Last-modified: 07/02/97
URL: http://www.netonecom.net/~cyberpsychos/ng/faq.html
Information/Moderator: mailto:cyberpsychos@netonecom.net
Submission address: mailto:cp-submit@netonecom.net
Keeper of the FAQ: Jasmine Sailing, mailto:jsailing@netonecom.net
Contents:
section 1: Frequently Asked Questions
section 2: Charter
section 3: Moderation Info
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Section 1: Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What on earth is a cyber-psycho?
A: Cyber-Psycho was derived from the Greek "khyber" (governor/helmsman) and "psyche" (soul). The derivation implies a double name connotation. A cyber-psycho seeks to govern the evolution of their own soul. In doing so, they must explore their mental boundaries and learn their own limits. That is where the double-name implication comes in. Cyber also indicates artificial and mechanical. Often it can feel like you are auto-piloting through life, and replacing dead parts of yourself (your psyche) to continue functioning. Psycho implies psychosis, which is representative of the snapping bounds you must move through in order to retain your own path against the darkness and hardships of life.
"We choose the Hitchcock/Bloch "Psycho" indicating our own crazed view of the world. In this world only the crazy are sane. We are the crazy who seek to be our own governors, we regulate and correct the evolution of our own souls. We are anarchic, evolutionary, magickal, cultural, terrorists." -Zeena Fabreaux
To the idealist of heart, it is considered insane and psychotic to acknowledge the darkness of the world. Whether that be true or not, the cyber-psychos prefer to accept it and learn how to deal with it rather than leaving themselves vulnerable to mid-life crashes or unfortunate surprises. Shit happens to everyone, no matter how much they close their eyes to the possibility.
Q. Is this a new subculture?
A. Relatively. Under this name, the subculture has been in existence for at least 6 years and includes people from a variety of countries.
Q. Is the cyber-psycho subculture based on the magazine Cyber-Psychos AOD?
A. No. The editor/publisher, Jasmine Sailing, was involved in the subculture before beginning her magazine. The magazine name was an ode to the subculture rather than vice versa. Whereas a wide variety of cyber-psychos work on the magazine, not nearly everyone in the subculture reads it. The contents are admittedly along the "for mature readers" lines, as well as harsh, and not for everyone. Several other publications (including Puck, Q, Shock Waves, Factsheet Five, Reaper's Harvest, Xizquil, and Funeral Party) are included in the cyber- psycho subculture. Jasmine accepts no responsibility for the contents of the newsgroup, nor does she claim to agree with anything stated there. She does, however, admit to enjoying being able to write her disclaimers in third person.
Q. Isn't there a manifesto for the cyber-psycho subculture and, if so, should I follow it to be one?
A. There is a manifesto. It can be found on the subculture web site
at: http://www.netonecom.net/~cyberpsychos/manifesto.html
Should it be followed? Hell no. It's a manifesto, fer chrissakes.
Glean what you want/need for your own personal growth and discard
the rest. There's a wee bit of sarcasm running through this
subculture and its pertinent documents, anyone who fails to notice
this will be indiscreetly giggled at.
Q. The manifesto was written by a Zeena Fabreaux. Who is she?
A. Zeena Fabreaux is a collectively channelled spirit who speaks for the cyber-psychos. Originally she was channelled by Don Webb, but she then resurfaced for the others who called upon her. She mutates.
"Jasmine wants to reveal that I am the original Zeena Fabreaux. Zeena is an immortal woman -- a daughter of Polyhymnia and Edgar Allen Poe. I may have channeled Zeena when I wrote the Ur-document of the Cyber- Psychos manifesto, but then again maybe not. I hope this clears up matters. Zeena is currently managing the Electric Luddites on tour, and can not be reached for comment." -Don Webb
Whenever Zeena enters spirit form and possesses another cyber-psycho body, that body then revises the manifesto or writes another document. So goes life around these parts.
Q. How can I find out more about the cyber-psychos?
A. Well, read the newsgroup. Otherwise you can visit the web site at: http://www.netonecom.net/~cyberpsychos where you will find tons of related material.
Q. What did the cyber-psychos do before creating this newsgroup?
A. After years of aimless drifting, cp-list was formed. This was the original mailing list for discussing everything pertinent to cyber- psychos. A very small representation of cp-list is archived on the subculture web site. There was also (and still is) the irc channel: /server irc.netonecom.net /channel #cyberpsychos which is guarded by the illustrious and psychotic Mr. Tibble.
Q. Is this a joke?
A. This is a joke every bit as much as life is. Translate that as you will.
Q. Are you all insane?
A. Insanity is a relative term. Obviously we're allowed to roam the streets rather than being locked up and sedated in padded cells. Of course that could be through virtue of sheer luck alone...
Q. What is meant by "hiding behind pre-ordained societal walls"?
A. Thinking what you think because a similar group of people think it. Basing your views on being Gen x or a hippie, that type of thing. You shouldn't believe anything simply because a large group of similar people believes it. Question everything. Cross-analyze all given information. Come to your own conclusions.
Q. What is a Cnidarian?
A. Cnidaria is a religion commonly found amongst the cyber-psychos. Its followers worship giant sentient Jellyfish from outer space. Whereas Cnidarians tend to be cyber-psychos as well, all cyber- psychos are NOT Cnidarians. The religions found in the subculture are many and greatly varied.
Q. Is it true that the cyber-psychos are a kiddie-corrupting cult headed by Jasmine Sailing? Rumour has it that there is a cabal, and the cabal has a Silencer, Thug, and Recruiter.
A. There is no cabal. L. Jas' Mother Hubbard never threatens anyone with benwa ball readings. The Silencer isn't obscured. Otherwise, the cabal's thug is Mike Hemmingson, and the recruiter is Gene Santagada. Contact them for your needs of being annexed or tortured.
Q. Isn't there a cyber-psycho convergence?
A. Currently the annual convergence is coinciding with the Death Equinox convention, due to similar thematics. This could change on an annual basis though. There'll always be one, somewhere, somehow. Even The Silencer shows its face there!
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Section 2: CHARTER: alt.culture.cyber-psychos
This group is for the discussion of the culture (arts, politics, philosophy, technology --both high and bargain basement, etc) of cyber-psychos, and for the discussion of all other things pertinent to cyber-psycho culture. The cyber-psycho subculture web site exists at http://www.netonecom.net/~cyberpsychos and contains further infor- mation about the culture. For a few extreme examples; topics can drift from building sub-atomic resonators, to what creates a psychopath, to mind exploration through meditation or hallucinogenics, to the power of mass media and the hypno-ray (TV). The main purpose of this group is to explore the darkness of society and the psyche, to discover limits and learn how to move beyond them, and to eliminate the boundaries of stereotyping that stifle us. Quite simply, the cyber-psycho culture is based upon analysis of different given viewpoints, and upon surviving/ functioning in a trying world without running from the less pleasant realities of it. Intellectually hiding behind pre-ordained societal walls will be off charter here. Please leave such stereotypes as "I'm a democrat and therefore hate republicans" out of this group. Such things are all relative and the endless bickering about them only serves to alienate people who could otherwise work, discuss, and grow, together.
"A cyber-psycho chooses his/her insanity. Seeking independence in an increasingly interdependent world, they realize that their efforts are, by the "accepted" norms, insane, psychotic. Yet, in their own way, the cyber-psycho becomes more capable, functional. By accepting their own "insanity" (non-normality), the person becomes free to cope. By walking to their own drummer, they are no longer frozen in place; trying to pick a beat to follow." --Ravan Asteris (June, 1996)
Blatant Examples (of psyches represented, rather than works specifically): William S. Burroughs, William T. Vollmann, Hakim Bey, Hunter S. Thompson, Noam Chomsky, Nietzsche, Lautreamont, Franz Kafka, George Orwell, Philip K Dick, John Brunner, Robert Anton Wilson, JG Ballard, Don Webb, t. Winter-Damon, Brian Hodge, HP Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, Neil Gaiman, Matt Howarth, Julie Doucet, John Bergin, World Serpent, Charnel Music, Starkland Records, Staalplaat, Crash Worship, Survival Research Labs, Little Fyodor, Jodorowsky, Lynch, Cronenberg, Salvador Dali, William Blake, HR Giger, Max Ernst, etc.
"Meine seele brennt! Ich versteck mich sitz in meinem loch und warte
auf die traume, die mich retten -- kommen nicht. Liebe ist scheiterhaufen
auf dem ich langsamaber sicher von innen her zum rand verbrenne."
(Einsturzende Neubauten)
END CHARTER.
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Section 3: Moderation info
Moderator: Chris Yardley (lobotomy@dimensional.com)
Article Submission Address: cp-submit@netonecom.net
Moderation Queries: cyberpsychos@netonecom.net
Moderation is automatic and intended ONLY for eliminating cross- posting and spamming. We do, however, reserve the right to use moderation for further building a barrier (in the event of persistent newsgroup trashers) as we will have patronage from many writers who avoid usenet as a whole and will leave us if the group becomes trashed. Most of us would prefer to have some actual discussion amongst the trolls, spammed ads, and general chaos that can be found on most news- groups. No cross-posting is allowed, with the sole exception of group expansion pertinent threads to alt.config and news.groups. Trollers will be forced to post directly to the newsgroup, where they likely won't get their desired responses. The robomoderation scans for key words and patterns typical of spammed ads in the headers and message bodies, and a cancelbot will remove any such posts that make it to the newsgroup. We are also supplying the moderation bots with the names of known classic spammers. The moderation is not, and will not be, used for "shutting people up" as we value different perspectives for growth perspectives for growth and lack of stagnation. We will reg- ularly inform the newsgroup denizens of which patterns to avoid having in their posts so they can avoid being cancelled by the moderation bot. Binaries will be auto-moderated out BUT if people feel that they have images pertinent to the Cyber-Psycho subculture they can check into the possibility of having their images displayed on the web site. First-time posters to the newsgroup will be auto-faqed and have their posts hand-checked for spam. Otherwise things should run smoothly.
That's all folks! (such comments bear no resemblance to stuttering pigs)