Often called simply OM, Operation Mindfuck was popularlized in "The Illuminatus! Trilogy" by
Robert Shea and
Robert Anton Wilson. It involves challenging
people's perspectives, and shaking them out of their
reality tunnels by unexpected actions and events. These usually involve strange twists on normalcy.
Many OMs involve subtlety, so that those whose reality perspective is being challenged don't know whether something's being pulled on them or not. Thus Operation Mindfuck often involves a degree of paranoia.
Operation Mindfuck was created in the 1960s by Ho Chi
Zen (aka Lord
Omar Khayyam Ravenhurst or Kerry Thornley, co-founder of Discordianism) with fellow Discordians Malaclypse the Younger, The GameMaster of Florin, Dr. Mordecai Malignatus, Harold Lord Randomfactor, and others.
OMs may be performed solo, by a few
people, or by a large group. Operation Mindfuck often involves random elements, using the game theory concept that "the only strategy an opponent cannot predict is a random strategy." Participants may use random elements to make decisions, such as rolling dice.
OMs are often done by unconnnected groups of small cells of
people, similar to the military tactics of Mao Tse-tung. A participant may know who's in
one cell, but have no idea who else is involved in other cells. This makes it extremely difficult to pinpoint and
stop those involved.
In the 21st century, OMGASM, or Operation Mindfuck: Golden Apple Seed Mission, was begun by Professor Cramulus and others. In an OMGASM,
people spread the word about a coming OM so it can grow everywhere like scattered seeds.
Operation Mindfuck includes: Anti-Protests,
Book OM or BookGASM, Culture Jamming, Erister Egg Hunt or EggGASM, Flash Mobbing, Guerilla Communication, Honorary Membership (in non-existent groups), OM Parades (odd and unexpected parades), Postergasm, Project Pan-Pontification, stamping official documents with unofficial Rubber Stamps, Project
Jake, and more.
