Burroughs, Gnosticism and The Johnsons
Fascinating article about ol' William Lee and his ideas, found via Signs of Witness:
One key idea - which I'd forgotten, as I last read Nova Express in my teens - is that of the Johnsons, who article author Robert Guffey defines thus:
' Burroughs’s libertarian brand of morality was based on Jack Black’s notions of the “Johnson family” as chronicled in Black’s 1926 autobiography You Can’t Win. The impact this book had on Burroughs when he was still a young man can’t be overestimated. In Burroughs’s own words, the Johnson creed can be described as follows:
“The Johnson family” was a turn-of-the-century expression to designate good bums and thieves. It was elaborated into a code of conduct. A Johnson honours his obligations. His word is good and he is a good man to do business with. A Johnson minds his own business. He is not a snoopy, self-righteous, troublemaking person. A Johnson will give help when help is needed. He will not stand by while someone is drowning or trapped under a burning car.
Surely in Burroughs’s world this would be the only mandatory social stricture established for his personal temporary autonomous zone. '
The Johnson's philosophy/approach to life is something I've tried to pin down for years... and usually I reduce it down to 'giving a fuck'. I see it as a pretty good basis for moral conduct - and it seems to be the common factor in everyone I love and admire. The absence of it also seems to be the prime characteristic of all those I hate and fear (and is roughly equivalent with the Right Man/Violent Male psychosis noted by AE van Vogt and Colin Wilson - the inability to admit ever being wrong, meaning that all who suggest this possibility are enemies. By definition, the Right Man doesn't give a fuck about anyone but his sycophants - and treats those as inferiors too).
Anyone else who'd be proud to be a Johnson?
One key idea - which I'd forgotten, as I last read Nova Express in my teens - is that of the Johnsons, who article author Robert Guffey defines thus:
' Burroughs’s libertarian brand of morality was based on Jack Black’s notions of the “Johnson family” as chronicled in Black’s 1926 autobiography You Can’t Win. The impact this book had on Burroughs when he was still a young man can’t be overestimated. In Burroughs’s own words, the Johnson creed can be described as follows:
“The Johnson family” was a turn-of-the-century expression to designate good bums and thieves. It was elaborated into a code of conduct. A Johnson honours his obligations. His word is good and he is a good man to do business with. A Johnson minds his own business. He is not a snoopy, self-righteous, troublemaking person. A Johnson will give help when help is needed. He will not stand by while someone is drowning or trapped under a burning car.
Surely in Burroughs’s world this would be the only mandatory social stricture established for his personal temporary autonomous zone. '
The Johnson's philosophy/approach to life is something I've tried to pin down for years... and usually I reduce it down to 'giving a fuck'. I see it as a pretty good basis for moral conduct - and it seems to be the common factor in everyone I love and admire. The absence of it also seems to be the prime characteristic of all those I hate and fear (and is roughly equivalent with the Right Man/Violent Male psychosis noted by AE van Vogt and Colin Wilson - the inability to admit ever being wrong, meaning that all who suggest this possibility are enemies. By definition, the Right Man doesn't give a fuck about anyone but his sycophants - and treats those as inferiors too).
Anyone else who'd be proud to be a Johnson?