Things We Like: “Leaving Society” Edition
Fuck these algorithms. Recommended music on Spotify is just what major record labels are pushing. Important writers and artists are banned from Twitter every day. Aggregators like Apple or Google News show what is designed to outrage. Sometimes, it can feel like the whole world of knowledge—beyond what the universities or Wikipedia deemed “factual”—has been closed off, only to be found in used bookstores or great conversations. The idea of a free internet is over. The institutions regulate what we can and cannot see.
In response, we here at “The Countere Consortium of Kings (including Qings)™” have asked some of our favorite writers, artists, intellectuals, dirtbags, dissidents, and friends to recommend works that they like. These include books, movies, video games, Instagram accounts, and spiritual practices. Hopefully, they provide enough intellectual sustenance—or worthy entertainment—to carry you through the end of summer. “Things We Like” will be a recurring series, every two months or so, as long as the power in my Montana cabin doesn’t go out like last year, leaving me to survive the winter alone (the new solar panels and Tesla Powerwall I installed should certainly help.) That’s it. Go read these books, wear these shirts, follow these Instagram accounts, and play these video games, then log off and contemplate them while staring at a purple horizon.
“Leave Society” by Tao Lin
by Zachary Emmanuel
Tao Lin’s fourth novel has arrived, which means you should immediately go and buy and read it. Lin helped usher the culture “beyond existentialism” with his last book, Trip—a mind-bending odyssey through antiquity, psychedelics, and experimental science—it looks like Leave Society will continue to open pineal glands and help people act on the book’s namesake. While I’ve only just begun reading Leave Society, Countere contributor Alex Perez wrote an excellent review of it for The Washington Examiner, and Seth King interviewed Lin for Countere about Leave Society last year. Amazon
“Chemtrails” T-shirt by Egrevore
by Bernard Sheu
Egrevore is a dope collective that publishes art, T-shirts, and other items of culture. Their “Chemtrails” shirt is their most popular, and I bought it as soon as I saw it on Instagram. On the first day I wore this shirt, I went to the hood in Gary, Indiana to attend to some “business.” At least five people complimented me on it. One even said: “Ay bro, that shit—that shit—I’m glad you on that shit.” While I can’t definitively speak on the veracity of the chemtrails theory—which asserts that the trails left by planes in the sky are, in fact, chemicals used for mind control or some other dastardly purpose by the government—I can say one thing: the hood in Gary, Indiana approves. And that’s good enough for me. Egrevore
“Raw Egg Nationalist Cookbook” by Raw Egg Nationalist
by Lucy Brown
I was delighted to receive a copy of the bestselling cookbook "Raw Egg Nationalism” this month—produced by our friend Raw Egg Nationalist and published by Antelope Hill. I recently slonked my first raw egg, and I can confirm that it is fucking disgusting. It is, however, a much quicker way of getting my morning protein—which I need to grow my luscious locks. The book itself is impressive. It’s nicely bound, the graphic design neatly stylized with accompanying memes and in-jokes from our circles to give you a hearty chuckle as you learn delicious recipes. It’s always a joy to see symbols from our little online culture made real in print form. I’ll definitely cherish this book and hand it down to the grandkids one day, as it will undoubtably be worth a million social credit points by then. Antelope Hill
Hiking in Nature
by Anna Mancini
There is nothing I like more than spending time in nature. Every day, you can find me out on the hiking trails in Sedona, Arizona, or finding the best local waterfalls, trails, or hot springs wherever I’m traveling. Spending time in nature not only is a blessing to my physical body—supporting me in staying active and healthy—but it is also nourishment and medicine for my spirit and mind. I connect with God through nature. I am reminded of the purity, expansiveness, and beauty of myself, and of all life. Often, coming upon a flower, a cactus, or a gorgeous landscape, I ask myself: “Where can I find this inside of me?” The prickers of a cactus, reminding me of where I am guarded; a baby tree, reminding me of how far I have come, and how much more I still have to experience; a flower, reminding me of my tenderness and radiance. Nature is my greatest teacher, and I have found she will always speak if you are listening.
@mcdazzler on Instagram
by Libby Emmons
McDazzler’s Instagram is worth checking out. The characters she portrays in her photos and videos are weirdly all really familiar while being some of the stranger human beings you can encounter. The images feel personal but also highly crafted with an off-putting yet endearing quality. Sometimes she has paint coming out of her mouth and eyes. I bought her "Top Cunt" T-shirt.
“Gothic Violence” by Mike Ma
by Lukas Cain
Mike Ma’s book is an example of what happens when an author who doesn’t care about the traditional publishing business recognizes his influence. Gothic Violence is far better than his first book, Harassment Architecture, which is decent but doesn’t compare to the sequel. It’s clear Mike is still disgusted with the modern world but his reasons are better articulated in this book compared to the first. If you’re looking for a book that’s going to make you consider leaving society behind and returning to a classical way of life, look no further. This is the book Thoreau couldn’t write but wanted to. Amazon
What Ben Sixsmith Likes
by Ben Sixsmith
What do I like? A good question. Opinion columnists, myself included, are a naturally miserable bunch, and also have a strong incentive to dwell on things that we dislike as if picking at scabs. What do I like? Simple things. The crack of an early morning can of Monster Energy. An ice cold Tyskie in the sun. A really exciting professional wrestling match. The moment when I'm out running and the pain somehow fades into an ecstasy of motion. Drawn out sunny evenings. Seeing friends succeed. Putting a liiiitle more weight on the bar. Dogs. Watching bizarre documentaries on YouTube that are filmed for no money, or next to no money, but are somehow more compelling than their big-budget cousins. The films of Kieślowski. The art of Turner and Beksiński. The songs of Jason Molina and Bill Callahan. The comedy of Peter Cook, and Emo Phillips, and Nick Mullen. The sharp air of an autumn morning in a Polish forest. The inside of an old church. My town. Seeing the substance in somebody. Writing when the words come easily. Time spent with loved ones. Posting.
Jelqing
Something that’s greatly overlooked in the self-improvement department is a little something we lifters call “Jelqing”. A rather obscure, but necessary practice if you truly want to better yourself in all aspects, we all have a bench max, a squat max, and a deadlift max, so why neglect your Jelq max? This isn’t a degenerative act like what Dark Iron Gains calls “cranking it”, this is a natural, healthy boost, much like sunning your balls. So why settle for less? Go big, go for the full package.
The Outer Wilds
by Gustavo Pierre
The Outer Wilds is one of the best video games ever made. You play as a space explorer, stuck on a time loop, trying to stop a star from going supernova. Think Groundhog Day meets Interstellar, but this game goes far and beyond those movies in tackling questions of life, death, existence, and the universe. Certain works of art are best experienced cold, with no context, for maximum effect. I urge you to go buy this game ASAP. Steam
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