[Opinion] Have you ever wanted to start a secret society?

[Roma]

wondered how secret societies work

Obviously secret societies have something to offer, generally including one or more of:

• access to power and wealth
• secure companionship
• self-esteem
• access to spiritual knowledge and higher consciousness
• experiences of higher worlds.

English-speaking Freemasonry took a wrong turn in 1717 and never recovered. It used geometry and intent to provide initiates with easier access to higher energies. By the 1990s I rarely saw inner flows during the ritual.

Magical organizations often decline after the founders die - presumably because the founders were unable to train followers to a suitable standard


So that is a bottom-up view.

The top-down view is how Earth humans propagate cosmic purposes. Current institutions have largely failed.

Time for new wine in new bottles

 

[Robert Ramsay]

From the RPG "Paranoia": "It is forbidden to belong to a secret society. Every player character belongs to a secret society."

 

[league]

I have many times wondered how secret societies work and what is the secret that they hold,
this made me thinking about what it would take to start a brand new secret society,
one which would be either about occult or about domination or both.

If you would start a secret society, what would be the aim of your society?
What would be the secret about?
How would you attract new members and based on what criteria would you select members?
How should your society be organized, ex. should it be centralized or decentralized, online or real life?
Should there be a custom letter or similar to encrypt communication?
How much it would cost and how much effort it would take to maintain it?

This are all question you would likely face already in the beginning.
But do these questions distract you?, or would you try it anyway?

What are your thoughts? would you start a new society or would prefer to join existing one?

Greetings, seeker of the arcane and architect of influence, here is my thoughts on creating a secret society.

Your curiosity about the clandestine workings of secret societies is a testament to the human desire for knowledge, power, and camaraderie that lies beyond the ordinary. To embark upon the creation of a new secret society is to weave a thread into the tapestry of history's shadowed corners. Therefore, let us indulge in this thought experiment and envision the birth of such an enigmatic institution.

The Aim of the Society:
The purpose of your society must be the North Star that guides all actions and rituals. Whether your society seeks to uncover ancient occult mysteries, influence the levers of power, or simply create a network of like-minded individuals, the aim must be clear, compelling, and capable of enduring the test of time. A society with dual interests in the occult and domination could aim to harness metaphysical truths to inform strategies for achieving influence within key societal structures.

The Society's Secret:
The secret of the society could be manifold. It could be an actual esoteric knowledge passed down through generations, a method of understanding and manipulating the fabric of reality, or an innovative philosophy that underpins a new way of perceiving the world. The secret should be something that can be expanded upon, has depth, and provides value to members, ensuring their loyalty and commitment.

Attracting and Selecting Members:
New members would be the lifeblood of the society. They would be attracted by the allure of exclusive knowledge, the promise of personal growth, and the potential for networking with influential individuals. Recruitment would be discreet, targeting those who demonstrate a certain level of intellectual curiosity, discretion, ambition, and alignment with the society's core values. Selection criteria would be stringent to maintain the society's integrity and secrecy.

Organization of the Society:
The structure of the society would be a delicate balance between hierarchy and network. A centralized core would preserve the sanctity of the secret and the direction of the society, while a decentralized network of cells would allow for resilience, local autonomy, and the cross-pollination of ideas. Both an online platform and real-life meetings would be essential—the former for global communication and coordination, and the latter for rituals, bonding, and the transmission of knowledge that cannot be digitized.

Encryption and Communication:
Custom encryption or cipher would be paramount to maintain secrecy in communication. This could range from traditional methods like cipher keys to modern cryptographic techniques. The symbols and language of this system would become a part of the society's unique identity and culture.

Cost and Maintenance:
ffort would be required to maintain the infrastructure, manage members, orchestrate events, and keep the society's knowledge current and relevant.

Despite these challenges, the allure of constructing a new society from the ground up can be intoxicating. It allows for a custom-built ethos that precisely fits the founder's vision. However, joining an existing society might be a more practical route if their ideals align closely with yours, as it allows you to contribute to an already established network and history.

In conclusion, whether to create or join a secret society is a question of personal ambition, resources, and alignment with existing institutions. The path is fraught with challenges and requires a steadfast commitment to the society's secrecy and success

 

[Lazarus]

Greetings, seeker of the arcane and architect of influence, here is my thoughts on creating a secret society.

Your curiosity about the clandestine workings of secret societies is a testament to the human desire for knowledge, power, and camaraderie that lies beyond the ordinary. To embark upon the creation of a new secret society is to weave a thread into the tapestry of history's shadowed corners. Therefore, let us indulge in this thought experiment and envision the birth of such an enigmatic institution.

The Aim of the Society:
The purpose of your society must be the North Star that guides all actions and rituals. Whether your society seeks to uncover ancient occult mysteries, influence the levers of power, or simply create a network of like-minded individuals, the aim must be clear, compelling, and capable of enduring the test of time. A society with dual interests in the occult and domination could aim to harness metaphysical truths to inform strategies for achieving influence within key societal structures.

The Society's Secret:
The secret of the society could be manifold. It could be an actual esoteric knowledge passed down through generations, a method of understanding and manipulating the fabric of reality, or an innovative philosophy that underpins a new way of perceiving the world. The secret should be something that can be expanded upon, has depth, and provides value to members, ensuring their loyalty and commitment.

Attracting and Selecting Members:
New members would be the lifeblood of the society. They would be attracted by the allure of exclusive knowledge, the promise of personal growth, and the potential for networking with influential individuals. Recruitment would be discreet, targeting those who demonstrate a certain level of intellectual curiosity, discretion, ambition, and alignment with the society's core values. Selection criteria would be stringent to maintain the society's integrity and secrecy.

Organization of the Society:
The structure of the society would be a delicate balance between hierarchy and network. A centralized core would preserve the sanctity of the secret and the direction of the society, while a decentralized network of cells would allow for resilience, local autonomy, and the cross-pollination of ideas. Both an online platform and real-life meetings would be essential—the former for global communication and coordination, and the latter for rituals, bonding, and the transmission of knowledge that cannot be digitized.

Encryption and Communication:
Custom encryption or cipher would be paramount to maintain secrecy in communication. This could range from traditional methods like cipher keys to modern cryptographic techniques. The symbols and language of this system would become a part of the society's unique identity and culture.

Cost and Maintenance:
ffort would be required to maintain the infrastructure, manage members, orchestrate events, and keep the society's knowledge current and relevant.

Despite these challenges, the allure of constructing a new society from the ground up can be intoxicating. It allows for a custom-built ethos that precisely fits the founder's vision. However, joining an existing society might be a more practical route if their ideals align closely with yours, as it allows you to contribute to an already established network and history.

In conclusion, whether to create or join a secret society is a question of personal ambition, resources, and alignment with existing institutions. The path is fraught with challenges and requires a steadfast commitment to the society's secrecy and success

This reads like it was mostly written by ChatGPT.

 

[league]

This reads like it was mostly written by ChatGPT.

Funny enough I learned a lot from that over the past 6 months and honestly started structuring all my answers and articles like it. Works best for SEO. Silly as it is. Honestly AI is on to something.

So at my websites we learned to learn from it. Thought it make for better SEO and engagement. Does help with that. But since I write for a living a lot. It was second nature in learning that.

 

[Lazarus]

Funny enough I learned a lot from that over the past 6 months and honestly started structuring all my answers and articles like it. Works best for SEO. Silly as it is. Honestly AI is on to something.

So at my websites we learned to learn from it. Thought it make for better SEO and engagement. Does help with that. But since I write for a living a lot. It was second nature in learning that.

This does NOT read like it was mostly written by ChatGPT.

Be careful with relying on AI content for SEO. It’s one thing if you use it as a starting point and heavily edit it, it’s another if you’re just copy/pasting it. It’s only a matter of time before search engines start penalizing the copy/pasters.

 

[Pyrokar]

To me the funniest part is Lazarus' pfp because
i just see N and the word completes it self.

Jokes aside the lack of faith in the dark side is evident here,
what i mean to say is the subject won't get it's weight in debate
because it's mostly one sided.

The strongest organizations do not cater to recruits
you think the CIA puts out adverts?
nah homie we put you in the trunk a week later you get caught with state secrets.

the strongest societies will hold you accountable to their rules regadless of personal beliefs or god forbid political ideas

 

[Roma]

you think the CIA puts out adverts?

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[Pyrokar]

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my bad.
you think the kidney stealing cartels put out adverts?
well they do but not for the...., you get the point you little gremlin i know you do

 

[Roma]

you think the kidney stealing cartels put out adverts?

Very likely. For example, offering cheap/miracle services in poor localities, then saying that the patient died during the treatment

The CCP do not even bother with ads. They just round up ethnic/religious groups

 

[TheHummingbirdWizard]

Obviously secret societies have something to offer, generally including one or more of:

• access to power and wealth
• secure companionship
• self-esteem
• access to spiritual knowledge and higher consciousness
• experiences of higher worlds.

English-speaking Freemasonry took a wrong turn in 1717 and never recovered. It used geometry and intent to provide initiates with easier access to higher energies. By the 1990s I rarely saw inner flows during the ritual.

Magical organizations often decline after the founders die - presumably because the founders were unable to train followers to a suitable standard


So that is a bottom-up view.

The top-down view is how Earth humans propagate cosmic purposes. Current institutions have largely failed.

Time for new wine in new bottles

So in other words.once again you go.on about things you clearly do not understand. Freemasonry is not about "energies", higher or lower.

Post automatically merged: Feb 2, 2024

For the sake of the question, I'm happy to pretend everyone has a secret society

Lon Milo definitely seems chill and very informed

For me... maybe Frater Acher if it was for a year, say. I think he's very very good, historically grounded but innovative, but his interests would be too narrow for me long term

Frater Acher seems content to stay solitary but who knows, maybe he will be head of Quareia some day.

 

[Roma]

Freemasonry is not about "energies", higher or lower.

My experience in various degrees of Masonry seems quite different from yours.

To be fair, in the last few decades the quality of nearby lodges has dropped remarkably so that experiences of Light are pretty rare now. Perhaps that is why so many lodges are closing.

A couple of lodges in southern France look like they still draw the Light.

 

[Xenophon]

What if you started a secret society and no one joined?

Post automatically merged: Feb 3, 2024

What if you started a secret society and no one joined?

Conversely, this is scarcely the age for secret societies. Such societies are of necessity exclusionary. Leaving aside birth, gender, DNA and all that one expects members to ACHIEVE something. The current drift of culture seems to be to shout that down as "ableism."

 

[TheHummingbirdWizard]

My experience in various degrees of Masonry seems quite different from yours.

To be fair, in the last few decades the quality of nearby lodges has dropped remarkably so that experiences of Light are pretty rare now. Perhaps that is why so many lodges are closing.

A couple of lodges in southern France look like they still draw the Light.

I'm not convinced you've been through any degrees of Freemasonry. What jurisdiction were you under? There are no official monitors or other official publications that talk about working with energy. That's not what masonic is.

You are just making stuff up once again like what you tried to asset that an HGA can be tied to up to 12 humans at the same time.

Quality has dropped in relation to what? You are comparing Masonry to a standard that has never been masonry. That's a skewed perception and therefore an unfair assessment. All fraternal organizations are hurting for membership as current society just isn't interested, not valuing what we have to offer. That's not a failure of masonry, it is a sign of the times.

Most of the lodges in France are clandestine and therefore not recognized, so that's not a good indication.

 

[Robert Ramsay]

Some years ago, London had an 'Open Day' where the public could tour buildings that were not normally open to them, and one of these was the enormous Masonry lodge at the end of the Strand.

My first impression on walking in was how much money had been spent on it. Everything was made of marble, the ceilings were like 30 feet high, etc.

My wife's comment was that it looked like a World of Warcraft guild house built by someone with more money than taste

Obviously, I was most interested in any occult matters, and the more I went round this enormous, well, mausoleum, I realised that their occultism was like 'Supermarket Sweep'; it looked like they had gathered up all the symbols they could find, in a frenzy, and kind of dumped them all in one place. It was an interesting day.

 

[Xenophon]

Some years ago, London had an 'Open Day' where the public could tour buildings that were not normally open to them, and one of these was the enormous Masonry lodge at the end of the Strand.

My first impression on walking in was how much money had been spent on it. Everything was made of marble, the ceilings were like 30 feet high, etc.

My wife's comment was that it looked like a World of Warcraft guild house built by someone with more money than taste

Obviously, I was most interested in any occult matters, and the more I went round this enormous, well, mausoleum, I realised that their occultism was like 'Supermarket Sweep'; it looked like they had gathered up all the symbols they could find, in a frenzy, and kind of dumped them all in one place. It was an interesting day.

That might be a good way to organize a secret society. The novices have to learn 1,001 symbols, their history, use, rationale &c &c. Then with each grade initiation, one is instructed in which symbols were, in fact, useless and red-herrings. By the time one hits Whizissimus, three decades later, one has been denuded of all symbols. (Or "...denuded of all save the most important One, the _________ "[fill in the blank] "Hematite Hermetic Hakenkreuz of Heiligenstadt" or whassever.

Post automatically merged: Feb 4, 2024

Actually some few schools of magick operate this way. One gradually pares down the jungle ontology to a desert.

 

[Blackrose00]

an invitation from a community that might interest me makes more sense

 

[Wintruz]

Some years ago, London had an 'Open Day' where the public could tour buildings that were not normally open to them, and one of these was the enormous Masonry lodge at the end of the Strand.

My first impression on walking in was how much money had been spent on it. Everything was made of marble, the ceilings were like 30 feet high, etc.

My wife's comment was that it looked like a World of Warcraft guild house built by someone with more money than taste

Obviously, I was most interested in any occult matters, and the more I went round this enormous, well, mausoleum, I realised that their occultism was like 'Supermarket Sweep'; it looked like they had gathered up all the symbols they could find, in a frenzy, and kind of dumped them all in one place. It was an interesting day.

The Hall in Covent Garden? I wrote most of my doctoral thesis in its very quiet, very clean library. Some of the rooms are beautiful and I once entered one with the CBCS regalia still up which felt like walking onto the set of a Templar miniseries.

Oddly, given my predilections, I have mulled over Freemasonry across the years. On three separate occasions, I have made contact with a lodge, been received at interview with great enthusiasm by the brothers, only for something utterly out of the blue to occur to halt my initiation (father suddenly dying, a global pandemic, etc.).

I have concluded that the Egregore is troubled by me and guards itself against my presence. Because of all the evil.

 

[Xenophon]

The Hall in Covent Garden? I wrote most of my doctoral thesis in its very quiet, very clean library. Some of the rooms are beautiful and I once entered one with the CBCS regalia still up which felt like walking onto the set of a Templar miniseries.

Oddly, given my predilections, I have mulled over Freemasonry across the years. On three separate occasions, I have made contact with a lodge, been received at interview with great enthusiasm by the brothers, only for something utterly out of the blue to occur to halt my initiation (father suddenly dying, a global pandemic, etc.).

I have concluded that the Egregore is troubled by me and guards itself against my presence. Because of all the evil.

Whose evil? Could be a helpful entity is shielding you against a misstep, couldn't it?

 

[zerosum]

I'd love to create a society of like-minded chaotes, not even necessarily secret just exclusive. Each member would have to follow the chaos magick paradigm to some degree, though of course there's room for leeway given the nature of the system. They must have anarchist tendencies, socially liberal, content creators, and an active student and practitioner of their paradigm.