ATRISTIC ART, DONE ATRISTICALLY BY ARTISANS

Inspiration... (?)

As If It Makes Any Fucking Sense

The day I stumbled upon the likely possibility that I actually knew nothing seemed to be a day in which I actually did learn a thing. The shock of the initial questioning of the fundamental myths that pervade one’s belief system is significant. To come to question the validity, if not the outright existence, of the path that one walks on as a means to serve that ultimate end (purpose of life) often is met with a similar tactic by which that initial question came into being; a deeply life-invasive suspicion of the metaphysical narratives that represent the pseudo-quintessence of our human existences. Thus, in that viciously cyclical fashion, we begin to question our right to question, which leads to further doubt and, if one allows it, a potentially paralytic cynicism at the realization that knowing anything at all does not even seem possible. This reflects the predicament we find ourselves in. Can we ever accurately decipher whom to listen to in this grossly over-communicated world, if anybody? When we allow metaphysical explanations of truth (particularly exemplified in the emergence of the Philosophical Perspective bleeding into New Testament Christianity and further to the Scientific Revolution) attempt to make permanent that which is art, it reflects our insignificant and painfully illusory attempts to master the fundamentally uncontrollable struggle that is the essence of what we think of as the “human condition.”

Whether one chooses to make permanent that which is art as opposed to being suckered into it, a searing question immediately rises to the surface regardless of the important distinction; what are, or will be, the consequences to your life that result from your conviction to those ideas? Further, who decides if such “consequences” are not themselves imaginary explanations? Compounding upon this seemingly never-ending paradox, that if there exists no truth than logically even the lack of it’s existence cannot be a truth, is Friedrich Nietzsche’s non-attempt at consoling us by exposing the illusory and fragile nature of human existence through the fact that all of human identity and perception is not based in truth, but rather in art. The Birth of Tragedy represents young Friedrich’s first real stab at turning the world on it’s head; its profound merit is to be found in the quality of original thought fueled by an ambivalent catharsis of a genius epiphany. This emotionally erratic piece of literature rings of a classic example of a “cold moment of clarity” infused with youthful passion and delivered in rapid-fire-ticker-tape fashion, with an almost hypnotic stream-of-consciousness vibe. Young Nietzsche was so deeply struck by the notion that we were being made literally sick as a function of our commitment to these metaphysical myths that he could not stop the channeling of this ironically spiritual, powerful moment that sprang out of an intellectual abyss.

What Nietzsche is desperately attempting to impress upon our minds in his first book is a deeper understanding of our own pain and suffering. His analysis of the humanly created Heroic Tragic Perspective present during the pre-Socratic period of Greek Tragedy is idealized, and he simultaneously provides a description of this idyllic artistic tradition being drawn and quartered by the double-edged sword of sober rationality and profound fear of chaos. We know this bludgeon of human intellect as metaphysical philosophy, distinguished from the Superior Tragic Perspective by its arrogant claims to the discovery of certainty, thus making what was formerly understood to be art (humanly constructed illusions of reality) into permanent and unchanging truth. The emergence of metaphysics through philosophy is causing humanity to suffer unnecessary sickness through narcissistic nihilism, according to Nietzsche. This hatred of that which cannot be mastered consequentially results in a Pathological Perspective, in which we believe realities of existence that hold no permanence are in fact unchanging, and therefore possessing the essence of truth. This method of making permanent that which is art specifically applies to one very unique artistic phenomena: human identity. It is through this application of metaphysical truths to our sense of self that Nietzsche tell us is the source of the resentment we see on a massive scale in our lives.

Metaphysical Philosophy, as articulated by Socrates and further refined by Plato, would have it that your self, and mine, is a permanently real and unchanging reality that can be clearly evidenced in the notion of the existence of the immortal soul. Opposing this attempt at rationalization of the unintelligible is the reconciliation of the (1) fragile and illusory composition of human existence with (2) the will to act. This cognitive combination allows the necessary reinvention of self, as our identities require permeability to the illusory realities that surround them. This is dubbed the Superior Perspective, as it is a tolerably accurate representation of our naturally adaptive essence, further in conjunction with the idea that humanity has adapted precisely to a reality that we have created for ourselves. Thus in distinguishing these two rival perspectives, Nietzsche is railing against the core of Western Philosophy through indicting Socrates and his pervasive assertion that our souls are immortal entities which are permanent, unchanging and therefore real. (Think of the Eternal aspects of souls and the afterlife as prime examples of the constructs of the myths that are going to cause human resentment, essentially due to frustratingly sincere attempts at nailing down the impossible and the subsequent effects of its inevitable failure to be successful in its task).

Setting the backdrop, Nietzsche describes for us a period of pre-Socratic Greek art that he believed to be widespread in utility among many members of the community, known as the Greek Tragedy. The Superior Perspective that is birthed from these musical dramas, we are told, represents a sort of high-water mark of human artistic transcendental experience. These communal events were extremely symbolic, and their underlying function was to aide the members of this artistically constructed community in appreciating the often-violent struggle that had come to characterize human life. Nietzsche claims this pre-Socratic Heroic Perspective (which he obviously believes we should be emulating due to its title) derives its intellectual legacy from an artistic dichotomy represented in the form of the two opposing Gods of Art, known as Apollo and Dionysus. At the most basic level, the Apollonian element represents reality as differentiated by forms, while the Dionysian element reflects reality as lacking distinction of form. A sort of yin-yang of art (and therefore human existence as we know it), the Apollonian is that force which sets to give form to the formless Dionysian, as the first’s essence is individualistic while the latter’s is chaotic loss of self. As these two intellectual ideal tendencies stroll side by side, their conflict is reflected in the violent struggle that all humans have innate awareness of in terms of the fragility of life; simply put, to look at human existence and to perceive beauty is to look at the empty chaos we are subject to and subsequently have no control over. Greg Graffin of Bad Religion nicely represents our contemporary countercultural understanding of this Superior Perspective in his lyric from the song No Control,

“Culture was the seed of proliferation but its gotten melded
Into an inharmonic whole.
Consciousness has plagued us and we cannot shake it
Though we think we’re in control.
Questions that besiege us in life are a testament of our helplessness.
There is no vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an end.
When we all disintegrate, it will all happen again.”

Of the Apollonian element, Nietzsche says that all of the things that come to represent form and order (perception of reality) have a source: our dreams. He emphasizes that the first forms were created in the unconscious dream state. The fact that we are unconscious to the outside world when we dream holds significance as it attempts to highlight a real disconnection between our perception of the world and the actual world itself. These forms we perceive as real are a result of human imagination creating them, and moreover are illusions on the sole basis that they are merely the product of human cognitive activities. The early Greek poet Homer represents the Apollonian tendency to a high degree as his epics primarily dealt matters of incredible individual achievement, strongly emphasizing such Apollonian aspects as individuality, moderation, morality and politics. Nietzsche argues that this original moment of Apollonian artistic dominance attempted to ignore the Dionysian. In and through its ability to deconstruct the Apollonian order reflects the powerfully affirmative nature of the Dionysian. Nietzsche is telling us that there is something fundamental within humanity that yearns for a return to the chaotic absence of our extremely prevalent, and altogether necessary, Apollonian illusory forms of reality. Straight-laced as we modern humans can be, we can relate to the powerful influence of the Dionysian taking over our artistically created consciousness as most of us have already experienced it for ourselves.

To offer a relatively benign example, picture yourself at your close relative’s wedding. As the day evolves the bonds between your closest friends and family, who are now representing an artistic community involved in the practice of ritual, draw nearer and nearer to the verge of stumbling upon a Dionysian moment. Starting with the initial ceremony and general gathering shortly thereafter, the Apollonian illusions that serve as our protectors in times of darkness and uncertainty begin to wear down at the overpowering friction of familial and friendship-based emotions created out of the ritualistic experience. Not twenty minutes have elapsed before the whole of those community members over 12 have no doubt imbibed a strong dose of some intoxicant. (This is a perfect moment to reveal how symbiotic the Dionysian and Apollonian truly are, as what allows the Dionysian experience to come to fruition is an energy that is channeled through what would generally considered to be Apollonian illusions. Examples such as rituals and festivals, are done in an attempt to reiterate the myths that make everyday life operable, yet their essence is an ironic yet necessary vehicle of the actualization of the Dionysian moment within humanity.)

Intoxication takes effect in many forms in this scenario: booze; camaraderie; familial connectivity; the sense of belonging; all representing the creation of the aesthetic of the Dionysian element (which, paradoxically, exists only within the minds of individuals yet can only be truly manifested by the lack of individuation). The result is that these identity-disintegrating factors collude, and in doing so provide a circumstance where the sense of self that we all carry with us gets left behind. As our perception of the actual existing sense of self dissipates, it retreats into an imaginary realm bordered by the limits of our own mind as the unity of the whole surfaces in the ranks of our cognition. This breaking down of that which makes us tight-asses primarily occurs through the various forms of chemical and emotional intoxication that the ritual dictates, yet only truly begins its climactic ascent that first second you hear those inspirational utterances, “YOU KNOW YOU MAKE ME WANNA SHOUT!!!” A rapid heart rate caused by the full sprint you made to the rapidly filling dance-floor served only to intensify the feeling of transcendence of the moment. Soon enough, all of those sharing that moment in space-time with you pierced the sky with their phalanges in unison, giving the appearance not of a scatter of individuals but of a complete succinct whole, truly worthy of the title Art.

The profound beauty of this type of Dionysian moment can be characterized as a community builder in the most literal sense; the boundaries created by the desperate stranglehold on our sense of self proceed to sublimate into a more communal intellectual reality. Could this lead to a suspension of classism that would arguably strengthen the community bonds among those participants? The Festival of Mardi Gras contains a certain merit worthy of modern comparison for the type of experience that Nietzsche envisioned to increase our awareness of being (not only) an individual but rather also a part of a bigger whole. The effects that music has on breaking down barriers of individualism in a crowd of folks who are basically fucked out of their minds, therefore, seems a relatively honest snapshot representative of Nietzsche’s ideal Dionysian moment. However glamorous he attempts to make the purer forms of the Dionysian seem it would not be done justice without the inevitable inclusion of violent aspects. The climactic moment of chaos is manifested through the actual dismemberment of people; this occurs as a symbol and testament to the combination of the extreme desires to erase individuation and the unchecked disorder of violent intoxication. As he claims, life always involves a struggle between these two elements; the artistic push-and-pull sways its human imaginers into one sort of action or another. It is this action that most concerns our young romantic philosopher.

Nietzsche’s perception of the Greeks necessitated a people grappling with severe pessimism, yet at the moment of the Greek Tragedy community members participated in an art form that allowed them to experience and appreciate the full spectrum of the human condition through this delicate balance of Apollonian and Dionysian elements in unison. Therefore, in addition to the weakening of individuation concurrent with the notion of uncontrollable chaos, this balance was able to induce in its participants (as in those days the audience of such tragedies were literally apart of the show, talking and laughing and crying aloud with, and as apart of, the production) the understanding and appreciation for the illusory nature of truth, the fragility of human life, and the over-arching realization that this fragile illusion does not possess the quality of being able to be put under control. This is the mechanism by which the Greek Tragedy gave birth to what is known as the Heroic Tragic Perspective.

When the Tragic hero gives up the notion of permanence through the acknowledgement that reality is both an uncontrollable and fragile illusion constructed by humanity, he is able to retain that aspect within the borders of his cognition that separates him from fellow Earthly inhabitants; we, as humans, courageously reinvent ourselves in the face of life’s challenges as a function of our understanding that we can act as we must. In doing so, when heroic men and women are faced with the challenges and struggles that life inevitably presents, they take direct action. To bear witness to and let go of the anarchy of the world, over which you have no control; and the subsequent realization that nothing that you can do individually can change what is a fundamentally frenzied fuckfest; these two confluent assertions represent the fundamental DNA structure the Heroic Perspective. Such an honest perspective regarding the notion of one’s place within this world (concerning the nature of the relationship between human thought and the existence of truth) has the profoundly liberating effect on one’s mind in terms of being well equipped to adapt to the uncertainty that codifies the essence of human existence.

A paradoxical definition of truth hereto arrived might consist of a scenario where truth exists as a purely intellectual achievement on our own part, in the sense that all realities known to human existence are human created illusions; therefore manufacturing the concept of truth within the parameters we experience exists as a reminder that our identity/perception and it’s relationship to the world is intellectually phantom. An additional layer of cream is to be spread upon this rhetorical layer-cake currently in construction is done with the recognition that knowledge of the Dionysian encompasses the unveiling of illusion, and often we are left without motivation to continue to act upon those illusions as they exists in our daily lives. This is especially true for those illusions that seek to tame that primal element that burns in our beings. True to paradoxical form, the unifying aspects of the Dionysian may arguably go against the overall efficiency of the actual whole of the political community. The logic behind this is the notion that the Apollonian, while representing positive individuation, also represents the chafing order and control over one’s self.

Nietzsche states, “Apollo seeks to pacify individuals by drawing boundaries around them.” Therein lies the seduction of metaphysics; in its certainty (search and discovery of truth) its causes us to turn a blind eye to the illusory nature of human existence by asserting that existence of truth is not merely an artistic human construct, but rather that it exists wholly outside human perception and thus must be infused with divine permanence. We are told that it is the Greek Tragedian Euripides who is responsible for the initiation of the collapse of the Tragic Perspective. As was his innovation, Euripides brought the spectator on stage by making the depictions of tragedy more relatable to our actual mundane lives, essentially using the tiptoeing nature of philosophy as a central aspect by which the audience was to come to understand the tragedy. Nietzsche argues that in doing this Euripides essentially changed the vernacular of the community, trumping human resilience in the form of bold and decisive action in favor of carefully calculated inclination towards philosophy. To Nietzsche, this philosophical impulse, soon to be spearheaded by Socrates, leads to two related concepts: first it dilutes the urge of heroic men and women to act courageously and innovatively; and subsequently breeds resentment among humanity through our thought-induced passivity in the face of life’s uncontrollable challenges.

In Nietzsche’s eyes, Socrates is guilty of an imbalance of theory and practice. In other words, Socrates seems to have impressive capabilities of thought, yet it comes at the expense of his refusal to act. Imagine your own life, and think of those people whom you may know who are guilty of this same pattern of execution of existence. Chances are you do not know anyone (unless you hang out with the Isla Vista Transient Club or its affiliates) who was as bereft of action within their own lives as Socrates, the Hero of our precious Western Civilization. As it needs no lengthy explanation, Socrates was well known in his later life in Athens for doing nothing all fucking day long except philosophizing with the youth of the aristocratic population of the city. Additionally he was accustomed to receiving much criticism from his contemporaries for his lowly status in terms of acting as an unemployed pseudo-sophist (instructor of rhetoric), as he apparently did not actually claim to be an instructor due to his never accepting formal payment from his pupils. It goes without saying that Socrates lived the Superior Perspective in his own right using Nietzsche’s standard, as he acted extremely intellectually heroic in the face of the challenges to human existence and the illusory nature of it, using the concept of Socratic irony as a corresponding intellectual example. In the process of unpacking the world in such an innovative way, he does it so completely that he loses the Tragic Perspective that humanly constructed truth is an illusion as he is guilty of being fooled by his own impressive construct. When thinking prevails over action, what occurs as a by-product is articulated in the philosophical worldview, existentially anchored to the view that the source of our understanding of truth resides in the existence of the immortal soul.

Throughout Plato’s writings of Socrates, he insists on the definition that his soul or psyche was rooted in some metaphysical permanence that was made intelligible only through the reasoning afforded to us by philosophy. This position is later clarified by Plato in his Theory of Forms, which loosely can be defined as: the ideals that represent real objects are more real than those actual objects as they are a more perfect and permanent version of the copies. Therefore, as the Forms are eternal and unchanging, and as the psyche is what seems to animate humankind, then in its purest form it must logically never die as its ideal is charged with the opposite task of animation. In this way, the soul is imperishable and immortal. Armed with this singular source of certainty (in addition to the Socratic irony that he claimed to actually truly know nothing, just to supplement the aura of paradox if you have yet to have gotten the point by now), Socrates’ “discovery” of the eternal soul was manifested as proof of the metaphysical explanation consisting of the existence of permanence. The instant that one accepts the notion that the sense of self is real, they are existentially trapped as real things all possess the (in)convenient quality of being controlled.

Following the admission that reality is real and controllable is the pathetically feeble human inclination to thus implement power over such potential control. Thus, as metaphysics allows us to come to the discovery of how the world “truly” is, we are able to make suggestions to individuals that will allow that truth to be realized in pure fashion within our lives. Therefore, if one’s soul is aligned with truth, then the possibility of virtue arises and thus one can decidedly say they are living rightly and not wrongly. The suggesting of this framework begins in the Republic, with the discussion of the definition of justice, as it exists in ideal form. This is what allows the resentment to occur, exemplified in Socrates’ refusal to admit that the three definitions of justice presented to him in the discussion represent anything more than an inferior copy of the “real” thing that is justice. Interestingly, Socrates was generally known for the constant nagging and subsequent degradation of a statement’s validity, yet would hardly ever respond with any sort of affirmation of his own stance. This cowardly tendency is reflective of Nietzsche’s contention that philosophy has caused humanity to pause and think when the correct response is courageous action. However, within the definition of justice discussion is one example contrary to this dodgy pattern, and in a way it exposes an intriguing historical counterfactual; it may be suggested that if Socrates had provided more definitive answers he would not be considered the genius he is today, because his intellectual theory as it relates to the actual living of one’s life is extremely difficult to reconcile. This could be considered a gross understatement at the very least.

What is Socrates’ definition of justice you ask? This genius’ response is noteworthy in its originality and profound complexity- every member of the community doing their part, and only that. Wow. Thank God that we had Socrates to help us discover this simpleton device that will inevitably make control of the individual justifiable as it is done to the betterment of the whole. The reason such control of the individual is of interest is a tertiary concern to the idea of a stable society, so that the first concern is a just society as it is believed to be the only condition under which the just individual is possible. Based on this logic, one who does not experience life in the just city does not possess the capacity for justice within himself. In the effort of controlling society to reflect the true Form of Justice, Socrates likens the just city to the three-part soul. This soul’s composition represents the passions/appetites on the lowest level, above which is our courage/temperance, and residing atop it all is our faculty of reason. Attempting to apply the Theory of Forms to our psyches, Socrates insists that reason is that which allows us to discover truth (The Good) and thus is paramount in importance to our souls. Goodness reflects the superior part of our soul (reason) making an agreement with our courage so that we may control the appetite. Therefore, we essentially owe the legacy of modern society, which seeks to pacify individualism in order for the community to run in an efficiently aesthetic matter, to the genius philosopher and hero of our culture, Mr. Socrates.

Speaking to the world of the Pre-Socratic era: however lovely a picture Friedrich desires to paint for us, we should fully understand that this was a world in which clarity and order to the mysteries of life was minimal due to the overwhelming acceptance that the clarity was of little significance- as reality was illusory. Why bother to clarify that which has no quality of clarity to begin with? The perception of a culture that holds this belief en masse may always be a short-lived historical reality when one considers the potential superiority of the Apollonian element, powerfully represented through the notion that its existence is a pre-cursor to the intelligibility of the Dionysian. More significantly, it lends itself to the reality that an efficient orderly human society is much preferred by those who wish to benefit from such efficient order (those who wish to control the uncontrollable). This remains as the most plausible explanation behind the motivation of the destruction of appreciation of the mysteries of life. Metaphysical Philosophy facilitates the belief that what is truly artistic and illusory is in actuality permanent, causing resentment and the insufficient admiration for the pervasive mysteries of human existence.

Think about that the next time you hear a news report about what the “economic experts” have to bullshit about our current “crisis.” Think of Pat Robertson telling you you’re going to hell for being gay or having an abortion. Think of the psychologists telling you to take that pill, because your unhappiness is a function of your chemically imbalanced self rather than a reflection of the violent, fragile illusion that is the human psyche. Think about every person around you patting you on the back as you enslave yourself day in and day out in the quest for the blingiest-bling. Our own Puritan work ethic dictates that you join them in their misery within the ranks of the “labor force.” It is as they say: “Money Makes the World Go ‘Round,” and money is never(?) given, it is earned. Think about all of them attempting to make permanent that which is art, and by doing so creating bitterness and discord throughout their preciously prescribed human condition. Then think about yourself, and the fact that you have no control. What you do have is a sense of taste, so if you are within the elite ranks and are afforded with the ability to chose a metaphysical definition rather than be suckered into one, go with one that reflects life as an uncontrollable abyss. For this is the only faith that the author shall ever endorse: we can only be sure in our inability to understand reality, as it all exists within the confine of our own heads. Faith through doubt. It’s a fucking paradox.

My Favorite Loaded Question: What is the Meaning of Life?

The following is an excerpt from an email conversation I was having with a dear friend concerning the meaning of life. Incoherent rambling fueled by pathological inspiration can be quite amusing...

FRIEND:
"I see what you are saying about this life purpose just being a human created mesh that one can hardly see through. Why need a purpose when enjoyment is right in front of us? This is a short-sighted view, for those of us who are content with short lived joys."

At this point we are having two different conversations. This statement makes it seem that you have not properly entertained the idea that THERE EXIST NO EXPLICIT PURPOSE TO LIFE. Sure, there are differences in taste, yet at the end of the day there is no reason that you and I are here.

To be clear- I am not saying that the purpose of life is a human created mesh that one can hardly see through. I am saying it does not exist in the explicit sense. There is no thing you have to do on this planet, in this life, that will dictate whether you are living rightly or wrongly.

That being said, my point in stating this is that humanity has a tendency to organize itself in order to function smoothly. This organization's consequences are extremely relevant to our daily lives. Subsequently, most actions are considered the "wrong path," while the few involving being productive to these falsely espoused needs of society are prized over all. But that has less to do with my idea than simply the notion that THIS LIFE HAS NOT GOTTEN IT RIGHT ANY MORE THAN JESUS' SOCIETY DID. JUST AS WE LOOK TO THE ANCIENT PEOPLE AND SEE THEIR FEEBLE ATTEMPTS AT ARRIVING AT A METAPHYSICAL DEFINITION TO GUIDE THEIR LIVES, SO TOO HAVE WE. Therefore, my intention is not to say that I don't want to play the game of society. The intention is regarding the fact that games are just that: fictional creations serving the purpose of making life go.

Also, it is the exact opposite of a short-sighted view of life. My own perspective is a profound realization that society has once again created a massive construct with the sole purpose of keeping us within boundaries in order that we may be more easily controlled. (Sound familiar?) That is a long-term perspective in the sense of looking at yourself in the grander scheme of misunderstandings that have been soooooo common to human thought processes. The Greeks had a name for the notion of certainty in the face of utter ignorance: hubris. This is the spell we find ourselves in, and my proof entails looking around and seeing how fucked the world is. The answer? Courageously reinvent yourself as needed. Capitalism, democracy, equality... these are short-sighted. Long term would be to have the balls to call out a bullshit system and actually move throughout life with conviction. Therefore, my letting go of life having a purpose actually will effect my life forever, hardly something that could be so oversimplified as by labeling it "short-sighted."

Thus, while the whole of the population of the richest third-world country in the world sits behind cubicles getting fatter and dumber by the decade, I will stand up and say FUCK THAT! The currency of this world is not worth sacrificing our human decency. People hear me say this and think I must be setting myself up for starvation- hardly the case. For, with my perspective, the only way to ease the horror known as human existence is to cultivate the good within yourself and, if able, help others from being bound by those same tired-ass chains. My own road will inevitably end with some sort of paycheck (so chill out Mom). However, I REFUSE TO HATE MY LIFE AS A FUNCTION OF MY GREED.

What could be more simple than a world that is just there because it is there? Metaphysical assumptions about our purpose and how to live a proper life are far more complex than my simple assertion that life is meaningless. Proof that the myth is so powerful is inhabited in the predictable response you must have had in reading the end of that last sentence. Don't we find it similar to the emotional blackmailing of previously (proven wrong) metaphysical world-views? On a visceral level, we know this to be similar in the sense that one cannot even happily entertain the idea that we are here for NO EXPLICIT REASON OR PURPOSE. That is the horror that humanity sucks at dealing with, for the thought of a meaningless life seems for some reason an abomination. My point is that I see the "purpose" notion as an inherently flawed, loaded question to which the answer does not exist. Just as Christians fear the notion of the universe without God (for this shatters the organization of the universe that has helped them sleep at night), our contemporaries fear the idea that they are here for no reason. That fear is what I attack. I laugh at this fear because it is based on a recurring phenomena humanity is wholly guilty of: creating massive metaphysical myths in order to make the fucked up moments of life (which we all know are numerous, and if you're not elite than likely outweigh the moments of "beauty") more bearable. That's why I speak of courage. One must be brave in "going it alone." I would rather not base my entire life's path on flawed notions rooted in human existence possessing some ambiguous "purpose."

Human imagination is not something to be feared, to be sure. But, massive lies that have redirected humanity towards false hopes are. Lets not confuse the two...

FRIEND:

"If you want to be an elite and critique the very structure that has enabled you all of your opportunities simply because it is ravaged with imperfections, fine. But that is like suing the brain surgeon for not saving your grandmother's life--she was going to die without the surgery, guaranteed. The surgeon was only their to help her."

Also to be clear, "society" and "human ingenuity" are hardly interchangeable terms. It was not because of the massive lies you dub the "structure of society" that we were able to achieve all that we have. On the contrary, we have been able to achieve so much IN SPITE OF these gigantic lies. To me, this does not champion the "structure of society" so much as it proves that we are capable of far more than we have been allowed to achieve. Do you consider that little thousand year period known as the "dark ages" as something that enabled many opportunities for humanity? You think those submerged in that time period had the ability to call it out for what it was? No, but a few did. That is how we know it was the "dark" ages, because there were a few special people whose humanness shined through, learning and growing despite the bullshit lie that pervaded every European life during it. It is my contention that had that lie not existed we would be in the Star Trek generation today; instead in the present day we fight over whether it is moral to advance science (can you say stem cells?). This is just a small example out of many concerning of how our flawed beliefs have held us back, then and now. How naive for this generation to believe that we have solved the issue of living blindly under massive mythological human constructs, and that it could never happen to us!

We kill our potential every day we sell our souls for a fucking buck. Necessity is a relative term, as is most of reality. Lets treat it as such...

The Ballot or the Bullet?

The ballot or the bullet? A famous Malcolm X speech possesses that title, a speech that I have spent some time listening to this morning. Let me inform you that this is an intense thing to be filling your head with this early in the day, with heavy sentiments of militant Black Nationalism. This philosophy of black self-reliance rings appealingly in the inner-lobes of the common radical, for it calls upon that aspect in all humans to not sit down and accept the injustices that are so prevalent and visible in our daily lives. Moreover, said world-view actually applies to many other groups other than blacks, and therefore has some merit in terms of application in the contemporary world.

Take the green movement, for instance. At best, all the protests in the world may have had some minor affect on those who perpetrate the biggest atrocities against our environment. However, without hitting them in their pocketbook or in their teeth they will undoubtedly continue their polluting practices as long as they can justifiably do so for profit. That is the essence of capitalism- as long as there is a profit to be made it does not matter how one goes about getting it as long as that potential wealth is inevitably cultivated for personal use. (On a side note, that major source of evil is also a major source of progress in humanity; therefore one must be careful in the criticism of the profit motive. However, for our purposes we will assume certain negative aspects of the motive outweigh the positive ones, which may reflect reality in the sense that most profit cultivation goes completely unregulated and consequently has many extremely negative consequences for society in its functionality.) So shall the Greens try to change the system from the inside, with sit-ins and protests and all the benign non-violent actions that are easily and consistently ignored by the greater profit seeking community? Or, shall something more be done to curtail the destruction of our planet? (Which, unfortunately, is probably the only one we'll ever get.)

A good starting point for the latter question is to evaluate the issue in terms of how much it really means to us; the more urgency possessed by the cause, the greater the justification for movements with bite. This piece of logic, when applied to the environmental movement, presents a wedge that can be difficult to reconcile between different factions within the movement. Team Immediate-Armageddon, led by Al Gore, looks at certain scientific data and assumes a sort of end-of-the-world scenario looming in which the world is going to rapidly undergo massive transformations that will be detrimental to human life. Supplement that theory with a time frame of 50 to 100 years and you’re looking at an equation in which young people living today will see the effects of this disaster in their own lifetimes, giving them a strong cause to see through an effective remedy. However, based on the contrary assumption that Al’s timing may be off by quite a bit, we are truly looking at a bit of a different scenario. For instance, instead of this process occurring in 50 or 100 years it hypothetically could actually take more like a thousand years. In that outlook, even for someone who perceives his or herself to be an ardent environmentalist, the case for militant action seems weak and unnecessary. Therefore, as we shall see, the case for a militant self-reliant philosophy as a reaction to some contemporary problem may very much depend on the urgency and breadth of the problem. The more urgent and pressing, the more justifiable certain extreme actions may be.

If the level of action is to be justified by urgency, we are now placed with a situation in which the facts matter. Hmmm, lets see... what is our environmental situation? Are we destroying natural habitats at an alarming rate? Are we reducing the number of species that exist on Earth every day? Are we creating an environment near our major urban cities in which children cannot play sports outside without threat of contracting asthma? Are we creating a gigantic swirl of photo-degradable plastic in the North Pacific Gyro that could eventually poison the ocean in an unimaginably harmful way? Unfortunately the answer to all of these questions, and many more like them, is si senorita. Moreover gosh-darn it, if the facts matter than the fact finders should be listened to. Scientists do not deserve the treatment given to them under the years of 2000-2008 in which they have practically been viewed as witch doctors participating in hedonistic rituals (so-called laboratory experiments) that result in theories which inconveniently go completely against the literal interpretations of the bible that are constantly being espoused by those scoundrels who occupy the bully pulpits of the world. (I'm amused and encouraged to think of many scientists as modern-day Heretic Heroes).

Therefore, if the facts matter, and the facts are that shit is going south fast, what’s next? This is where we get to Malcolm and his notion of the ballot or the bullet. Can we expect that our politicians are actually going to do anything that will favor the environment when it almost certainly will be a blow to the capitalists (their most ardent supporters) who look to exploit it? The cynic in me knows the answer to that question, and if a pragmatist is reading this than you also know the answer. There hardly exists the precedent of politicians choosing to side with the environment (whom has no vote or even political sway for that matter) over the very real interests of the capitalists who use their profits to help prop up these puppets in Congress and the Presidency. It just will not happen this way, and those who protest so loudly need to understand this fact. Malcolm knew that when it came to black nationalism, and we should know that when it comes to protection of the environment. As the political scientist Amartya Sen stated, people get what they demand, and more crucially, do not get what they do not demand. If we think going to the polls and voting for party one or party two is demanding something, we are fucking kidding ourselves.

Therefore, we should not shy away from a form of militancy that gets results.   By that, I mean that the first thing we should do is huff and puff and try giving a shit; it begins by getting pissed off about the situation.  We should always attempt to emphatically exhaust any political or diplomatic options when dealing with any sort of contentious issue such as the preservation of the environment. However, if taking a plastic red cup and painting it green is their idea of participating in saving the world, I refuse to buy that load of horseshit. The facts matter, and THE FACT IS THAT PAINTING OR CALLING SOMETHING GREEN DOES NOT MAKE IT SO. Thus, until we have some sort of system that holds accountability for the claim of “greenness,” we should be vigilant in our actions and skeptical with our ears and eyes, hearts and minds. Brothers and Sisters I have seen the mountaintop, and it is inhabited by plants and animals- not buildings and factories and money and suffering. Long live the spirit of Militant Environmentalism X...

The Day I Lost My Job

The day I lost my job there was a pumping swell.
The day I lost my job my heart was an empty well.
The day I lost my job a little girl drowned at Sands.
The day I lost my job I mourned my hardworking hands.
The day I lost my job the world came crashing down.
The day I lost my job there was no one else around.
The day I lost my job my bank account went dry.
The day I lost my job the tears evacuated my eyes.
The day I lost my job I thought myself a failure.
The day I lost my job I felt the urge to email her.
The day I lost my job it all stopped making sense.
The day I lost my job life seemed much too intense.
The day I lost my job I sought some empathy.
The day I lost my job society laughed at me.
The day I lost my job I listened to the news.
The day I lost my job I drank a couple brews.
The day I lost my job I screamed aloud “FUCK IT.”
The day I lost my job I picked up an empty bucket.
The day I lost my job I made a magic potion.
The day I lost my job poisoned my devotion.
The day I lost my job that silly question arose.
The day I lost my job my soul necessitated repose.

The day I lost my job the world all came together.
The day I lost my job I started noticing the weather.
The day I lost my job I had plenty of time to read.
The day I lost my job I contributed a good deed.
The day I lost my job I learned a bit about myself.
The day I lost my job I realized my exquisite health.
The day I lost my job the sun came out to play.
The day I lost my job all the pain floated away.
The day I lost my job somehow I felt empowered.
The day I lost my job I no longer required showers.
The day I lost my job something in my head went “click.”
The day I lost my job I stopped feeling like a capitalist prick.
The day I lost my job I cracked a humongous smile.
The day I lost my job I hadn’t felt that way in a while.
The day I lost my job the universe was there without a worry.
The day I lost my job the constant questioning slowed its fury.
The day I lost my job exposed money for what it is.
The day I lost my job it became clear "what's mine is his."
The day I lost my job I was a steely-eyed-realist.
The day I lost my job I became a hippy-pinko-socialist.
The day I lost my job I finally came to know.
The day I lost my job I decided to let go.
The day I lost my job was the best day of my life.
The day I lost my job I was liberated from strife.

Bubbles

Lost, lonely, out of touch.

Pockets of air don’t offer much.
Permeable membranes live and grow,
Fueled by speed so they might slow.
A racing heart goes rapid quick,
Effervescent politic.
Our bubbles have a single fate,
Which is to pop, exterminate.
Responding to the booming bust
Soapy textures overflow with lust.
For bubbles live and die each day
Essentially caused by TOO MUCH PLAY.
And so I have this island view,
My personal bubble, my thoughts subdued.
Where does one go to find escape?
Into the Cave of PROCRASTINATE.
Fizzing, frothing, foamy eyes
Paint conclusions ambivalent,
Disguised.
Thus it goes and go it shall,
This bubbly existence, this femme fatale.

B Leave It-Sun

THIS MAN WILL GO ON TO STOMP THIS LANDING...

Sipping Soliloquies

Spheres of White Within Our Grasps Sear Eyesight on Sin's Behalf.

Change We Need?

Oh, the promises we hear on every campaign trail, full of grandiose bravado, insisting that “change” is right around the corner. Question: what sort of “change” are we speaking of? Reactionary Change (a reversion to how things used to be), or Transformative Change (moving forward to uncharted territory)? Imagine Obama on his soapbox saying, “We’re going to change this country. Change change change. ‘What does that mean?’ Well little girl, we’re going to go back to the long since forgotten era of Clintonism.” AKA we’re reverting back to something old rather than doing something new. Grant Obama some wiggle room given the immense battle he’s up against, yet lets not act like we weren’t fooled on the campaign trail as we always are. Although our lovely little super-power nation is being led by the second coming of Jesus (manifested in our new President), we still have a taste for terrorist blood....

Gregory D. Foster, a professor at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Washington DC, recently wrote an article entitled “The Obama National Security Team: Old Wine in Old Bottles.” In it he does well in summing up what I am tripping over myself to say-

“The problem is that there is little to distinguish Democrat from Republican or liberal from conservative members of the card-carrying national security establishment. It is a closed, inbred, elitist clique whose members- as the price of entry, acceptance, and retention- all buy into and perpetuate the same tired ideas and ways of thinking. At root, they are hard-wired realists who think of security as national security, not as something grander (global security) or more primal (human security); who tend, notwithstanding occasional rhetorical diversions and deceptions about “soft power” and “smart power,” to equate security with defense and to concern themselves with the accumulation and exercise of national power defined primarily in military terms; who believe national interests actually exist and can be identified, not that they are mere rhetorical contrivances politicians use to rationalize action or inaction for other reasons; who similarly believe there are real threats to those interests that objectively exist, rather than being mental constructions manipulative politicians generate to engender fear and galvanize unity; who subscribe to the enduring primacy of state sovereignty over human sovereignty; who see the future as an inevitable continuation of the iron laws of the past, not as a tabula rasa that can be written anew; and who, unquestioningly and unimaginatively, cling to a singular conception of the military as an instrumentality whose supernal purpose is to prepare and wage war.”

"What we can expect from them, therefore, is a focus on the little-picture tactics of crisis management that consume politics today- reacting to headlines, shaping messages, projecting imagery. But what the new President, the American people, and even concerned external audiences should demand of them is a bolder, more elevated- in other words, strategic- thought and action."

(Kudos if you read that whole thing.)

The Point being?...  Obama is no pacifist. (Sorry hippies.) Also, it helps to be mindful of the fact that Democrats like war too, they just like it for different reasons. Rather than blatant material gain as a central motivation for putting our young military homies into dodgey domains, the “liberal” wing of this oligarchical democracy of ours would have us kill others for a more pure objective- to show those whom we are killing that killing is wrong. (This is an ironic position considering one of the most fundamental principals of their religion [assuming most of them are Christians {what are the chances of that?!}] is the sacred the Golden Rule. Treat others as you would have them treat you, the essence of the great debate between Retributive and Rehabilitative justice.)

Although there's more than one way to skin the statue of the newly overthrown dictatorial leader whose capability in rising to prominence was largely due to US material and intelligence aide, status quo says we’re fucking killing fools with our absurdly gigantic military. Change is in the air? Yeah right…

Its Fun To Stay At The H-E-L-L

Consequences of A Pestered Human

Rats. What is the solution? First off, I don't blame them for using my home as their own personal kingdom in which to spread their mouse message and prosper. Part of the source of their highly effective progeny production capabilities is directly related to the excesses of our own existences. (Basically if you can read this, that means YOU.) In fact, their large numbers merit a level of respect similar to that of which I constantly give to humanity; admirable is their ability to successfully adapt to a rapidly changing environment.

Regardless of their savvy skills, the status quo currently states that it is perfectly acceptable to murder these effectively flexible rodents. One question I’m interested in is how we so easily justify the totality of the slaughter without blinking an eye. It seems to bear some resemblance to the way in which humans regard those within their in-group as opposed to those who reside outside this sacred, yet malleable, circle of trust.

It therefore seems that rats (most of them) certainly are labeled as out-groupers. As with most relationships of this nature it sucks to be an out-grouper, for you shall experience the wrath of a human in a state of being “pestered.” How does this formula equate in the daily lives of most Earthly creatures? Essentially, the human who is severely bothered by some sort of presence will inevitably justify extermination of it through any means necessary. This is born out of our own egocentric view of the world, a disease of the mind to which none of us are immune...

A Hero Is Born

There are few moments that occur in the universe that lend themselves to the description of positively poetic. One such snapshot of confluent perfection was recently brought to my attention thanks to one of my fellow captives of the 68 BLOCK ZOO. The human actor whose thought process and impending action resides at the core of this episode shall go unnamed; however, should he step forward to claim ownership of this happening with pride he would be due the highest of high honors. After all, it’s not everyday that a hero is born…

Our tale is set in a viral, pathetic zone of existence that many people have experienced for themselves; neck deep in a herd of human cattle mooing their way down that disease saturated incubator ironically known as a “breezeway” to board an airplane. Try briefly to imagine yourself in the middle of that line of raw humanity. Sweaty, annoyed, stressed, full of overpriced over-processed airport food, and generally anxious to get anywhere but here; these are the characteristics that envelop the essence of this vestibule’s vibe. Now imagine that it is 6 a.m., and you’ve gotten a single solitary hour of “sleep” prior to putting yourself in this poor predicament. Why is that the case? Known as Standard Operation, or Standard-Op in the philosurphy world, that is exactly the protocol of what one does on their final night in Las Vegas after non-stop binge drinking for seven dark days.

This cramped corridor of consciousness is where our hero finds himself. Lets call him Colden Haulfield. With two trusty fellow comrades flanking Colden on either side, the trio comprised a sort of Trinity of the Fiesta Spirit that radiated effervescence within this melancholy moment in space-time. Bellies full of booze and uneasy smiles across their faces, the team pushes on despite the fact that their souls are utterly exhausted from a week of debauchery. The three look at each other, basking in the glory of their ability to retain beating hearts after such a concentrated consumption of cocktails, and shake their still smirking heads (in slow motion of course).

Suddenly, a strong draft weaved its way through the antechamber, signifying a rift in the cool energy produced by these ravenous ragers. The source of this cumulous cloud over the enigmatic energy came from our hero, Colden. What started as a slight tickle in his tummy quickly churns and turns its way up his esophagus, without warning and minus mercy. Colden, being the Samurai of Slosh that he was, instinctually searches for the nearest receptacle capable of withstanding the violent velocity of the Vegas vomit. To his right, a blank white wall; to his left, two empty handed amigos displaying looks of severe confusion in conjunction with their own nagging nausea. “Damn it,” Colden exclaims in a tone of ultimate desperation.

This is the moment in which Colden becomes a legend. The average drone would no doubt deliver the goods in projectile fashion, most likely landing on the oldest and most proper looking lady no matter how far she may be from you in that quagmire of a queue. But not Colden. Realizing the stench the substance would generate within that already doomed passage, an epic sacrifice was quickly conceived on the part of our hero. (As he wiggled and writhed, the weight of the straps on his shoulders initiated the inception of the idea.) Thus, in an attempt at salvation of the innocents, Colden reached for the sack on his back full of relatively meaningless material possessions. Slowly, Colden placed the bag on the ground, unzipped it, stuffed his cranium within its depths, and proceeded to purge poison. One harrowing heave was followed by another. Loud gasps mixed with sharp shrieks filled the air as those around him began to notice the exorcism, until arrived that last cathartic cry suggestive of the light at the end of the tunnel.

Once finished, the man-myth-legend stood to his feet. With bloodshot eyes and a chin dripping with drool he zipped the bag closed. Understandably embarrassed, Colden slowly retrieved his head out of the tail-between-the-legs position only to lay eyes on the most peculiar sight; the entire breezeway had their gaze immersed upon him. At first our hero's heart sank. However, he was soon surprised to notice that rather than daggers into his soul from the fellow foyer inhabitants, their stares exhibited almost admiration. A transformation of the contour of the eyes that were fixated upon him soon thereafter commenced; beginning with wide open oculars from utter amazement, quickly the shock dissipated and the wrinkles in the corner of those peepers surfaced along with cracked lips. Smiling faces soon erupted into small giggles, shortly snowballing into a symphony of snickers. Colden didn’t know who started the applause, yet a minute after his praying to the Jansport God our protagonist found himself being praised by the sheep for his brave surrender.

Hence, to this day the incident remains Colden’s most glorious moment- seizing the opportunity to play the role of Catcher in the Rye. It is not often that we, as normal everyday commoners, get the occasion of saving our brethren from such a hellish scenario that would inevitably scar them for life. Therefore this selfless act by Colden has earned him the title of “Knight” in the Kingdom of Philosurphy. Keep fighting the good fight Grabby…

Proper-Tone Propaganda

How many commercials will there be slamming tokers of the budda-sess? Lets see some ads running about the EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL and all the stupid things people do. Think leaving your friends at a party is bad? How about not forgetting them, and then your drunk ass gets in a horrible wreck killing all your friends (accept you) as well as the family on their way home from movie night. All I'm saying is lets have an even handed dialog about drug use in this country...

Proposition H8TE

Thanks Jack for helping us put the situation in perspective....

"Well the Bible says a lot of things, you know.... Like you can stone your wife, or sell your daughter into slaverrryyyyyyy!!!!!!!!"

"Well friend, it seems to me you pick and choose- well choose LOVE instead of HATE! Besides, YOUR NATION WAS BUILT ON SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STAAAAAAAAATE....."

"See ya later sinnas"

Fountain of irony, how you gush like Niagara or a Catholic Priest on Viagra....

"Prop 8 - The Musical" starring Jack Black, John C. Reilly, and many more... from Jack Black

WARNING!

"I think I kinda want it..."

The Church of Grace Under Pressure

Getting absolutely pitted has never been easier.... This is the type of thing that you watch, love , and shortly thereafter do a little throw-up-in-the-mouth action. The latter incident happens when you realize that it could be YOU sitting in those fatty gaping freight train shacks on the daily, accept its not. You're probably living somewhere in Cali, which does have it's day one every ten blue moons, yet hardly stacks up to the stature of many other warm water wave magnets around the globe. The question you have to ask yourself is, "Do I feel lucky?" Kidding... You really have to ask yourself if trading all the civilized nonsense of the good ol' Ooooh Ess of Aahhh for a much slower and relatively less productive lifestyle, in which getting epic sessions is somewhat of a regular occurrence, is worth it. Anyone who has seen that lifestyle firsthand even for a glimpse's worth knows the unreal pot of gold awaiting at the end of that rainbow.

Surfing comprises a primary ritual component of a budding New World Religion. Lacking superstition, our inspired world-view inevitably surfaces after countless encounters with the ocean. Those of us devoted to la playa know the feeling of insignificance earned while paddling out on those days where most "surfers" choose gladly, instead of risking it, to gaze upon the mackers from safe perches atop their overrun oceanside tumbling towers. Scary surf provides the most powerful example of surfing's ability to instill humility in the members of its tribe, wholly undeniable through experiencing the ruthless raw power of Poseidon directly on top of one's head. Lets just say that getting treated like Raggedy Anne on prom night by a wall of whitewater has a tendency to make a person feel small. Within this same realm of fear and humility, confidence is born. Successfully summiting those skyscrapers of the sea again and again gives a new vibrancy to one's state of mind; fire isn't as hot, cliff's aren't as high, the night isn't as dark, and yes- women don't intimidate.

Thus, we who belong to this unholy congregation walk forth with our humility and confidence and we are better for it. Being that my favorite quality of humanity is our adaptability, our new Religion doesn't play the same game of indoctrinating generations into fearing and resisting change. We'll leave that bullshit up to the already established group of sorry-asses. Our philosurphy encourages the reasonable realignment of perspectives on "normal"; case in point- why not swap this ultra-materialistic rat-race lifestyle that some are bound to hate for the daily experience of a Religious Awakening? For those of us who have the itch-> scratch it or watch your dreams dissolve into traffic....

This One's for Scotty D.

Versatile Vernacular of the Vulgar Variety

All the homies out there take note; some of us possess the tendency of sounding like a silly selection of Pongos and Engecos. There we be, clumsily barking, belching, bellowing and blurting our way through this Post-Puritan Paradise. Thank Allah our side won, lest we may have occupied a world in which the (not so) occasional onslaught of ostracized oratory would go unsung. No worries, for the adaptability of this human existence that I am so fond of has turned the contemporary gnar-dog-potty-mouth slang into some sort of a legitimate language.

Life on the 68 BLOCK

Ever go to the zoo? Well, we here over at the 6800 Block of Del Playa live in a real live zoo... There's only one difference between us and your traditional "family/shmeducational" zooeries; ours is one of the few on the West Coast boasting an equal number of untamed humans along with our normal viewable selection of ferocious wild beasts. Often the boys seem to be known for our annoyingly chillaxed 'tude, mixed with our genetic propensity towards possessing anatomical listening structures whose functional efficacy can be compared to a tanning salon in Central America. Not one to disagree with the accusation of displaying the occasional bit of apathy, I must also lay down the admission of being apart of a rag-tag group of genuine cats. The attitude permeating our residence provides the sense that peculiarity is plentiful and optimism is overflowing...

Please Don't Check This Out

Naiive Musings From Election Day?

November 4, 2008.

Election day.  A crossroads in American history. Today is the day in which, if all goes according to proper voting procedures (minus serious voter suppression/fraud) Barack Obama will become the President of the United States. Although it is to be taken with a large grain of salt, this could be the event that restores pride of country within the youth of this nation. As someone who was 17 years old at the beginning of the Iraq war, the majority of my life in terms of political development has been spent under an extremely sorry-ass Bush administration with all its cronyism and corrupt political ends. Consequently, many people of my generation who actually pay attention to the state of affairs generally exhibit one of two characteristics; strong apathy or a deep mistrust of the democratic system’s effectiveness of translating the desires of the people into policy that is sensible and productive. Admittedly, there is more than just the two possibilities I have offered up, yet the point remains the same- the last eight years has turned a young generation of citizens into a careless and disconnected voting bloc.

Can an Obama presidency reverse this process? Although only time will tell, there are certainly some unique things occurring in the contemporary political atmosphere that point to an affirmative answer. For instance, the infusion of new voters, generally young and/or previously disenfranchised groups, speaks volume to the electric political environment we see today. As is commonplace in understanding of American politics, the Republican Party’s base will almost always come out and make their voices heard given their proclivity to civic engagement already ingrained in their own lives. Church serves as a useful example of this point, for it represents a crucial civil society that has always been exceptional in getting its members into the participation process. The business community, a group of people who traditionally posses levels of education that would dictate political participation, represents another powerful example of the conservative Republican base that will always come out for their candidate regardless of most foreseeable circumstances. On the other hand, the Democrats have much less of a dependable base. Due to the fact that their policies generally benefit more of the lower half (possibly the lower 3/4 given our sharply rising gap in inequality), the Democrats must frame their campaigns in terms of how they are going to help this large, traditionally disadvantaged group of people. Given these people’s limited levels of education and social awareness as well as a severe lack of civil society, apathy to politics is rampant and getting them to the voting booth has always been a challenge for any party attempting to gain prominence on the basis of their support.

Given the aforementioned reality, as well as the socioeconomic makeup of the political scene and the fact that there are a much greater amount of disadvantaged voters relative to those who wish to preserve this inequitable status quo, one would suspect that if 100% of the electorate came out to vote that it would always be a landslide in favor of the policies of the candidate who supports the lower SES [SocioEconomic Status] classes of people. (It must be noted here that this is a sweeping simplification of the political divisions within this country; many socially minded Christians and powerful business people flock to the Democrats for intellectual/ideological reasons including equality and justice and fairness and liberty. Likewise, many poor classes of people wish to preserve the status quo due to their lack of knowledge of the potential benefits of change, juxtaposed with bigoted attitudes towards Gays, Women, Minorities, and generally Folks-Trying-To-Have-A-Good-Time.) It is for this reason that the conservative Republicans represent the party that stands to benefit from a lower turnout. To be very clear, this point is not overlooked within the ranks of the GOP. It is for these reasons that they as a party have a large stake in suppressing the vote. They can afford to exhibit a level of confidence that their usual constituency will come out as they always do, therefore significant energy and money is devoted to the goal of reducing the number of people who come out to have their voices heard.

Hence, one of the unique aspects of this election cycle is the uncanny ability of Obama to attract a large group of people who would previously have never participated via an extremely important quality he possesses and for which the conservatives constantly criticize him- his ability to inspire. Conservatives write him off as a celebrity who may be a good speaker but obviously does not have the governing experience to make policy work in Washington. Unfortunately for proponents of this view, effective politicians may be looked at as such based on their ability to gain widespread support and therefore mobilization of the populace in support of their policies. How short their memories are, for their own movement had Ronald Reagan, notorious for his ability to convey messages simply and effectively which in turn created a compliant political atmosphere in which shit actually gets done. Was Reagan not a celebrity? Did he not electrify crowds with his inspirational speeches? All of these things he did extremely effectively and for his efforts he is looked at as a modern day hero to the conservative movement. Yet this time around, conservatives cringe at the notion of a very popular and inspirational candidate, particularly because their movement severely lacks the characters that are able to inspire large groups of people. Rush Limbaugh serves as a great example of prominent conservative thinker, and he is as divisive and uninspired as any person could be.

Obama will attract many new voters into the system, which will ultimately result in a shift in the political atmosphere within this superpower nation. These new voters will give our flailing democracy an increased level of legitimacy and hopefully restore the image worldwide of a respectable USA. In addition, his ability to inspire will allow many of his policies to go through smoothly and therefore actually be effectively implemented. Obama is our medicine for our ailing political atmosphere? Thank you God.

Let's Talk about Sext

People, lets not be too hard on ourselves. Reduced down to our most primal elements, humanity represents a collective hornball energy that permeates throughout every aspect of our intriguingly coincidental existence. Texting, although reflective of the ultimate adaptability that is the essence of human experience, lacks as a means to our simpleton end in a serious manner. Although it technically covers the area of Sight, can that alone make up for a general absence of Touching, Tasting, Smelling, Hearing? You be the judge...

Only in the Modern World

Does this look like the face of God?

One day, when I was on mushrooms, a beautiful fairy told me that it did.

  

Then she emailed me this picture of that exact moment to prove it.

I could only react with awe at the notion of a computer-literate fairy.