Troochi, Brion Ysin, Allen Ginsberg, Timothy Leary, to anthropologists like Castaneda and shamans like Don Juan. Let him show his material to mathematicians, computer programmers, biologists and virologists, to students of language like Marshall McLuhan and Noam Chomsky. Let him show his material to those who have fought for freedom in the streets, Eldridge Cleaver, Stokely Carmichael, Abbie Hoffman, Dick Gregory, to the veterans of Chicago and Paris and Mexico City.

  Above all, young people nave a right to see his materials. So let him set up a center and give his processing and materials free of charge and without restrictions of any kind to anyone under the age of 35. If he has what he says he has, the results should be cataclysmic. And the mass application of other techniques now available should produce even more interesting results. In my forthcoming book, The Job, I describe the experiments of doctor Neal E. Miller who has taught rats to lower blood pressure, reduce rate of heart beats, control digestion and breathing and brain waves. He has taught rats in one hour to do what yogis take 20 years to learn. Anything a rat can do you can do better, as subsequent experiments with human subjects have demonstrated.

  Quote from TIME, July 18, 1969, page 59...'Through the cerebrospinal nervous system, the mind is able to dominate much of the body, how a man walks, talks, etc. But the body's glandular and visceral processes, run by what the scientists call the automatic nervous system, have long been considered beyond the reach of conscious control. Now though, experimental psychologists have proved that the body's automatic nervous system can be taught.

  The results of such experiments tend to support the theory of mind over matter so long ridiculed by modern science. "People are reexamining old concepts like mind/body dualism" says Dr. Bernard Engel of the National Institute of Child Health in Baltimore. Engel's work in "automatic shaping" has enabled him to alter heart rates, and rhythms to alleviate irregular heart beats and high blood pressure. Other researchers have proved that man can learn to control even such functions as sweating, blood pressure, intestinal contractions and brain waves.

  The vistas are staggering. Dr. Joe Kamiya of the Langley Porter Neurological Institute in San Francisco, who has experimented with conscious regulation of brain waves, looks forward to the day when men will have "an internal vocabulary, a language he can use to explain more effectively and completely how he feels inside. In time we should be able to talk fluently about feelings such as brain wave production, blood pressure and so on."

  In one test eight of ten subjects were able to control the tone, emitting or suppressing brain waves as requested. Dr. Peter Lang has applied automatic learning to control the human heart rate.

  Thesubject becomes able, as Lang puts it, "to drive his own heart."

  "Man may be able to control his internal processes, to relieve insomnia, regulate digestion and improve sexual response."

  But, warns Dr. Neal Miller of the Rockefeller Institute..."The question now is whether automatic learning can be effective enough. We don't know yet."

  Well, why not find out? Let's condition people on an assembly line to control brain waves and bodily processes. This could lead to complete mood control. Any trip you want without drugs. Both psychiatric and Scientology processing are based on the assumption that a conflict brought into conscious focus loses power. Undoubtedly it does lose power temporarily. This method is rather like mending an interminable fence that keeps falling down behind you. So, instead of directing attention to the brain waves that accompany conflict, why not direct attention towards the brain waves that accompany calm and relaxation? Millions of people emitting alpha brain waves could cool the whole scene. Instead of going where the trouble is, why not go where the trouble isn't? It is time to get down to the bio electronics of the actual brain mechanism and tune conflict out.

  In his book, The Teachings of Don Juan, Castaneda described hallucinogenic drugs of devastating potency, drugs unknown to modern science. These drugs should be investigated and made available.

  Unimaginable extensions of awareness are now possible in terms of existing techniques. Let's set up a center where all these techniques are pooled and interchanged. Let's explore and chart inner space. Your inner space belongs to you. It is time to demand what is yours and to challenge anyone who claims to have knowledge of inner space to come out and show what he has.

  This brain wave control is not property. Alpha waves are the waves of sleep and dream, a relaxed calm state of mind. So we hold Alpha Festivals where 400,000 brains get together and emit alpha waves. Many other brain waves can be isolated and subjects trained to emit them. Any kind of wave you want. Find a wave you like and emit it. Epileptic fit waves if your thing is fits. And the ever popular sex waves. Emit pot waves and put the narcs out of business.

  The Woodstock Festival portends a new mass consciousness. This consciousness with the mass emission of brain waves can produce far reaching effects. Everywhere people pool their funds and buy an encephalographic unit. Tinkers make their own. Whole cities are dreamy and somnolent with alpha waves. Sex wave orgies sweep the world. You can feel the aura of an epilepsy fit for miles; horses paw the ground, and dogs howl. There are pop festivals to rock and roll brain waves.

  Peace, love, and beauty waves engulf the cops. They are
throwing away their guns. A blizzard of sugary benevolence about to blow. The president calls for a nationwide alpha day. The ESP waves have been isolated. Mass telepathy breaks out. Any waves you like.

  THE EAST VILLAGE OTHER

  Vol. 5, No. 31 - July 7,1970

  INTRODUCTION:

  Three months ago, William Burroughs (noted author of NAKED LUNCH, THE TICKET THAT

  EXPLODED and his recent THE JOB) started a controversy going by publishing an attack on the psychiatry profession and related fields such as Scientology.

  The fire raged from the pages of Rat to The L.A. FREE PRESS. The EAST VILLAGE OTHER is proud to publish a third in a series of attacks on the birchite mentality which rules the American medical profession.

  It is Mr. Burroughs' contention that what is wrong with America's political system is directly reflected in the mental priests who regulate and adjust the mental illness of millions of Americans back into a system which is already crawling with enough disease.

  This article is Mr. Burroughs' final answer to his critics and to Mister Gorden Mustain who attacked him for his position on Scientology in the pages of the L.A. FREE PRESS. In it he asks the inevitable question to be faced by us all, whether we be in a professional status or not:

  "We would like to know where Scientology and Mr. Hubbard stand on the Vietnam war, on sexual freedom, militant students, Black Power, pot, Red China, the politics of the American Narcotics department and the CIA. If it comes to a revolution: which side would you fight on?"

  OPEN LETTER TO MISTER GORDEN MUSTAIN

  First I would like to remind Mr. Mustain that we are not yet on a first name basis and will he kindly refrain from addressing me as Bill while quoting axioms of stupidity with regard to my article...

  Mr. Mustain goes on to quote this stupidity axiom as applicable when I attribute to Mr. Hubbard political opinions which appear in FREEDOM SCIENTOLOGY...Mr. Hubbard founded Scientology.

  Mr. Hubbard made Scientology. Mr. Hubbard coined the word Scientology. I'd have a job squirming out from under something called THE BURROUGHS INSTITUTE...

  Certainly Mr. Mustain will admit that Mr. Hubbard's prestige in the Scientology Organization is considerable? Is it then an axiom of stupidity to attribute to Mr. Hubbard at least tacit approval of what was being said in FREEDOM SCIENTOLOGY? Would Mr. Mustain have us believe that these articles and cartoons would have continued in issue after issue over the vigorous protests of Mr.

  Hubbard? That Mr. Hubbard was entirely ignorant of what was being said in a paper published at St. Hill, the world wide center of Scientology?...And what was being said was John Birch talk.

  Now here is a psychiatrist in a goatee swinging his scythe which is labelled 'From Russia with Love.' John Birch rode that line in The Minuteman: psychiatrists as Communist agents. I don't buy it.

  I think American psychiatrists will support the American establishment like any other reactionary group. In England they will support the English establishment and in Russia the Russian. They are servants of the establishments where they have found traction.

  But does FREEDOM SCIENTOLOGY attack the American establishment? No. They talk about decency, morality, the church the home the family and the evil and Godless practices of subversion.

  Nothing here a Wallace folk could object to, but quite a bit that the radical left might question rather sharply. Such questions passed along to me by readers prompted the article referred to.

  If Mr. Hubbard is not responsible for anything in FREEDOM SCIENTOLOGY he cannot avoid responsibility for statements in his published writing. In 'Science of Survival' he speaks darkly of the perfidious and twisted practices of subversion and of those Godless people who would undermine the church the home and the family with free love and atheism. He speaks highly of the home the church and the family. The police, Mr. Hubbard tells us, are 'ordinarily rational men...' (I wonder if Mr.

  Hubbard has observed 8 of these rational men guns drawn busting in on one Zen Hippie preparing his macrobiotic meal). He speaks warmly of the rich... 'A goodly number of them are the very pivots on which society is turning'... (I'll go along with that, Mr. Hubbard)... 'Industrial giants of America well deserve to be at the top. Here are the men on whom God smiles...'

  The message of my article is clear: Find out who your friends are and who your friends are not.

  You say you believe in total freedom. Are the industrial giants of America and the Wallace folk the friends of total freedom? Who are the friends of freedom? Those who are fighting for freedom. The militant left.

  Now Mr. Mustain launches into a denunciation of psychiatrists. Every Scientologist who answers my article goes on and on about psychiatry as if the article were an impassioned defense of this dubious profession. I have said frequently that nine out of every ten psychiatrists should be broken down to veterinarians and shave off that goatee if you want to be popular with folks hereabouts.

  Yes I know about the use of psychiatric committments as a means of political control. We have seen that happen in Russia and Germany. I am violently opposed to shock treatment or lobotomy.

  Most so-called mental institutions are simply death camps with not much pretense of being anything else. So we don't have to bat that around.

  Point is psychiatrists are servants of the establishment. Who is behind your Death Psychiatrist with his scythe? Who gives the orders around this shit house? The industrial giants of America, the very pivot on which it is turning. They own the place. They give the pigs and narcs, politicians, psychiatrists and newspapers their orders. And some of them keep themselves well out of sight. It is easy to be invisible if you are rich. And their control is always tighter.

  They are now able to block any writer off the market if they don't like what he is saying, by no reviews in the Sunday papers and news magazines. If the mass media won't give review space the writer's only recourse is to the underground press. And how long would the underground press last under Wallace or his equivalent?

  Writers should be alerted as to just where this no review treatment could lead. I have seen it in operation. My latest book THE JOB has just been published in England. No reviews in any Sunday paper, no reviews anywhere. And remember chain book stores can refuse to stock a book if they don't like what it says. THE PROCESS by Brion Gysin got this no review treatment. The fact that thousands of people would enjoy reading this book makes no difference if they never hear of it and can't find it in the book stores.

  There is quite a lot about Scientology in THE JOB and most of it is favorable. I say this is something every well-informed person should know about. Now if someone said every well-informed person should read my books I'd take that as a plug - wouldn't you? Find out who your friends are. Are the people who are blocking THE JOB off the English market your friends? Are the industrial giants of America your friends? I don't think an uglier crew of monsters was ever dumped on any planet than the industrial giants of America...convulsed by hideous mineral hungers the unappeasible fires of monopoly burning in their eyes.

  You can talk about suppressive persons...That's how they got there and stay there: by suppressing others...

  The axiom of stupidity that Mr. Mustain quotes is the unkowingness of time place form and event...He goes on to say 'and as such more worthy of the head bureaucrat in charge of the Pure Food and Drug Administration than to a writer and thinker of your caliber...' Does Mr. Mustain seriously think that I support the actions of the Pure Food and Drug Pigs in seizing the E-Meters and orgone accumulators? In burning Reich's books and in suppressing his discoveries?

  Now I don't believe in what the Maharishi is saying but I will defend, if not to the death at least to the extent of signing a petition, his right to say it. I would even allow Freudian analysis between consenting adults. Everybody has a right to do his thing. That's the stand of the Liberal Left. The other side doesn't think so. They might use the tech of Scientology for purposes of control and suppression. Would they then permit anyone to teach the use of the
se techniques for purposes of liberation? You're not that naive, Mr. Mustain.

  Liberation is not what these people are about. Find out who your friends are and tell us where you stand...

  Yes you believe in freedom and sane enlightened men will make a sane enlightened world... It's too vague.

  We would like to know where Scientology and Mr. Hubbard stand on the Vietnam war, on sexual freedom, militant students, Black Power, pot, Red China, the policies of the American Narcotics department and the CIA.

  If it comes to a revolution: which side would you fight on?

  In THE JOB I make my own position clear on all of these points.

  We are now seeing a world-wide rebellion and reaction similar to the reaction that crushed the liberal movements of 1848. Present-day revolutionaries would do well to avoid the mistakes of Garibaldi and Bolivar....(Here's a plug for you, Mr. Mustain...Mr. Hubbard has written a very acute analysis of Bolivar's mistakes in one of his bulletins. It should be reprinted in the underground press. And here's a plug for the E-Meter: In trained hands it - is an infallible lie detector and could be used to detect and screen out undercover agents...There's the CIA man holding the cans in the jungle camp...He is sweating slightly. Two guerillas with tommy guns standing by... "Are you connected with the CIA?" ...That reads...What do you consider that could mean?...) This is a revolution and the middle will get the squeeze until there are no neutrals there. How can I be neutral when Wallace says he is going to take care of "Hippies Anarchists and guide line writers"...? It's a matter of survival for me and I think for many other writers as well... Actually no one can be neutral at this point and no one actually is. It is a question of survival. Everyone must ask himself who or what he wants to survive with. Who are his allies.

  And if Wallace or his equivalent comes to power or the army takes over he will have to ask himself what are my survival terms? What will I do in order to survive? Become a fink, a narc, a collaborator? Dance a Russian folk dance in front of Stalin? (Krushev did). Seek asylum in England as the Henry James or perhaps only the Michael Arlen of the Queen Margaret set? Go on TV in America with an impassioned plea to all young people who have ever been stirred or inspired by my books to shun the blandishments of Moscow and Peking and the twisted doctrines of kooks and misfits and act like decent Americans?