Psi Tales: The Crew, pt. 2

The crew forms a cult. Or a LARP. Or both.

Previously: We meet the crew: Daki, Yeet, Pina, and Emp.

○ Opening Era: Spring, 2026, Manhattan

LARP & CULTS

Crossing Central Park

Yeet, breathing hard: Pina, enough, let’s just throw the blanket down here

But this isn’t the optimal picnic spot (Pina)

I’m exhausted. Aren’t you guys exhausted? Daki, are you capable of becoming exhausted? (Yeet)

Pina, forging on: We’re on a fucking hill. Know you nothing of picnicology? The rumpular plane must but at an angle no greater than 10-degrees

Cresting the hill. Overlooking the Sheep Meadow. It is unusually crowded

Wow! The people have returned. Civilization always bounces back (Yeet)

Hm, that is a lot of people (Emp)

What are you talking about? Hungarian Pastry Shop was as packed as it gets these days (Yeet)

Yes, but most people there are academics on numb-ers. So there was less risk of runaway neural feedback loops. We don’t know what types of weird mental phenomenona are happening over there (Emp)

Come on, guys! I thought we’re all about that sweet sweet heterogeneity. Mosaic mind, or whatever! Let’s take in some foreign influences for our inner plane. Some outlandish inspirations (Pina)

Mm, exotic states of being (Daki)

Vibes from other tribes (Yeet)

Transmutation of stranger danger (Pina)

Transubstantiation of stranger danger (Yeet)

The divinity of otherness (Daki)

Chimera era (Pina)

You guys weren’t so excited to take in the foreign influence of the Lightcone Collective. How is this any different? (Emp)

Because the Borg is fucking cult bro (Yeet)

And we’re not? (Emp)

No. We’re just LARP-ing one as an experiment (Yeet)

Emp, guessing Daki’s next question: “Live Action Role-Playing”

I see. And so the four of us are…LARP-ing…a cult? (Daki)

Wait, no one told me that. I’ve been bragging that I’m in a real cult (Pina)

Yeet, mounting his figurative pulpit: It’s not special anymore to be in a real cult. Post-Opening, everyone’s getting sucked into real cults. Cults are fucking lame

How are you defining the term “cult?” (Emp)

I dunno, it’s a vibe (Yeet)

I think we overuse the word “vibe” (Daki)

That’s another term we have yet to define (Emp)

Please don’t define “vibe” (Pina)

Wait, I’ve got it. Here’s my definition of “cults:” If you join a group and then find yourself alienated from your friends and family and neighbors or whatever, then that’s a cult (Yeet)

Under that definition, many things unusual things count as cults. For instance: a demanding corporate job, an all-consuming romantic relationship, a political party, a social movement…. (Emp)

Exactly. All of those things are cults! And Psi has only made it worse (Yeet)

That doesn’t seem to match the colloquial use of “cults” (Emp)

Which is exactly why people are constantly falling into cults. Like Buddhism or Effective Altruism (Yeet)

Quit harassing Emp (Daki)

What about Effective Accelerationism, e/acc? Isn’t that a cult (Emp)

Wait, I’m not one of those guys. I’m actually building AGI. They’re LARPing (Yeet)

But you were just insinuating that LARP-ing is a good thing (Emp)

Oh! Got me there! Logic bomb! No. Emp. Listen: There’s good LARP-ing and bad LARP-ing. Bad LARP-ing is when you’re LARP-ing without knowing it. Good LARP-ing is when you choose to LARP because it’s fun or useful or hilarious. It’s about awareness. Whether you’re self-aware that you’re playing pretend (Yeet)

Deliberate immersion in a delusion? (Emp)

“Delusions are inexhaustable.” Delusion is part of the price of being here, and maybe even part of the fun. And some delusions might even be part of the path (Daki)

I see. Upaya (Emp)

U-whadda? (Pina)

Upaya. “Expedient means.” Some delusions can be liberative if used wisely – at least more liberative than others (Daki)

Guys, you know that guru-talk gives me migraines. You’re culturally appropriating my people (Yeet)

You claimed you were American (Emp)

Shhh, I’m hitting mute on all Sanskrit words (Yeet)

Wait, I’m still wounded and confused about how our cult is fake. What does our fake cult stand for? (Pina)

I thought you’d never ask (Yeet)