>IdEAL Order Psychic TV (clever satire): ?
Here's his information posting:
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> From: idealord@dorsai.dorsai.org (Jeff Harrington)
> Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk,rec.arts.tv,talk.bizarre,alt.activism
> Subject: Mondo 2000 Does IdEAL ORDER Psychic TV
> Date: 15 Dec 1993 15:17:06 GMT

Mondo 2000 #11 reprints a few text files about the project.  Here's the files
and an interview for those who don't do Mondo.

 M A N I F E S T O / H I S T O R Y   O F   I d E A L   O R D E R

IdEAL ORDER was founded in 1982 as an outlet for anarchic/artistic
activism by Elsie Russell and Jeffrey Harrington.  The intent was twofold:
to create collaborative and issue-oriented art which was designed to provoke
a chaotic zen consciousness in the viewer and to create an awareness of the
telepathic activism of Jeffrey Harrington.  Disappointed with the usual
formats of political art (the poster, the tabloidal text-based format, i.e.)
they began experimenting with new techniques employing subliminal messages;
loading images with beautifully chaotic texts and setting them in unusual
public situations/contexts.  

The initial works of IdEAL ORDER were displayed in the subways and
streets of NY City in 1982 and 1983.  First there were a series of heads of
the Greek gods pasted on the streets of NY.  The intent was to take graceful
beauty out of the museum and back to the streets, hoping to provoke sudden
bursts of deep aesthetic appreciation in the unsuspecting public.  The second
project was called "The Seven Seals."  It was designed as a series of
pseudo-religious confrontational rubber stamp image/text formations stamped
on the street and in the white spaces of subway placards.  Their largest
installation to date was at the infamous School Book Depository in the lower
west side docks of Manhattan.  (Closed by a police action in July 1983).

During the same period while Jeffrey was employed at Liberty Audio/Video
he had begun experimenting with a capability developed as an offshoot to his
Zen meditative practices.  He discovered that he could cause broadcasting
television camera lenses to glow.  He began using this luminescent effect as
a tool to harass media and politicians.  The process is called IdEAL ORDER
Psychic TV.  Unfortunately, instead of achieving an artistic notoriety and
provoking discussion, a frenzy of celebrity/saint hysteria was created.  This
attracted the attention of right-wing Islamic fundamentalists which quickly
became life-threatening.  Because of Jeffrey's ability to produce
luminescent effects and because of the imagery employed by IdEAL ORDER
(they had begun using a stamp of an angel with a Saracen sword) they had
come to see Jeffrey and Elsie as demons; as agents against Khomeini whom
they considered "The Light of the World."  After fleeing NY in 1983 because
of death threats IdEAL ORDER regrouped in Montana and later New Orleans
and continued the telepathic activism on a continual basis.  In 1984 IdEAL
ORDER Psychic TV began a nightly zapping of the CBS Evening News and
the McNeil/Lehrer News Hour and constant telepathic harassment of the
Reagan administration during televised news conferences and news show
appearances.  IdEAL ORDER also began networking their works through the
European, American, and Japanese mail art network.  Since 1989 IdEAL
ORDER has operated primarily through the computer networks.  Images are
digitized, processed and then distributed over the InterNet computer
networks, GEnie, CompuServe, and local BBS's.  In November 1991 IdEAL
ORDER Psychic TV began focussing on a once a week disruption of the CBS
Evening News so that skeptical viewers might be able to compare the
illuminated with the non-illuminated broadcasts.  The project continues every
Thursday night.  

(Since Connie Chung joined Dan Rather on CBS, I've moved the bulk of the
zapping back to CBS and am doing the Thursday zap on ABC).

In 1992, IdEAL ORDER Psychic TV successfully
disrupted all three presidential debates, intending to prevent the re-election
of George Bush.  

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EXPANDED HISTORY OF THE IdEAL ORDER PSYCHIC TV PHENOMENON

There is _no_ connection between the rock group Psychic TV, i.e. Mr. Orridge's
"product" and this process!  (Except for the fact that they probably named
their group after my phenomenon ;)
 
In 1982 I was employed as a salesman at an audio/video store in New York
City and I would sit and stare at a bank of television sets.  I have been
involved with Zen meditation for over 20 years and while in a state of no-
mind (at work) I discovered that the people on television were responding to
fluctuations in my mental state.  I was later to learn that I was producing a
spot of bright light in the lens of the broadcasting television camera. 
 
Since 1983 I've been using this luminescent effect to wreak havoc in the
incipient mind of the media/state.  I have learned to control the effect 
so that I can induce more eye blinking, more stammering, etc. by changing
the brightness and location of the spot of light which I cause to appear in
the broadcasting TV camera.  
 
In 1991 I decided to create an experiment which would be verifiable to
the public at large, so that I might prove the existence of the phenomenon
to the skeptical community.  So, I came up with the Thursday test.  Every
Thursday I illuminate the cameras of the ABC Evening News.  Watchers of
the show can do various things to prove the veracity of my claims.  They
can count the number of times Peter Jennings blinks on Thursday as compared
with Friday or Wednesday.  They can measure the reflected luminosity of
the spot of light on Peter's eyeballs or they can count the number of
mis-speaks.  
 
I've been zapping all presidential tv appearances since late 1983.  If
you watch the first 1984 Reagan debate you will notice my efforts.  I
zapped the presidential and vice-presidential debates in 1992 - in an attempt
to prevent the re-election of Bush/Quayle.
 
Millions of people know about this phenomenon and harbor knowledge of it
through a "cult of secrecy."  There is no real conspiracy in the public,
it is just that people do not tell others of this story unless provoked.
There have been quite a few pop songs written in homage; these usually use
innuendo to refer to the phenomenon.  
 
My intent on Internet is to inform the public of this process.  My intent
is infinite and immaculate in its beautifully chaotic illuminative 
interventions; wreaking havoc with light.  Photonic agents of bliss 
infiltrating the minds of commerce and conspiracy.  
 
Jeff Harrington             
idealord@dorsai.dorsai.org
         

People have asked me why the media (in particular the network news programs)
have censored news coverage of the IdEAL ORDER Psychic TV phenomenon.  Not
only have they neglected mention of the ongoing Thursday Night ABC Evening
News zap - they have censored stories regarding the zapping of Saddam Hussein,
Reagan, Bush and other infamous public figures.  

All this in the light of numerous pop songs and movies with innuendos regarding
the phenomenon.  (Interestingly, a friend of mine at MTV says that there's a new
story about what the REM song - "Losing My Religion" really means. ;-).
The process is in actuality a much discussed one in private and in public,
leading the TV viewer to ponder why the media (even the tabloids!) have
neglected to report on this worldwide phenomenon.  (The Skeptical Enquirer has
censored this story, too - leading one to believe that they have _no_ interest
in anything but debunking - but we knew that already didn't we?)

In truth - I don't know.  I have been told by various people at CBS and ABC
that, "We don't discuss the stories we are presently working on."  My theory
is that the last thing the news wants is a story about the news.  Regarding
the tabloids and they're neglect of the story - hmmmm... this is a bit harder
to explain.  I have heard stories of people in the media losing their jobs
from pushing too hard about this story (in New Orleans).  And - I have had
several print reporters interview me and prepare a story - only to have it
dropped before it goes to press.  
 
Concsiously or unconcsiously (if there's a difference in the news world) there
is the perception that by covering the story a "genie" would be let out of the
bottle.  What is this "genie?"  
 
The genie is Zen.  Fear of Zen.  Fear and loathing of anarchic Zen
consciousness spreading to the masses.  Ho hum.  And ultimately there is the
fear of Jeff.  Fear that he will become a cult leader.  Yawn...  

The media should prepare itself.  The story is getting out and now - they will
have to justify their coverage and lack therof.   
 
Whatever...
 
Jeff Harrington
idealord@dorsai.dorsai.org
 
If you'd like a text file about IdEAL ORDER Psychic TV drop me a line!
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(*)   IdEAL ORDER Psychic TV     (*)        Zappin' CBS Evening News    (*)
(*)  idealord@dorsai.dorsai.org  (*)              Since 1983!           (*)
(*)(*)For more info ftp quartz.rutgers.edu /pub/subgenius/Ideal-Order(*)(*)
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