Alien elite

Bohemians, Beats, and Hippies

The historical referents to 'alien elite' for which LaVey and others surely were substituting the term 'Satanist' included: Bohemians, Beats, and (especially early) Hippies.

There are differences and commonalities amongst these 3 alien elite selections and that of Satanism as described. Unlike Bohemians, and alike to early Hippies, Satanists are not aimed at voluntary poverty. Social success, particularly when this is not demonstrated as a result of conformism to pop cultural standards, is occasionally lauded as an indicator of skill or adeptship. Some other alien elites eshewed social involvement, personal skills, and usefulness to society as a weakness or abandonment of the ideal (compare Taoist recluses).

Whereas Beats were notoriously lost in Heroin and Hippies were lost in Marijuana and LSD, Bohemians, alike (especially to early) Satanists, were contented with more simplistic and (slightly) less disorienting indulgences in tobacco and alcohol. The philosophy laid out by LaVey advocates against anything demonstrably confounding and degrading of consciousness and autonomy. Alcoholism and habituated cigarette consumption may easily be deemed a qualifier for criticism, therefore, in his aftermath, and this focus on rationalist control is more aligned with Bohemians than other alien elites.

Arguably (perhaps due to the times of their persuasion) none the alien elites ever rise to the challenge of truly empowering women. Focussed on the services women might perform (compare Wicca's triple-Goddess role-servant), more often was the prostitute exalted regardless of the actualities faced by those actually engulfed in that profession. In an age where men and women might be viewed as equals, Satanism has the opportunity to endorse a rationalist feminism capable of changing the face of the planet in a way no alien elite ever dreamed possible. Whether it will so in the wake of LaVey's "Satanic Witch" remains to be seen. Themes of 'the outsider' and genius demonstrated by art are pervasive in all these categories.

Punks

Posterior to the Hippie movement, which some stalwarts divide into the 'formative/original' and 'fashion' segments (and one might do this with many alien elite movements (see below about 'selling-out'), another movement which should receive attention as related to, or at least comparable to the Satanist movement, is that of the Punk subculture.

There are many overlapping values and ideological interests to be found amongst the Punks, and it is valuable to compare and contrast ALL 'alien elite' movements in an assessment of the pros and cons, strengths and weaknesses, and stages of development and decay of Satanisms. For example, much of the following text on Punk may easily be found within a description of Satanisms:

"Common punk viewpoints include anti-authoritarianism, a DIY ethic, non-conformity, direct action and not selling out. Other notable trends in punk politics include nihilism, anarchism, socialism, anti-militarism, anti-capitalism, anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-nationalism, anti-homophobia, environmentalism, vegetarianism, veganism and animal rights. However, some individuals within the punk subculture hold right-wing views (such as those associated with the Conservative Punk website), neo-Nazi views (Nazi punk), or are apolitical (e.g.horror punk)."

-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punk_subculture#Ideologies

We can see some of the same tensions (between anti-authoritarianism or non-conformity and fascism for example) extent within the Punk movement and visible within Satanity.