[iammjm]

> Three primary settings, three institutions, and three cults of surrender: discipline (ETA), substance (Ennet), ideology (AFR).

I don't think substance is right: I think it's about freedom from it, or maybe a "higher power" of some sorts, mysticism maybe.

I think it makes more sense, also in the context of what Wallace said elsewhere ("This Is Water"): "Because here's something else that's weird but true: in the day-to day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of god or spiritual-type thing to worship—be it JC or Allah, be it YHWH or the Wiccan Mother Goddess, or the Four Noble Truths, or some inviolable set of ethical principles—is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive.(...)"

[chiply]

Ah this is a good catch! I think "higher power" would fit way better given how I framed this sentence. Ennet's members aren't surrendering to substance (they've already done that). Like you said, once in the halfway house, they're surrendering to the "higher power". AA groups, as the book covers, are conspicuously religious, and I know a lot of the AA passages were informed by DFW's research at AA meetings and his own experience in recovery. I'm going to change this line.

[iammjm]

By the way, I really liked your article! I love Infinite Jest and I also have a thing for Sierpinski Triangles; first time I heard about them was from Robert Anton Wilson. Last year I even linoprinted christmas cards with simple christmas trees made from sierpinski triangles for my family and friends!

Also: do you know https://samizdat.co/digest/? Looks like an interesting project which ties nicely into your idea

[chiply]

Sierpinski Christmas cards is next level! Whoa, that site is beautiful! Thank you for sharing that, I'm going to be having a lot of fun with this today!