What is Slack?

[Penrich]

Are these two related? I think we should be told...

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0671638106.01._PE30_PIdp-schmoo2,TopRight,7,-26_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

The Book of the SubGenius (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0671638106/ref=lib_rd_btb/002-1237153-3257632?v=glance&s=books&coliid=I1VR12PYFCKH9W) : Being the Divine Wisdom, Guidance, and Prophecy of J.R. 'Bob' Dobbs, High Epopt of the Church of the SubGenius, Here Inscribed for the Salvation of Future Generations and in the Hope that Slack May Someday Reign on this Earth


http://www.slackware.com/~msimons/slackware/grfx/shared/slack-penguin-color.gif

Slackware Linux (www.slackware.com)

[mrussel1]

J. R. "Bob" Dobbs - Sub-Genius, salesman, prophet of Slack...

Bob Dobbs seems to find his way into lots of different places, notably on the cover of the Dead Kennedys best-of (Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death). I went to the Slackware page when I first noticed the familiar pipe-smoking salesman on the penguin, but found no explanation.

The Church of the Sub-Genius' main teaching is Slack. I watched an "indoctrination video" for the church that was hysterical, and I'm sure the book is great as well.

From what I understand, this started as a guy with a copy machine making funny collages and eventually grew into en entire mythology surrounding J.R. "Bob" Dobbs. The church notes that a sub-genius is not really "just below genius level," but actually well below it... Bob Dobbs is a man who makes a million dollars every time he screws up. The world is under the control of hostile aliens known as "normals," also described as "pink," but fortunately, salvation can be had for the low cost of $1 (I don't have the address to send it to). This entitles the believer to be picked up by the Xists (another alien race) and taken aboard their UFO, while they destroy the earth.

I have a hard time summarizing what slack is all about, but it basically entails flouting society's values and a large amount of scorn for the normals.

The main thrust of this "religion" seems to be ridiculing the world we live in by means of collage and video montage. This is truly funny stuff, but not for the easily offended. In its heyday the church even had "revivals" in large venues, and they drew quite an eccentric crowd. Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo fame is a former member, and if you know much about De-Evolution then you have an idea of the aesthetics at work here.

I'm sure I haven't done the church justice, since I don't know much about it. I'm sure there is copious information to be had on the internet. I can only guess that the makers of Slackware were inspired by Bob's example.

[linux12414]

I have a hard time summarizing what slack is all about, but it basically entails flouting society's values and a large amount of scorn for the normals.

Then the symbol suits us Slackware users just fine.:D

[Penrich]

The Church of the Sub genius web page is blocked by my work's firewall... I did find a link to it on the very bottom of the Slackware "Propaganda" (i.e. graphics) page.

Sounds like my kind of religion. Maybe time for a new distro too...

[linux12414]

Originally posted by mrussel1
J. R. "Bob" Dobbs - Sub-Genius, salesman, prophet of Slack...

Bob Dobbs seems to find his way into lots of different places, notably on the cover of the Dead Kennedys best-of (Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death). I went to the Slackware page when I first noticed the familiar pipe-smoking salesman on the penguin, but found no explanation.

The Church of the Sub-Genius' main teaching is Slack. I watched an "indoctrination video" for the church that was hysterical, and I'm sure the book is great as well.

From what I understand, this started as a guy with a copy machine making funny collages and eventually grew into en entire mythology surrounding J.R. "Bob" Dobbs. The church notes that a sub-genius is not really "just below genius level," but actually well below it... Bob Dobbs is a man who makes a million dollars every time he screws up. The world is under the control of hostile aliens known as "normals," also described as "pink," but fortunately, salvation can be had for the low cost of $1 (I don't have the address to send it to). This entitles the believer to be picked up by the Xists (another alien race) and taken aboard their UFO, while they destroy the earth.

I have a hard time summarizing what slack is all about, but it basically entails flouting society's values and a large amount of scorn for the normals.

The main thrust of this "religion" seems to be ridiculing the world we live in by means of collage and video montage. This is truly funny stuff, but not for the easily offended. In its heyday the church even had "revivals" in large venues, and they drew quite an eccentric crowd. Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo fame is a former member, and if you know much about De-Evolution then you have an idea of the aesthetics at work here.

I'm sure I haven't done the church justice, since I don't know much about it. I'm sure there is copious information to be had on the internet. I can only guess that the makers of Slackware were inspired by Bob's example.

I've never heard of this...was it before or after Dada-ism? It sounds a lot like it.

[mrussel1]

Originally posted by linux12414
I've never heard of this...was it before or after Dada-ism? It sounds a lot like it.

I think the Church of the Subgenius was founded some time in the 80s, which would place it well after Dada. There definitely are similarities.

I wish I could remember more specifics about this. I'm pretty sure Amazon sells the book Penrich posted.

[Penrich]

Originally posted by mrussel1
I think the Church of the Subgenius was founded some time in the 80s, which would place it well after Dada. There definitely are similarities.

I wish I could remember more specifics about this. I'm pretty sure Amazon sells the book Penrich posted. The link to the book on Amazon is in that post somewhere. I was browsing for some interesting reading, and came across that book, and thought it looked familiar. I'm going to order it - it looks kinda crazy. ;)

[Penrich]

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Divine obfuscation has a purpose. This is the classic that ushered in so many imitators, imitators who did not get "it." "It" is slack, the desiderata that cannot be desired and is only attainable through "Bob," the evil god/male model who founded the Church of the SubGenius without bothering to "exist." If you read this holy book properly, you will learn to "pull the wool over your own eyes." While this volume may seem hilarious, it's also an incredibly adept deconstruction of religion in general and the human impulse to believe in and follow anyone who promises to give their lives meaning and structure. Plus, it's the only place to find the information you need to survive when the bad alien gods come out of the sky to kill, enslave, and entertain us. If you don't already have a copy, then hand in your hipness ID card and hang your head in shame.


Simon & Schuster
Sometimes a book goes too far. Sometimes is... now. First, there was The Gilgamesh. Then... the Bhagavad-Gita Then... the Torah, the New Testament, the Koran Then... the Book of Mormon, Dianetics, I'm OK You're OK. And now...The Book of the Subgenius (How to Prosper in the Coming Weird Times)END

[JohnT]

As an afficianado of Slack, I'm not allowed to speak on the subject.:p

[linux12414]

A review from Amazon. After reading this, the book is a "must have" for me!!!!

Reviewer: slakk@slakk.com from Dobbstown
At first, I thought this book was pure EVIL. So I burned it, only to have it appear that night (in perfect condition, yet still warm and a slight smokey odor) under my pillow. So I burned it again the next morning. Yep, you guessed it, under my pillow the next night. I began to read and spent the majority of the next 3 months with gut-wrenching laughter and tears of joy as this confusing world was clearified and classified into an eternal perpetual joke for which only BOB has the punchline. YES!, Brothers and Sisters, You too can be saved by the Grace of BOB. Eternal Salvation or triple you money back!!! No other religion can make such a hefty promise! This is the world's only admitted "for-profit" religion. This book has changed my life. Before, I was a low-life loser who never had any money, women, fun, or slack. Now I am a low-life loser who has no money, women or fun,.... .... BUT I HAVE PLENTY OF SLACK!!!!! PRAISE BOB!

[bwkaz]

See the Jargon File, entries "slack" and "Church of the SubGenius". Also, "Discordianism":

http://www.jargon.8hz.com/jargon_34.html#TAG1620

http://www.jargon.8hz.com/jargon_18.html#TAG291

http://www.jargon.8hz.com/jargon_19.html#TAG480

(These would be links to the original Jargon File at tuxedo.org/~esr/jargon, but it seems to have gone elsewhere, and these were the first few working links that Google turned up.)

[Artie_Effim]

Hail Eris!!

[2damncommon]

Apparently, it is an in joke with the Slackware crowd.
I made a joke to a strange reference to a Bob (the poster's name happened to be Robert or Bob) and received a link to the subgenius site in return.
Rather nice for them.