Rumors regarding a disturbing turn of fortune for Discordian guru Robert Anton Wilson began to circulate around the Internet a couple of weeks ago. These involved reports of a decline in his health from a preexisting condition, but also of previously unknown financial difficulties. The worst appears to be over, at least for now, but for those of you who are still wondering exactly what happened and where the information was coming from, we at The Beak have prepared a brief summary.

A little background: Robert Anton Wilson was the genius behind The Illuminatus! Trilogy, an early conspirator and friend to the founders of Discordianism, and the prolific author of a score of philosophical works, including Prometheus Rising and Cosmic Trigger. He is revered alongside the great minds of the Counterculture, right up there with people like Tim Leary and William S. Burroughs, though he is far less well-known at present, and his nonfiction works are increasingly difficult to find even in the independent occult bookshops where they once thrived. Nonetheless, he is still an inspiration to millions, and far ahead of his time. He has suffered from Post-Polio Syndrome for over a decade, and his death has been rumored more than once (the most famous instance is chronicled in Cosmic Trigger III: My Life After Death). The subject of a 2003 documentary rich and exciting in video clips and interviews but dreadful in terms of cinematography, Wilson has, for the last few years, been considered to be in declining health, albeit the sort of declining health that could last for several years.

Which brings us to October 2, 2006.

The first indication that something was afoot that most of us got came in the form of postings on a variety of online message boards, featuring the headline, “Robert Anton Wilson Needs Our Help.” These early postings all linked to one source: author and media theorist Douglas Rushkoff’s blog. Rushkoff was featured in the Wilson documentary, and appears to have forged a certain friendship with Wilson which has resulted in, among other things, a teaching position with the fledgling Maybe Logic Academy. Evidently, Rushkoff was the Go-to Guy first contacted when Wilson came to his financial difficulties.

The first blog, on October 2, informed us that Wilson’s “infirmity and depleted finances have put him in the precarious position of not being able to meet next month’s rent.” He continued with, “Right now, Bob is a human being in a rather painful fleshsuit, who needs our help.” And after a personal note, included a Paypal account and a postal address where donations could be sent.

This was all very worrying, moreso due to the post’s vagueness.

The next piece of useful information came later that day from Mark Frauenfelder of boingboing.net, a site which gains a measure of credibility due to its association with visionary writer Cory Doctorow. Frauenfelder revealed a message he had received from Denis Berry, reportedly a friend who was managing Wilson’s care, who wrote, “Robert is dying at his home from post polio syndrome. He has enough money for next month’s rent and after that, will be unable to pay. He cannot walk, has a hard time talking and swallowing, is extremely frail and needs full time care that is being provided by several friends-fans-volunteers and family. We appeal to you to help financially for the next few months to let him die at his home in peace.”

With this message, readers all over the Internet began to realize the potential gravity of the situation. Boingboing repeated the donation address, and the donations soon circulated as fast as the rumors.

Over the next couple of days a variety of summaries turned up on prominent Discordian sites, such as 23ae.com, but the only original data appeared to be coming from Rushkoff and Frauenfelder. On October 3, Frauenfelder ran another note from Berry, which stated, “this morning Bob’s daughter [Christina] showed up at his house in tears because she had checked his PayPal account and found money for next month’s rent plus more.” Rushkoff ran a similar announcement a couple of days later. But it was not until October 5 when we heard from the man in his own words. First published on Wilson’s own site:

“Dear Friends, my God, what can I say. I am dumbfounded, flabbergasted, and totally stunned by the charity and compassion that has poured in here the last three days. To steal from Jack Benny, “I do not deserve this, but I also have severe leg problems and I don’t deserve them either.” Because he was a kind man as well as a funny one, Benny was beloved. I find it hard to believe that I am equally beloved and especially that I deserve such love. Whoever you are, wherever you are, know that my love is with you. You have all reminded me that despite George W. Bush and all his cohorts, there is still a lot of beautiful kindness in the world.
Blessings,
Robert Anton Wilson”

And so the matter remained for a while. The donation drive was officially called off, though reports of official totals differed. On October 5, Boingboing reported (via a note from Wilson’s daughter) a total of over $68,000. On October 9 Rushkoff reported a total of over $80,000. A newsletter from the Maybe Logic Academy dated October 19, supplied to me by Lady L. (F.A.B.) reported a total of “more than $50,000”. Discrepancies aside, the financial side of the crisis seemed to be at an end. Discordians and other Wilson enthusiasts, demonstrating the power of the Internet as a medium of rally and communication, came out of the woodwork determined to make sure that their hero not be troubled by the material world. To my knowledge, this is the swiftest and most effective Discordian initiative on record, and they are to be congratulated.

Probably the main reason Wilson’s fans focused so heavily on the financial aspect of the situation was because they could do something about it. We’re helpless in the face of a major illness, but we’re damned sure not going to allow the added disgrace of poverty. Rushkoff probably put it best when he said, “I refuse for the history books to say he died alone and destitute, for I want future generations to know we appreciated Robert Anton Wilson while he was alive.”

But what of Wilson’s health? His condition is neither new nor surprising, and many fans have already made peace with the understanding that the inevitable is, well, inevitable.

On October 10, Wilson’s site ran the following announcement, explaining a bit more about where the latest health complications had come from: “Bob has post-polio syndrome which has severely damaged his legs and weakened his body. He had a hard fall in June of this year which landed him in the hospital. He has since not been able to walk and is thus confined to his bed, requiring 24 hour care. Due to Bob’s acute weakness in June and July, many of his family and friends felt that Bob could go at any time. He has since rallied slowly with up’s and down’s, and like most things, his condition seems in the maybe state. Bob has no pain, has a hearty appetite, is in steady good, sharp humor and is surrounded by family and friends.”

That sounds pretty good, all things considered, but the most recent data available comes to us from Rushkoff, dated October 13, in the form of a thank-you note and photo. Take a look. His appearance is heartbreakingly frail, but look in his eyes and you’ll see the same old superhero.

That’s where our story ends, for the time being. If anyone has any further information I may have missed, please send it my way via lordhoratio@gmail.com. And I’m happy to report that, even if you have trouble finding them in stores, his books are still available for order online. What better way to celebrate a great thinker than by actually paying attention?