William S Burroughs 1.25” Buttons Language Virus Exterminate Thought Everything For Sale

ThreeQuote Repro Buttons

Thislisting is for three 1.25" pinback buttons with famous quotesfrom cult underground author William S. Burroughs.

NothingIs True Everything Is Permitted - The slogan was supposedly coined byHassan-i Sabbah in the 11th century; he was the leader of theoriginal (and real and historical!) Guild of Assassins, theHashshashin. Burroughs was fascinated by the story ofHassan-i-Sabbah and included the motto, "Nothing is true;everything is permitted," and many references to the work in his1959 post-modern novel, "Naked Lunch." A novel aboutSabbah's life, 'Alamut,' was the basis for the popular videogameAssassin's Creed.

LanguageIs A Virus From Outer Space - A virus operates autonomously, withouthuman intervention. It attaches itself to a host and feeds off of it,growing and spreading from host to host. Language infects us; itspower derives not from its straightforward ability to communicate orpersuade but rather from this infectious nature, this power of bitsof language to graft itself onto other bits of language, spreadingand reproducing, using human beings as hosts.

ExterminateAll Rational Thought - Said by the protagonist of "Naked Lunch."

WilliamS. Burroughs was a great Beat author whose novels include "NakedLunch" (adapted into a film with David Cronenberg), "Junkie,""Queer," Port of Saints" and "The Last Words ofDutch Schultz." He wrote frankly and graphically of being gayand of being a drug addict. He once failed to shoot an apple off hiscommon-law wife's head, killing her in the process.

Burroughsis often called one of the greatest and most influential writers ofthe 20th century, most notably by Norman Mailer whose quote onBurroughs, "The only American novelist living today who mayconceivably be possessed by genius", appears on many Burroughspublications. Others consider his concepts and attitude moreinfluential than his prose. Prominent admirers of Burroughs's workhave included British critic and biographer Peter Ackroyd, the rockcritic Lester Bangs, the philosopher Gilles Deleuze and the authorsJ. G. Ballard, Angela Carter, Jean Genet, William Gibson, Alan Moore,Kathy Acker and Ken Kesey. Burroughs had a profound influence on theGerman writer Carl Weissner, who in addition to being his Germantranslator was a novelist in his own right and frequently wrotecut-up texts in a manner reminiscent of Burroughs.

Hewas also a painter and a photographer.

Wearthese buttons while entering the Interzone, while sharing your lastfix, or while traveling overseas to avoid legal complications.

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Pin back on each button. US penny for scale. Penny and ruler NOT included. 1.25 inches = 3.175 cm.