I’ve known The Dark Fool for a couple years. He’s one of those rare individuals who thinks for himself and is driven to produce according to his own design. Like me, and many within the Cthulhu Cult, Dark Fool is an architect of weirdness. A rare breed, to be sure.
This interview was conducted via Instant Messenger. It was his idea and a masterful one because it allowed us to have more actual discussion than a run-of-the-mill Q&A. The Dark Fool’s candor is appreciated. I can’t wait to read his upcoming book Way of the Dionysian. Alright, let’s talk with a man forming his own middle path!
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Venger Satanis: So, how are you doing today? What’s your current state of mind?
Dark Fool: I’m doing VERY well. My current state of mind is relaxed. I had coffee and did this morning’s show of The Ooze on Freudian Projection, and now I’m enjoying cold pizza (breakfast of champions) and having this interview.
I must say, all of this attention is quite the ego boost. Lol
Venger Satanis: Did you want attention, or at least recognition, originally? Last year, 3 years ago, 10 years ago?
Dark Fool: LOL. Actually, I’ll sign on to your phrasing. Recognition and exposure mostly – since I am writing a book at the moment and working on promotion.
Coming onto youtube, originally, I didn’t expect ANY of this. I was looking to broaden my horizons as far as Satanism and the Left Hand Path.
Networking mostly.
Venger Satanis: I see. Do you consider recognition to be a human need?
Dark Fool: As a matter of fact, I do. I would say recognition and validation are human needs. Some depend on those ‘needs’ moreso than others. Those on the Left Hand Path – not as much.
Venger Satanis: Really? I was about to make a correlation between the need or desire for recognition and the Left Hand Path.
Dark Fool: I would still very much like to hear it. I believe that, if one is on the Left Hand Path, then one doesn’t care so much about recognition or the validation of others due to the fact that the Left Hand Path is very personalized and entails a great amount of individual strength and validation.
Hence why those on the Left Hand Path tend to break through social taboos.
Venger Satanis: Agreed, but the search for gnosis, enlightenment, and self-deification must come from a personal avenue. I would assume there is an extraordinary lust to Awaken one’s True Self. But perhaps inner-recognition is just as important if not more so as outer-recognition… what are your thoughts on this?
Dark Fool: I believe that outer recognition is good, insofar as it validates the ego of the strong individual. Ego, to me, is something one must beware of. Have fun and enjoy the “Ego Boost”, but don’t let it consume you. Anton LaVey even understood this when he brought up the notion of counter-productive pride. (not that I like quoting this, but…) “Pride cometh before the fall.” Very true.
Venger Satanis: Do you see yourself as more internally validated or externally validated?
Dark Fool: Personally, I see myself as more internally validated. I do believe, however, that a balance of both is necessary to move things forward (to evolve if you will). For example, I may be very confident with myself, but if others think I’m a complete douchebag, then why should I even write a book or play in a band or create something if my credibility is tarnished? To me, internal and external validations are necessary, however emotionally, I validate myself.
Venger Satanis: Cake or pie?
Dark Fool: Pie.
Venger Satanis: What kind/flavor? [extended silence]
Please don’t hurt yourself in answering.
Dark Fool: Hahaha. Lemon Meringue. (I could’ve been witty and said something outside of the options provided – but I’m not in the mood. lol)
Venger Satanis: Excellent, now, Dark Fool, I can see into your very soul!
Dark Fool: OK.
Venger Satanis: Do you, at this moment, consider yourself a Satanist?
Dark Fool: Very good question. As you may know, I’ve branched out a bit from Satanism and the Left Hand Path. Satanism and the Left Hand Path have the correct idea insofar as the dark/brutal side of nature is concerned.
In short, no because I see that a balance between Left Hand Path (LHP) and Right Hand Path (RHP) ideologies must be struck.
In other words, I’m forming my own middle path. To borrow a term I heard in the star wars “The Clone Wars” cartoon “We are neither Jedi nor Sith. We are force-wielders. “
Venger Satanis: Interesting. Do you see the right hand path as an avenue towards slavery and annihilation of one’s True Self?
Dark Fool: As a matter of fact, yes I do. Here’s what is interesting about the RHP and Religion: They can accomplish things on a large and grand scale, however, they are counter-productive towards individual growth. I use Aleister Crowley’s definition of Magick – Magick is “the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will”. Obviously, the christians and muslims have pushed forth their will but crushed others along the way.
I perceive the LHP as being a step in the right direction since it promotes the strength of the individual, however, no man is an island (if you catch my meaning).
Venger Satanis: So, you’re saying that the LHP is great for the individual as it comes to manifesting will… while the rhp is better for large groups manifesting the will of a society?
Dark Fool: YES. However, when it comes to the societies and its laws, you’ll notice that those in power – although they CLAIM to have the will of the people in mind – tend to only have their Will and their intentions in mind. I believe that this ties in with the concept that Friedrich Nietzsche called the “Will to Power”.
I believe that Satanists and those in the LHP are so wrapped up in their individualism that they fail to see the threat that the RHP plays on even THEIR ability to create and to manifest. They fail in the sense that they refuse to stand up and participate in political games on a direct front… political games in order to thwart the threatening collective will of the RHP that would rather see them convert and become subdued.
Subversion ideology, on the other hand, is a different and valid approach as well.
Venger Satanis: In my view, I allow a certain amount of pragmatism to enter the LHP… understanding of social pressures, the needs of others, the will of other LHP practitioners around me, and our species as a whole.
To that end, I see bits of the rhp seeping into my vision of the LHP.
Dark Fool: Exactly. See, I believe that you and I see eye to eye on this particular issue.
Venger Satanis: Probably because we’re realists. We see things a bit more objectively than most… even those who practice the LHP. Does being a “force wielder” enable you to skirt some of the Jedi and Sith drama which invariably erupts?
Dark Fool: It enables me to see the entire spectrum of “the force” and to not limit myself to either RHP or LHP. It is only our consciousness that creates such a division. Hence, why in my own religion, Dionysianism, I’ll be discussing how Individualism and Wholeness can (and in fact, do) work together. It’s only when we divide them and categorize them that a large portion of the big picture gets jumbled and confused. “Division Causeth Hurt” – Paraphrased from The Book of the Law by Aleister Crowley.
Venger Satanis: Yes, that makes sense. I’m sure your maverick position occasionally rubs people the wrong way. What’s the most common feedback you receive?
Dark Fool: Well the greatest example of how it rubbed people the wrong way was when I made a response video to Jason King’s video “Satanic State of the Union” in which Jason King stated that there is no “Union”. I, for one, did not agree since I know – being raised in a strict christian household – the oppression of christianity. I also know that others, such as youths, would still love to unite and to see their christian/islamic oppressors taken out of their life.
What I promote is not so much hating and/or destroying the competition, but rather building a large front to challenge back should they attack us and our way of life. Tit for tat so to speak.
Oh, and to answer your question on the feedback, I got a lot of shit for DARING to say the word “Unite” and “Satanism” together. Lol
Venger Satanis: So, rather than a strict division between right and Left Hand Paths, there would be some kind of unity created around the desire to fight against oppression. Is that what you’re saying?
Dark Fool: That is absolutely what I am saying. See, we are able to create and manifest without having to fear repercussion. However, we are only able to create and to manifest BECAUSE we are in an environment that allows us to do so. Consider it like biology and plant life. Certain plants can’t grow in certain environments because the conditions are too hostile for their survival. Under different environments with the proper variation of water and soil they can sprout.
If you or I were to share our ideas under islam’s sharia law, we’d have our heads cut off! And possibly our ideas squashed and under muslim control.
Venger Satanis: What about the possibility of a different kind of theocracy?
Dark Fool: I’m all for it.
All I’m saying is that the personal does becomes political. That has been shown time and time again throughout history. Whether it’s Dionysianism or the Cult of Cthulhu, there needs to be some kind of a front against the extremists who would threaten our ability to create and to manifest.
[directed towards RHP religions] disagree if you will, but allow us the ability to live and to speak freely! Also, to quote Voltaire – “I disagree with what you have to say but will fight to the death to protect your right to say it.”
Venger Satanis: Indulge me for a moment. Imagine a Lovecraftian Theocracy, something I occasionally talk about, and describe what you see in your mind’s eye.
Dark Fool: I see myself getting a slimy green hot dog on the corner of R’lyeh and Broadway. lol
Venger Satanis: What were you talking about at the beginning of this interview… something about Freudian psychology?
Dark Fool: Ah yes, Freudian psychology. The topic of today’s show on The Ooze was Freudian Projection. I myself am discussing Freud’s essay “Beyond the Pleasure Principle” in my book “Way of the Dionysian” where he discusses the Life Drive (Eros) and the Death Drive (Thanatos – attributed).
I, however, take Carl Jung’s approach that they are one in the same. I just love how Freud divided them and discussed them at greater length and with such detail.
Venger Satanis: Sometimes a slimy green hotdog is just a slimy green hotdog. Hahaha. What else?
Dark Fool: All joking aside, I think that would be cool in the sense that, at least, the Left Hand Path and certain taboos would be smashed. Even though it’s not my particular paradigm, I can respect that the Cthulhu Cult promotes individualism and champions certain freedoms rather than repressing them (as has been the case for centuries with most RHP religions).
Venger Satanis: Yes, I prefer Jung too. He seemed to take a multi-dimensional approach to psychology.
What’s your impression of the Fourth Way?
Dark Fool: So far, I think that the Fourth Way is AWESOME and that many other Satanists and those in the Left Hand Path should at least be familiar with it. I’m merely a beginner at this time, but I will – slowly but surely – immerse myself in it. I believe there are keys in Gurdjieff’s teaching that compliment Dionysianism beautifully.
On a side note, I would like to state that one of the attributes of Dionysus is the ability to blend and mix (hence why he’s a god of intoxication – water into wine from the rain that pours upon the grapes). Blending also plays a key role in absorbing cultures and outside influences into Dionysianism – as well as blending RHP and LHP together.
Intoxicating bliss. 
Venger Satanis: So you advocate balance then?
Dark Fool: Absolutely. Again, to quote Aliester Crowley: “The Key to Evolution is Proper Variation.”
Venger Satanis: What would the temples in a Lovecraftian Theocracy look like?
Dark Fool: From my perspective, I would say like an old cobblestone church covered in mold and slime with huge Necronomicon pentagrams everywhere. I’m sure a more detailed description could be found in ANY of H.P. Lovecraft’s novels. Besides, why don’t you tell me? You’re the head of the Cthulhu Cult! Lol
Ia Ia, motherfucker! 
Venger Satanis: Indeed. There’s a bit of medieval aesthetic which usually creeps into my vision as well. Or modernism gone horribly awry! Extremely obtuse and acute angles of smooth black material juxtaposed together forward and back so it’s frighteningly awkward for the ordinary human eye to comprehend. Yes, chaotic curved and angular symbols everywhere like the motif of an organic, alien German Expressionist nightmare…
Dark Fool: See, this is why you’re the head of the Cthulhu Cult. You also have more of an artistic eye for this sort of thing than I do.
Venger Satanis: Or perhaps I can see into the future… Tell me about your experiences with H.P. Lovecraft.
Dark Fool: Well, to be honest, I fell in love with his work, but not so much into the system of magic “The Necronomicon”. It’s an interesting story really. Like many metal heads, I got into H.P. Lovecraft when I heard “The Call of Cthulhu” off of Metallica’s “Ride the Lightning” album. A few years later, I was browsing the “New Age” section at a local Borders Bookstore, and I saw The Necronomicon. At that time, I hadn’t read as much as I’ve read now on H.P. Lovecraft, so I honestly thought that it was a book about a Mad Arab (I was a kid at the time). I later learned that the store-bought Necronomicon was a product of H.P. Lovecraft. I simply said “oh. that’s interesting” and put it down.
At the time, Satanism was more “real” in the sense that everyone believed in “god”. So in that sense, Satan was more real than Cthulhu. It wasn’t until I read “Hero with 1000 Faces” by Joseph Campbell and when I dived into other systems of magick, like Chaos Magick, that I realized the Cthulhu Mythos can be a VERY real thing if you know and understand how Magick and mythos TRUELY work.
Venger Satanis: Name your three favorite Lovecraft stories.
Dark Fool: The Call of Cthulhu, The Music of Erich Zann, and Rats in the Walls.
Venger Satanis: Do you believe, as Tolkien did and many other artists do, that myths are greater truths… the essence of what is real? If that is so, then isn’t something like the Cthulhu Mythos potentially more powerful than a transcript of daily “facts” which anyone might consult?
Dark Fool: First of all, I’m a big Tolkien nerd. I’ve literally read every book he (and his son Christopher) have put out concerning the whole middle earth cosmology. And yes, I would admit that myths are greater truths in understanding our relationship to the world, universe, and each other. However, I also believe, as Aleister Crowley did, that myths also have a shelf life. This can especially be seen when science has expanded our understanding of the world as we know it. Old paradigms and myths must be put aside to make way for the evolution of the species. Otherwise, you have this christian and islam mess that we’re in right now.
Venger Satanis: Is Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings saga just as Christian as it is Satanic?
Dark Fool: While there are christian themes in The Lord of the Rings, it’s actually more Satanic than people give it credit for. For example, in the original ending (not one of the 15 depicted within the movies, lol) when the hobbits – Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin – return to the shire and find it overrun by “The Brutes” (Black Númenóreans if memory serves correct) they actually fight them off and rebuild the shire. Why? Because they had learned to fight and to become badasses through the conflict they had been put through. They came out stronger than they ever were because they had endured so much. If that’s not Satanic, I don’t know what is.
Venger Satanis: Good point. Why “The Call of Cthulhu” in particular?
Dark Fool: Well, besides the nostalgic aspect of the Metallica song from my youth that got me into Lovecraft in the first place, I also really loved how artists, musicians, etc. started going mad and they’re “openness” to the “call” hyped it up even more. The whole buildup is what I loved in The Call of Cthulhu, and the Metallica song did it justice.
Venger Satanis: Do you believe that hyper-sensitive people, especially artists, are privy to an extra dimension or three of reality than ordinary folk?
Dark Fool: Myself being one of them, yes I do. One of the systems of Magick in which I am particularly open to is Enochian. I’ve had some CRAZY results from my Enochian workings.
Venger Satanis: Like what?
Dark Fool: Well, after the first ever Satanic destruction ritual I performed, I had an intense dream when I went to bed that night. The kind of dream you remember for the rest of your life.
Venger Satanis: What was the dream?
Dark Fool: At first it was pitch black. I remember that I was speaking Enochian in my sleep. It was crazy, because I remembered that whatever it was that I was saying was controlling me AT THE SAME TIME, I was controlling what was being said.
Then all of the sudden, as if someone had pulled blinding sheet from over my eyes, I was staring into the eyes of a boar. This boar was cybernetic/robotic with glowing red eyes like the Terminator, and it was speaking the language to me. When it was done, it turned around and ran off to devour what was left in the ruined city behind it. I recognized the city as Los Angeles, which is where I live. It was very much like the demolished city within The Matrix.
And then, of course, the next day I had immediate results from my ritual.
Venger Satanis: Was the person destroyed in some fashion?
Dark Fool: The person wasn’t destroyed, but he was seriously down about what had happened to him. He had a special item that he and his brother shared. This item was made of glass, and out of nowhere, it fell onto the floor. According to his account, it was no where even NEAR the edge of the table. His exact words were, and I quote: “It feels like it was a curse or something”
Venger Satanis: Wow, impressive. I recently mentioned, and was criticized for my efforts, the belief that magic has unintended consequences. But more than that, sometimes the magic has a will of its own. It knows more or understands things that the magician does not. The effects of a spell, conjuration or evocation might take on a life of its own.
Dark Fool: I believe this as well. Part of my book will be addressing this same issue about how thought forms and memes will take on a life of their own, especially when a large amount of people accept them. Christianity and islam and religion in general are exactly that.
Venger Satanis: Well this has been quite a journey, Dark Fool. Anything you want to mention, add, or promote before we temporarily part ways?
Dark Fool: Indeed, Venger! It’s ALL about the journey. All I have to say is look for my book Way of the Dionysian. I will keep people posted on my youtube channel (youtube.com/Darkf00l) and on facebook as to the progress and status of my book.
And finally… ia ia Cthulhu Fhtagn!
Venger Satanis: Indeed, thank you, brother… ia ia Cthulhu Fhtagn!
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