Cacophony Society

The Cacophony Society is ?a randomly gathered network of free spirits united in the pursuit of experiences beyond the pale of mainstream society.? It was started by surviving members of the now defunct Suicide Club of San Francisco in the USA. According to self-designated members of the Society, ?you may already be a member.? Particularly well known amongst its members is the novelist Chuck Palahniuk, who has mentioned the Society in both his writings and interviews. He used the Cacophony Society as the basis for the organization Project Mayhem in his novel Fight Club. Palahniuk himself was pranked by a gang of Cacophonist Santas at one of his book readings in San Francisco.

Related Topics:
Random - Network - Free spirit - Mainstream society - Suicide Club - San Francisco - USA - Chuck Palahniuk - Fight Club

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The anarchic nature of the Society means that membership is left open-ended and anyone may sponsor an event. For instance, it advises dressing as Santa Claus and drinking all weekend (SantaCon), or dressing in animal suits and going bowling. Usually the events and participation criteria are such that it is easy to identify others who are participating, but perhaps difficult to identify them later in ordinary circumstances.

Related Topics:
Anarchic - Santa Claus - SantaCon

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The San Francisco Branch of the Cacophony Society was involved early on in the annual Burning Man festival after Michael Michael attended the event at Baker Beach in 1988 and publicized the 1989 event in the Cacophony Society newsletter. Other significant events created by the Society are: the Atomic Cafe, the Zone Trip, the Chinese New Year's Treasure Hunt, picnic on the Golden Gate Bridge, the Brides of March and the Sewer Tour.

Related Topics:
Burning Man - Michael Michael - Baker Beach - 1988 - 1989 - Atomic Cafe - Zone Trip - Chinese New Year - Golden Gate Bridge - Brides of March - Sewer Tour

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Cacophony could be described as an indirect outgrowth of the surrealist movement. The Society has links to the Church of the Subgenius via the annual Saint Stupid?s Day Parade held on April 1 in San Francisco, sponsored by Bishop Joey (a.k.a. Ed Holmes) and the now-defunct version of Whore Church that was sponsored by Chicken John.

Related Topics:
Surrealist - Church of the Subgenius - Saint Stupid?s Day Parade - April 1 - San Francisco - Bishop Joey - Ed Holmes - Whore Church - Chicken John

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Flash mob activities share some ideas with cacophonist theory, as well as groups like Improv Everywhere.

Related Topics:
Flash mob - Improv Everywhere

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