INTRODUCTION

The writers, poets and photographers at TheArtichoke are always seeking the heart of the matter, whatever the matter may be.  The heart, the truth, in this age of rational madness is increasingly the first casualty in the multifarious power wars that permeate nearly every aspect of human intercourse.  

The Artichoke aims to offer a respite from the maelstrom, a bit of clarity into the chaos, a touch of radical sanity in the Age of Rational Madness.  The term ‘radical sanity’ is a somewhat garish way to express a subtle and natural state of mental awareness, an awareness that is capable of viewing itself and the world for what it actually is, and is not fooled by the everyday subterfuge that is commonly held as reality. It is a state we, as one seriously mal-conditioned species, have long since masked over.

Radical sanity is only radical when set against the rational madness of the world at large—a rational madness perpetrated by Institutional Structure, or if you prefer, the Orwellian Machine.  Moreover—and there are infinite ways to approach it—radical sanity is the open, consciously proactive movement towards the unmasking of a deeper reality; towards living in a keenly aware, ever questioning and expanding truth. This is no time in Man’s evolution for hiding away in the false security of our slavish common awareness. Freedom is a function of truth, and truth cannot be won through the auto-botic compliance with, or the cynical surrender to the profound incompetence and Machiavellian machinations of the Machine.  There is too much at stake, now more than any other time in history.

Sounds dire and perhaps overstated, but knowing what we know, we don't think so. Ignorance is a false bliss at best. Sooner or later the shit hits the fan, and to avoid the consequences one has to see it coming. And that is The Artichoke's main reason for being, to point out the fan and track the shit in flight, and to do it from a perspective The Mainstream Media either cannot or will not give.

Just the same The Artichoke tries not to take itself too seriously—not much point in that—and aspires only to incite legions of synaptic firefights, to invoke a few good laughs, evoke a tear or two, provoke authentic action, and whenever possible, to bounce a spank-hot monkey wrench off the Machine and its duped and duplicitous mechanics—us.    

Inside you will discover some wonderful writing and photography. There's the powerful and evocative work of J. Esme Jel'enedra, a poet on the rise; the amazing black & white documentary photography of Australia based snap-master Alastair McNaughton; the insightful writing of South East Asia based NGO Philip Coggan; the offbeat ontological brilliance of Danny Nemu from Kyoto; the irreverent media spotting of Miami native Riff Reynolds; the often myth shattering socio-geopolitical commentary of writers at large Bennett and Bell, and oh so much more!

Thanks for checking us out. If you feel you have something to offer the magazine, either by way of comments, criticisms, letters to the editor, written pieces or photographs aimed at the heart of the matter, we encourage your inquiries. 

We hope you enjoy the magazine.

Your Humble Staff,

TheArtichoke.org