Beyond the Glitz: Bruce Wagner's Transgressive Search for Truth in Hollywood's Mirror

Bruce Wagner, a prolific novelist whose work uses Hollywood as a crucible for human desire and folly, offers a profound perspective on the search for transcendence amidst apparent chaos. This conversation reveals the hidden consequences of mistaking artifice for reality and the enduring power of confronting the infernal to find the sacred. For writers, artists, and anyone navigating the complexities of human motivation, Wagner's insights provide a framework for understanding how genuine artistic truth emerges not from polished surfaces, but from a fearless exploration of our deepest contradictions. It offers an advantage by highlighting that true insight often lies in the uncomfortable, the transgressive, and the unflinching examination of what lies beneath the veneer.

The Scent of Truth: Hollywood as a Laboratory for the Soul

Bruce Wagner’s literary universe is not built on the glittering facade of Hollywood but on its raw, often brutal, underbelly. He uses the industry as a sprawling laboratory to dissect human need, vanity, and the relentless, often desperate, pursuit of transcendence. Wagner’s approach is not mere satire; it’s a deep dive into the "forbidden places" within himself, which he argues are reflections of the universal human condition. This isn't about judging characters but about inhabiting them, understanding that even the most malevolent figures share the same fundamental longing for something beyond their immediate suffering.

Wagner’s early work was often compared to Nathaniel West, but he felt a crucial element was missing: a spiritual dimension. While West and Fitzgerald captured the dark fatalism of Hollywood, Wagner sought a "perfume" of the sacred, an attraction to transcendence. He articulates this through the Buddhist concept of suffering, distinguishing between physical pain, the suffering of impermanence, and the "conditional suffering" imposed by the social order. His novels, he explains, aim to explore an escape from this latter form of suffering, drawing inspiration from parables that illuminate the human struggle.

"What I see in that, or what I feel in that, and tell me if this tracks with how you see it, is that we are all these people. These are all mirrors of ourselves."

This mirrors the idea that our deepest flaws and desires are not unique but part of a shared human tapestry. Wagner’s characters, whether saintly or monstrous, are presented as interchangeable because they are all, in his view, "searching for transcendence." This radical empathy, extending to the most "homicidal, perverse characters," stems from a belief that exploring these infernal places is not about fetishization but about shining a light on them, which paradoxically creates the possibility for transcendent experience. It's a difficult path, requiring a willingness to confront what is hidden and shameful, a process Wagner suggests is essential for true artistic and personal liberation.

The Unseen Architecture of Agency and Fate

A significant thread in Wagner's work and conversation is the tension between agency and determinism, particularly as influenced by his studies with spiritual teachers like Ramesh Balsekar and Carlos Castaneda. Balsekar’s teachings, which suggested everything was predetermined, were initially unsettling, especially to those who felt their agency was being removed. Wagner himself grapples with this, acknowledging the "certainty to all our behaviors, of fatalism." Yet, he doesn't see this as an excuse for actions but as a description of how we "correspond by the laws and dictates of our nature."

The implication here is that understanding these predetermined patterns, rather than fighting them, can lead to a different kind of freedom. This is where the "element of the sacred" becomes crucial for Wagner. Even when acknowledging the predetermined nature of his abusive father's actions, he doesn't use it to excuse the pain but to frame it within a larger, less personal narrative. This perspective, while challenging, offers a way to process trauma without being consumed by it, suggesting that our "card" is drawn, but how we play it, or rather, how we understand the game, is where meaning can be found.

"My spirit is to dispose of everything that is told to me, because then we enter, we're already in the cult of reality, then we enter into the cult of spirituality, where you return from India, it's everything is predetermined. So these are all things that my nature is to overturn."

This desire to "overturn" received wisdom, to question the very nature of reality and our place within it, is a hallmark of Wagner's transgressive approach. It’s not about rejecting truth, but about finding it in unconventional places, often by dismantling comforting illusions. This leads to a deeper understanding of how systems, whether social, psychological, or spiritual, operate, and how our perceived agency interacts with larger, perhaps unseen, forces. The advantage for the reader lies in recognizing that the most profound insights often come from questioning the obvious and exploring the uncomfortable.

Language as Sanctuary and the Poignancy of Existence

Wagner’s profound connection to language is a recurring theme, acting as both a sanctuary and a primary vehicle for his artistic expression. He describes an almost religious devotion to the English language, finding in authors like Dickens an "apotheosis of the most powerful perfume." This deep engagement with words, even as other faculties may fade, suggests that language itself holds a transcendent quality, capable of conveying truths that raw experience might obscure.

His description of language as a "boa constrictor" that both constricts and sustains highlights the paradoxical nature of his relationship with it. While writing can be an arduous process, the "scent" of language, its aesthetic and emotional resonance, is what has sustained him. This reverence for language, particularly its capacity for "transcendence," is central to his view of fiction as the "most potent vehicle to truth."

"The necklace of language, you know, the chains of, of language and what language is capable of. Language is capable, as, as we are of all sentient beings are, of great trauma and, and terror and binding and control, but of transcendence."

This perspective suggests that while language can be used for control and manipulation, its ultimate potential lies in its ability to elevate consciousness and reveal deeper realities. The "memorable events" Castaneda spoke of, the subtle, non-dramatic moments that reveal profound truths--like the sound of a cheap trumpet or a child's innocent observation of "beautiful" cheap ornaments--underscore Wagner's belief that meaning is often found in the overlooked. This focus on the poignancy and mystery of existence, rather than grand pronouncements, offers a path to understanding that true depth doesn't require spectacle, but rather a keen attention to the subtle currents of life. For those who engage with his work, this offers a profound lesson: the most impactful truths are often whispered, not shouted, and require a receptive, attentive spirit to be heard.

Key Action Items

• Embrace the "Scent" of Truth: Actively seek out the underlying motivations and realities behind presented surfaces, whether in personal interactions or professional endeavors. Look for what is not immediately apparent.
• Explore the "Forbidden Places" Within: Instead of shying away from uncomfortable or transgressive thoughts and emotions, use them as fuel for creative exploration or self-understanding. This requires a willingness to confront one's own "infernal" aspects.
• Cultivate Language as a Sacred Tool: Pay meticulous attention to the precision and resonance of language. Recognize its power to both bind and liberate, and strive to use it to reveal deeper truths rather than to obscure them.
• Practice Radical Empathy (Even for the "Monsters"): Attempt to understand the underlying human needs and longings that drive even the most difficult behaviors, recognizing that shared humanity, however flawed, is a constant.
• Question Determinism, Seek Transcendence: While acknowledging the patterns and predispositions that shape behavior, actively look for moments of "sacredness" or opportunities for transcendence that lie beyond the immediately apparent forces. This pays off in 12-18 months as a more resilient perspective.
• Find Poignancy in the Mundane: Actively seek out and reflect on small, seemingly insignificant moments that carry profound emotional or existential weight. These can offer unexpected insights and sustain you through difficult times. This is an ongoing practice.
• Resist the Urge to "Fix" or "Control": Understand that true transformation often comes from acceptance and surrender to the unknown, rather than from an attempt to impose order or control. This requires significant emotional discipline now for long-term peace.