i hate aleister crowley so much

I finally am getting my arse into gear and reading the Ars Goetia, which previously I've only skimmed, but there was a foreword by Aleister fucking Crowley. I get it, he's an influential guy especially in the occultism spheres. But I just hate the guy so much. Even if you ignore the antisemitism and the racism and the sexism and th- LIKE NO, HE JUST SUCKS. >:/

But ugh, I read his introductory essay. And it's just so... pretentious. I'm very familiar with how pretentious certain writers can be in the books on the occult, theistic satanism, witchcraft, etc. But this guy... he really was doing it before everyone else.

What need is there to try and rationalise the workings of demonology. Ohhhh, you believe that your invocations aren't just summoning spirits, but instead they're stimulating the big-boy part of your brain that handles logic? Give me a break, you're literally putting this before the Ars Goetia, I don't think you need to give a rational explanation for it. If someone was looking for a rationalisation of demons then uh, I don't think they're going to go straight to the Ars Goetia.

Maybe this is the equivalent of swinging a baseball bat towards the occult beehive but it really sours my grapes that so much of his work is seen as almost foundational for demonology and other subjects. I can see why but that doesn't mean I have to like it OR the man who penned these resources. Something something, it is what it is, grumble grumble grumble.