Oh, Really?
- The crack between my middle and ring finger on my left hand kind of itches/burns.
I have a fiction professor who constantly brings up a prediction of his in which there will be another great social/cultural revolution, much in the vein of the beat generation, the hippies, etc. He says it will be in reaction to the industrialization, the mass production and carbon-copy methods of our entertainment and culture. The excesses of violence and swear words will slow to accommodate a more artful message delivered in a more subtle and artful method.
- Similarly, there is an article in Rolling Stone this month about Ron Luce and his BattleCry ministry, whose mission is to teach kids to distrust the MTV generation and it's secular programing, and replace it with a youth-oriented brand of Christian conservatism. So there's somewhat of a common goal in mind from two very different sources.
I never believed that a social revolution to be possible. Not since the 80's when the nation became more Conservative in our ways. And, like most people, I blame Nirvana for being the end-all of social criticism and for inspiring the simpletons who would fight for their right to say something political, but without knowing what, precisely, they were talking about, or what affect these words would have. My professor believes that the social revolution will be a reaction to mass production and industrialization of culture. There are companies who produce and issue "hippie" costumes. 'Nuff said.
If there was anyone to bring about social change, or at least have enough power to incite it, his name was Kurt Vonnegut Jr. I did not begin writing this as a eulogy, but his death reminded me (I started writing this a few days ago) that cultural change, as important as it is, is not only, in essence, impossible for my generation to pull off, but is also not very important. Sure, his politics certainly influenced the beliefs of so many of my peers, and his most recent work has captured an ire not seen since Kent State, but do we listen? Kurt knew we didn't. We don't listen, and those that do, would rather join in the revelry and mirth that can be had at the expense of the impending doom and downtrodden. That's why if there's any social revolution, it's the cruel, heartless, connected generation of people growing up on the internet. It's no longer just a tool, but a place to be and a state of mind. If you ask any college student what they do in their downtime, chances are, they spend it viewing the sites -- the humorous websites and videos, mostly -- on the Internet. They spend it, talking about, viewing, and sharing things on the internet. And I guarantee you, if the message is not overtly political, it reflects a liberal culture.
- Your days are numbered, college Marxists. Anonymous does not forgive, and Anonymous never forgets.
"Just because some of us can read and write, or can do a little math, doesn't mean we can conquer the universe." - Kurt Vonnegut.
- I love you with all my heart.
Homer: "I'm a Spalding Gray in a Rick Dees world."
I have a fiction professor who constantly brings up a prediction of his in which there will be another great social/cultural revolution, much in the vein of the beat generation, the hippies, etc. He says it will be in reaction to the industrialization, the mass production and carbon-copy methods of our entertainment and culture. The excesses of violence and swear words will slow to accommodate a more artful message delivered in a more subtle and artful method.
- Similarly, there is an article in Rolling Stone this month about Ron Luce and his BattleCry ministry, whose mission is to teach kids to distrust the MTV generation and it's secular programing, and replace it with a youth-oriented brand of Christian conservatism. So there's somewhat of a common goal in mind from two very different sources.
I never believed that a social revolution to be possible. Not since the 80's when the nation became more Conservative in our ways. And, like most people, I blame Nirvana for being the end-all of social criticism and for inspiring the simpletons who would fight for their right to say something political, but without knowing what, precisely, they were talking about, or what affect these words would have. My professor believes that the social revolution will be a reaction to mass production and industrialization of culture. There are companies who produce and issue "hippie" costumes. 'Nuff said.
If there was anyone to bring about social change, or at least have enough power to incite it, his name was Kurt Vonnegut Jr. I did not begin writing this as a eulogy, but his death reminded me (I started writing this a few days ago) that cultural change, as important as it is, is not only, in essence, impossible for my generation to pull off, but is also not very important. Sure, his politics certainly influenced the beliefs of so many of my peers, and his most recent work has captured an ire not seen since Kent State, but do we listen? Kurt knew we didn't. We don't listen, and those that do, would rather join in the revelry and mirth that can be had at the expense of the impending doom and downtrodden. That's why if there's any social revolution, it's the cruel, heartless, connected generation of people growing up on the internet. It's no longer just a tool, but a place to be and a state of mind. If you ask any college student what they do in their downtime, chances are, they spend it viewing the sites -- the humorous websites and videos, mostly -- on the Internet. They spend it, talking about, viewing, and sharing things on the internet. And I guarantee you, if the message is not overtly political, it reflects a liberal culture.
- Your days are numbered, college Marxists. Anonymous does not forgive, and Anonymous never forgets.
"Just because some of us can read and write, or can do a little math, doesn't mean we can conquer the universe." - Kurt Vonnegut.
- I love you with all my heart.
Homer: "I'm a Spalding Gray in a Rick Dees world."