Brothelliana: a curious collection of writers, poets, artists, intellectuals, fantasists, maestros, debauchees, 'whores', sinners, saints and surrealists who caricaturise the global fall of morals and rise of anti-naturalism.
The Brothellian Manifesto
Written by T. Grayson, Nathan Lunt and Steven Silverman of the Decadent Romantics.
Tiptoe through blue reveries of artists and the blind,
forget those useless melodies our fathers left behind,
just listen to this poetry: debauched, blessed and damned,
and let your morals wander into God's unholy land.
So, my friends, “what”, we hear you ask, “is Brothellian?” Or “how can I live a Brothellian life?” Brothellianism is, as Madame Caramel puts it, a 'quixotic' invention, poking fun at how libertine our nation has become. People have started asking us if they can call themselves Brothellian, as if we’re the only people who can give them permission to! This is the reason for writing this rather brief manifesto. Anybody can become part of the Brothellian movement, regardless on whether they’re part of the Poetry Brothel or not. There is a lifestyle and core belief system of course, which I shall go into shortly, but the main point I want to get across here is that Brothellianism is not an elitist system; it is open to anybody who agrees with our primary philosophies, regardless of age, class, gender, race, sexual orientation, etc. Anyone willing to express their artistry and talent is welcome within the Brothellian movement.
Let’s get started with our thought process. Steven Silverman, poetry whore and member of the Decadent Romantics, comments that the counter-culture ‘is based around the enduring allure of intelligence and wit, which sets it apart from the mainstream’s obsession with celebrity, mindless sex and the pursuit of fame for fame’s sake, rather than investment in talent.’ THIS is what Brothellianism is about. We shove decadence in the public eye to seduce and mock them and their society. It is, of course, for show – there is no reason to be truly decadent in this day and age, for not only would this achieve nothing new, it would be copying the decadents as well as the libertines themselves! We have the thirst to ‘do an Andy Warhol’ and shove [England] back in its face. In other words, it is the desire to caricaturise the fall of morals and rise of anti-naturalism. In some ways, all Brothellian brothers and sisters of this world can be seen as ‘Decadent Romantics’.
And so I come to the lifestyle: how is Brothellianism achievable in this modern world? This is where I will have to show you the various sides of public Brothellianism. The first is a ‘flamboyant whore’, (a brother or sister who isn’t afraid to show the world their Brothellian tendencies). They usually dress in a seductive, modernistic take on Victoriana fashions but, like the movement itself, the fashion is only limited by the extent of the wearer’s imagination. They adopt a persona in public and can dress relatively smart or scruffily bohemian. Other sides of public Brothellianism include ‘hidden’ and ‘masked whores’. There is a distinct difference between all of these three aspects of public Brothellianism:
1. The Flamboyant Whore embraces Brothelliana 24/7.
2. The Hidden Whore harbours Brothellian tendencies and beliefs whilst living a respectful life.
3. The Masked Whore lives as a hidden whore during the day, only becoming their persona at night. This is possibly why Brothellianism can be seen as some sort of ‘secret club’ when in reality it’s very inclusive, not exclusive.
The greatest enemies of Brothellianism are our own masked whores as far as public perceptions go – Brothelliana should be embraced, not speculated over. This said, a vast proportion of our strength comes from public misconceptions and speculation, so masked whores are also our greatest allies. It is through speculation that we gain infamy and respect.