The idea of a cluster zine

[deus absconditus]

The idea is simple. To create a one page what have you, that would be disseminated en masse simultaneously through the mail where ever you may be. Call it the grand collaboration, or just call it junk mail. 

As this whatever would arrive unannounced hiding amongst the letters of the unsuspecting we could put some real provocative content on it. With zine agents taking up the arms that now fan out behind their backs like so many alphabet agencies, we have the possibility of clustering areas though letter drops. This can only occur if you involve yourself in this strategy by sharing what is to be copied so that what is disseminated proliferates through this magnitude of sharing so as to reach a certain threshold of circulation. 

 

Interested?

 

 

[Blake]

sounds somewhat interesting to me too. logistically, how would this be done?

[Erin H]

So, basically, you want to send a bunch of people mail so they can destroy it? I'm confused.

[Yvonne G.]

same here... i'm curious cause it sounds interesting but i'm not sure i understand how it's done :s

Blake said:

sounds somewhat interesting to me too. logistically, how would this be done?

[sandy]

Would this be kinda like junk mail you get from supermarkets, or flyers from churches & marketers - only it would have art on it instead of sales messages?

[deus absconditus]

If someone reads the content how can they destroy it? They've already read it! It's too late! Sure they can get rid of the piece of paper but that hardly removes what was read, and the potential thought that follows......

Erin H said:

So, basically, you want to send a bunch of people mail so they can destroy it? I'm confused.

[deus absconditus]

i agree it's a kind of terrorism. The snare of receiving the mail is something that can be lay seige to, and so throw up all kinds of possibilities for the actual content. No fucking shock and awe mind you...just a paper cut at best!

Joseph Delgado said:

fuck yeah....sounds cool....poetic terrorism at its best....well at least it trying to be...

[deus absconditus]

That's easy. If you've got access to a printer or photocopier, all you need do is make a run of copies and send. The issue is what to copy or print. What is to be the content. This thing is driven by the content, aesthetics is secondary and shouldn't get in the way of what is to be read. We are to "engage" a readership, but on what??????????? Once this is answered then it's simply a matter of organising the time. The more people do it the better. The more people do it in one area the better.
The idea is really driven by collaboration, about getting people otherwise wrapt up in their own thing a chance of doing something collectively.

iv gomes said:

same here... i'm curious cause it sounds interesting but i'm not sure i understand how it's done :s

Blake said:

sounds somewhat interesting to me too. logistically, how would this be done?

[Blake]

questions i still have:

where are we sending these things?
how do we determine where we send these things? (we want to increase our chance of it actually being read, correct?)
and more importantly, who is paying for all of this postage?!?

still interested, still confused...

[Ren!]

I like the idea, but I'm also mildly confused.

[deus absconditus]

'daunting philosophical madness' Mmm....i like the sound of that.

Postage need not apply. All you need do is shove it in peoples letterboxes. Cut costs. Cost is only the paper and ink and maybe the time spent delivering the shit. Obviously this reduces the reach of its circulation, but thats exactly the reason why I put the idea out there in the first place; to get as many people interested in doing it as a cluster zine experiment.
As far as the content is concerned I imagine something that engages people on receiving. Be it junk mail, be it their very life as a consumerable. To make people reflect on what they receive. Is that asking too much? Who knows?


Joseph Delgado said:

well, now the dialogue depends on the content, perhaps say the ultimate 'message.' questions arise, shall this be a political or quasi political statement? aesthetical, imagery based? ecological? poetic? nonsensical? the text has to lead somewhere, but where would we 'supposedly' want to 'lead' anyone to, any conclusions, ideas...moments of clarity perhaps? perhaps not? perhaps simply a ray johnson-esque xerox of simplistic perfection or daunting philosophical madness. i would be willing to do such....i dont mind paying the postage....the idea is whats important.