The Five Stages of Chaos

The Five Stages of Chaos are five stages that every ordered society passes through (the reason for this may be that Ordered Societies are actually an aberration, and everything is brought back from Order into Chaos). The first three of these stages can be compared to the Hegelian principle of Thesis + Antithesis = Synthesis. The last two are the effects of which Hegel neglected to mention, namely Parenthesis (also called Bureaucracy) and Paralysis, sometimes called Aftermath (basically a resurgence of Chaos after bureaucracy collapses in a heap of paperwork).
==The Five Stages==
===Verwirrung (Chaos)===
The first stage of the five stages is called Verwirrung or Chaos. It is the point from which everything begins and the source to which everything returns.
Chaos, then is life and death. The goddess Eris would suggest that you consult your pineal gland.
===Zweitracht (Discord)===
The second stage of the five stages is called Zweitracht, and begins with the appearance of a ruling or governing class. This Order is the Antithesis of chaos, of course, and leads directly into discord once the servile class realizes that the ruling class does not hold their interest at heart.
This correlates with all male, monotheistic dieties, like Jehovah and the like, especially correlating with the symbol of the All-Seeing Eye. Naturally, a Zweitracht era is always replete with "internal contradictions" and someone (like Karl Marx) always arises to point them out.
===Unordnung (Confusion)===
The third stage of the five stages is called Unordnung or Confusion, and occurs when an attempt is made to restore balance or arrive at the Hegelian Synthesis. It is an attempt to restore Nature's balance through unnatural means (like modern medicine...)
This correlates with trickster-type entities, like Loki, the Devil, Mercury, Thoth, or Coyote, and other spirits of illusion or deception.
===Beamtenherrschaft (Bureaucracy)===
The fourth stage of the five stages is called Beamtenherrschaft or Bureaucracy represents the Parenthesis that results when the Hegelian Synthesis does not succeed in connecting the opposites.
This correlates with the Void, and the absence of Divinity. The Tarot card associated with this stage is the Tower, which is the usual representation of the Tower of Babel.
===Grummet (Aftermath)===
The fifth stage, Grummet or Aftermath represents a return back to Chaos. Bureaucracy chokes on it's own paperwork. Flow is restored. Life is returned. Equality is restored.
This correlates with male and female deities combined.
==See Also==
*Chaos
*Five Fingered Hand of Eris
*The Law of Fives
==Reference Material==
*The Illuminatus! Trilogy - Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson p.745-756 (ISBN 1567312373)
*Principia Discordia - Malaclypse the Younger (ISBN 1556343205)
==External Links==
*The Five Seasons and their Apostles by Rev. Max Flax Beeblewax 
Category:Stubs
Category:Discordian
Category:Political