Key 23 is no more—a black hole in the Internet—but back in 2004 I started a group blog with a number of Internet denizens to explore occult themes, the surviving counterculture, and the swiftly dominating cyberculture. Below is an article from that experiment—posted and backdated here for historical accuracy. Broken links removed.

When this was published in 2004, I was taken to task on it by Joel Biroco for not understanding Kaos-Babalon. I'm adding this article on hckr.fyi in 2024, so 20 years have gone by and 45 year old me (today) would agree with Joel over 25 year old from back then. It's posted below for historical purposes.

I see a vast disciplinary shift in magick that has passed over these tumultous years; and like the current ideology of time speeding up as we head towards the future - much like technology, etc. - so too it seems that magick has been changing faces and systems expeditiously with each passing season.

Ceremonial magick, in the traditions of the Golden Dawn, O.T.O, etc., which adhered to a certain set principles and mythologies - with complex rituals saturated with Kabbalistic and astrological correspondences - declined in favor of the Chaos paradigm in England. While in America, those disillusioned with both high and low styles of magick, side-stepped into the realm of Ockham's Razor and modern Satanism.

Chaos eventually caught on in America, but not in its original form. Intended as a refined magick for refined magickians, Chaos magick became an excuse for would-be practitioners to forego hardcore study and practice, and instead, salute the face value of the quote "nothing is true, everything is permitted."

Yes, magick is everywhere. And yes, anyone can do magick. But just because air is everywhere, and everyone can breathe, doesn't mean that we are all cardiovascular champions with pranayama potency.Confucius once said "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue." But more often, it seems, American Chaos magickians were simply adhering to the notion of fake it 'til you make it. And unfortunately, serious Chaos magickians - with their own unique and compelling styles and ideas - were overshadowed by the multitude of quick fix magickians.

The state of magick then began to branch into two separate directions. The first direction landed on the doorsteps of Joel Biroco and took the form of the Kaos-Babalon current.

Kaos-Babalon was an injection of Chaos into the Thelemic magickal system. Joel attempted to remove the air of stagnation that he saw many Thelemites trapped in.

The second branch was a further postulation of the "magick is everywhere" theory - a Postmodern Magick, which took the Chaos current and explored the relation of magick to art, science, fiction, and many of the traditional liberal arts. Postmodern Magick is most associated with works from companies like Disinformation, and draws its inspiration from people such as Grant Morrison, William Burroughs, and Brion Gysin.

Both branches have their problems.

Postmodern Magick brings many disciplines to the table and offers up a potent array of rituals, theories, and avenues; however, it has furthered the gap between magickians and those who are merely masturbating to an archaic sigil. The real magickian can use its ideas with accuracy. But those looking to get into magick are left with the same American Chaos ego that started this whole mess to begin with.

Biroco's Kaos-Babalon retains the potency of traditional ceremonial magick and the Chaos current; but it never really caught on with the American occult scene. Kaos-Babalon returns magick to magick, but it does so by just that: returning. Unfortunately Biroco's system - and not to the fault of Joel - though workable by real magickians, is seen as cumbersome by those coming from the American Chaos current or Postmodern Magick.

They refuse to take that step back into ceremonial rites, meditation, preparation, etc.

As such, magick is at risk of becoming stale and nothing more than a collection of disillusioned youths drawing sigils and reading comics. Current young magickians try to learn how to dunk the basketball rather than concentrating on the fundementals of the game, not realizing that dunking the ball is only a small part of the big picture.

Magick needs to move forward. It must evolve. But at the same time, it must do so while establishing the fundementals that make magick work to begin with.

Over the last weekend, I spent Sunday with Klint Finley of Technoccult and Jason Louv - Generation Hex mad scientist. We all seemed to see things the same way in this regard. As a result, I am highly confident in what will eventually be the result of Louv's long journey in the creation process of his tome.

In the same respect, I am highly confident in the evolution of Key 23 as well. The future is ours for the shaping. Let's just remember to shape it in the right way.