R.U. Sirius: inside the mind of a cyberdelic shaman (Spotlight On : 200)

In our special 200th episode, the former editor of the seminal magazine Mondo 2000 opens up about his musical activities, how his view of technology has changed, and his enduring curiosity about the chaos all around us.
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Today, on this fun, round-number milestone, the Spotlight shines On legendary writer, editor, vocalist and digital culture commentator, Ken Goffman, better known as R.U. Sirius.
Most will know R.U. from his time as co-publisher and editor-in-chief of the 1990s cyberpunk magazine MONDO 2000. MONDO covered topics like transhumanism, virtual reality and smart drugs at a time when these things offered hope for a better or at least more interesting world, though the editorial tone always subversively poked at the soft white underbelly of technoculture and its champions. If Wired has become Kenny G, MONDO was Sun Ra, through and through.
R.U. is author or coauthor of books including Counterculture Through the Ages: From Abraham to Acid House, Everybody Must Get Stoned: Rock Stars on Drugs, How to Mutate and Take Over the World, and nearly a dozen more.
We covered a lot of ground, including but not only: online subcultures, cryptocurrency, societal repercussions of digital technologies, AI, conspiracy theory, politics, the shortcomings of transhumanism, deregulation, post-scarcity philosophy, the uses and limitations of irony and ambiguity and a ton more. I could talk to him for hours.
Music is a big part of the R.U. experience, as you will hear in our talk. He’s been a lyricist and composer for projects including Phriendz, Party Dogs and Mondo Vanilli. These show notes have a link to his Bandcamp page and you are encouraged to spend some time there.
R.U.’s various works have served as a guidepost for me since I was a much younger man. It was a special treat to connect with him now, in this time of reckoning with what the digital and internet revolution has wrought, to talk about the state of life and affairs.
Before we get to the talk, some quick thoughts on 200 episodes: Thank you, everyone, who supports this show by donating, shopping in our store, attending our live events, sharing our work and most importantly, just listening. My goal is to be your avatar in these discussions and I hope I serve you well.
I would like to dedicate this episode to Eve Berni, Ken’s partner of 26 years who passed away shortly after we recorded this episode. I did not know Eve, but I know she was deeply loved by our guest today. I wish Eve, Ken and all who knew them peace and solace.
(all musical excerpts heard in the interview are taken from R.U. Sirius’s Infinite Gesture (A Work in Progress))
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00:00:00 - Introduction
00:03:04 - Lawrence's excitement to talk with R.U. Sirius
00:03:38 - Is music R.U.'s primary endeavor these days?
00:06:00 - Transhumanism: What happened?
00:08:56 - Technology adoption in Africa and the concept of leapfrogging
00:11:32 - The role of capitalists and the state in the digital revolution
00:13:43 - Liberals and libertarians in the 1990s
00:17:53 - The pandemic as the point at which everybody was forced online
00:18:24 - R.U.'s thoughts on Anonymous
00:20:30 - R.U.'s background before High Frontiers
00:23:53 - Post-scarcity philosophy in the 1960s counterculture
00:25:54 - Deregulation and the digital revolution
00:27:44 - The interplay between the counterculture and mainstream politics
00:30:54 - The unpublished book about the history of Mondo 2000
00:33:17 - The influence of Mondo 2000 on digital culture
00:35:46 - R.U.'s ironic and sarcastic perspective
00:38:17 - The potential of San Francisco, despite media narratives
00:40:43 - Outro
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Visit R.U. Sirius on his Bandcamp page → rusirius.bandcamp.com
and www.mondo2000.com
Follow R.U. Sirius on Instagram → / mondo2000official
Twitter (X) → / stealthissingul
Facebook → / 560622904113268
LinkedIn → / r-u-sirius-b299
For extensive show notes, links, and podcast information, go to www.spotlightonpodcast.com
Spotlight On Instagram → / spotlightonpod
Spotlight On Facebook → / spotlightonpod
Spotlight On LinkedIn → / spotlight-on
Spotlight On Mastodon → social.lol/@spotlightonpod
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#podcast #Mondo2000 #counterculture #cyberpunk

[@bretbernhoft]

I can relate to a lot of what is being said in this dialogue. Such as wanting to remain optimistic about technology, and choosing to do amazing things with emerging AI tools. Thank you for featuring R.U. Sirius on your program, I've been a fan of theirs for a while now.

[@LawrencePeryer]

Thank YOU so much. R.U.'s voice is one I hope more people hear. Glad to play some small part in that.