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note:
This interview was conducted via e-mail and is presented here in it's complete unedited form.

R.U. Sirius is best known as one of the founders of Mondo 2000. He has also authored, co-authored or contributed to a number of books including: "How to Mutate and Take Over the World", "The Happy Mutant Handbook" and Timothy Leary's "Design For Dying".

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A Sirius Interview About The Revolution
conducted by Donald Melanson

Mindjack:So what was your main motivation for starting The Revolution? And how big do you expect, or want it to get?

RU Sirius:One of my main motivations was just coming up with something that would really work for the DisInformation audience. In the process of doing that, I came up with THE REVOLUTION. I'm also tired of people just talking about their favorite bands or whatever.

I also feel that the political discourse in America is kind of like the discourse was in Russia before the Communist Party was booted out of power. The debate between mainstream democratic and republican opinion is as narrow as the debate between members of the Soviet Communist Party, and the presumptions in the mainstream media map to the assumptions of Pravda before the closing of the Soviet state.

My responses as of today have started to get overwhelming. It's hard to get offline. So I expect it to be huge. I think THE REVOLUTION will be the biggest alternative party, outside of maybe Perot's group, by 2000.

Mindjack:What goals or objectives must be met for you to consider The Revolution a success?

RU Sirius:Well, I'd like to see the changes mentioned in the 15 point platform instituted. But I'd feel pretty successful if some of these ideas enter the maintream discourse as the result of our actions.

Mindjack:Could you expand on what you mean by "an inquisitive heuristic movement towards achieving many of the goals associated with Liberalism and Libertarianism while evading and avoiding the politically correct absolutes associated with these tendencies"?

RU Sirius: Well, to me heuristics means that you experiment. Try out ideas without prejudice. You veer left and you bump into something, and then you veer right a bit too much and you bump into something. But you always keep your eye on the end zone and eventually you get there.

So rather than jump into politics with all of the assumptions that come with ideology, I'm suggesting instead remembering a few simple goals. Liberalism=basic compassionate decent living standards for all. Libertarianism=as much individual freedom as is possible in a society.

Mindjack: What would you like to say to people that say you merely shrug off things as a joke whenever they begin to be taken too seriously? And how serious do you want The Revolution to be taken?

RU Sirius: Well, I think people who take things too seriously are dangerous. They tend to want to impose their wills on others. On the other hand, I think refusing to take anything seriously is as boring as taking things too seriously. I want people to take very seriously the idea that a progressive political party that uses humor as one of its main strategies is the best approach to political change in an era where people are suspicious of politics.

Mindjack: What are your plans for the near future? And is there anything else you would like to say about The Revolution?

RU Sirius: I'm looking forward to getting a mailing list and a dedicated website together for THE REVOLUTION. I'm also trying to get my collection, DEATH TO THE SMUG, out in a print edition. And I hope to get head from Monica Lewinsky.

[Editor's Note: The Revolution's website is now online.]

We welcome your comments on this interview: editor@mindjack.com