Message-ID: <820@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 28-Feb-85 08:17:17 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.820
Posted: Thu Feb 28 08:17:17 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 1-Mar-85 20:17:54 EST
Sender: daemon@topaz.ARPA
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
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From: Ron Natalie 

I have a button that reads
	I am the Imp of the Perverse (knowing this won't help you either)
That I bought and stuck on our MILNET IMP.  Actually, I had to by another
one because I think our IMP hardware guy took the first one.  Question is
what does it mean.  Does this relate to some book?  Can anyone help with
a reference?  Please reply by mail.

-Ron

Message-ID: <1034@reed.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 2-Mar-85 17:20:28 EST
Article-I.D.: reed.1034
Posted: Sat Mar  2 17:20:28 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 5-Mar-85 02:20:30 EST
References: <820@topaz.ARPA>
Organization: Reed College, Portland, Oregon
Lines: 9

> From: Ron Natalie 
> 
> I have a button that reads
> 	I am the Imp of the Perverse (knowing this won't help you either)
> Question is what does it mean?

It refers to an essay by Edgar Allen Poe called The Imp of the Perverse.

                                    Todd Ellner

Message-ID: <1054@reed.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 7-Mar-85 14:45:39 EST
Article-I.D.: reed.1054
Posted: Thu Mar  7 14:45:39 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 10-Mar-85 07:22:14 EST
References: <866@topaz.ARPA>
Organization: Reed College, Portland, Oregon
Lines: 22

> From: wesm@Mitre-Bedford
> 
> 
>    >I have a button that reads
>    >
>    >     I am the Imp of the Perverse
>    >       (knowing this won't help you either)
>    >
>    >That I bought and stuck on our MILNET IMP.  Actually, I had to by
>    >another one because I think our IMP hardware guy took the first one.
>    >Question is what does it mean.  Does this relate to some book?  Can

   As I posted before, The Imp of the Perverse is the title of an essay
by Poe.  It concerns the tendency or voice within which makes you do things
which you know are evil/self-destructive/perverse. Knowing what you are about
to do doesn't help at all (I know I'll go splat, but I've just got to step off
that cliff).

                                                 Todd