<nettime> Re: there's a beat fascism?

[Jack Shea <jshea@dial.pipex.com>]

Rinaldo, you have it ass-backwards.  What is needed in this insane world
is for more people to "withdraw" and check out the real reasons why they
do the things they do.  Just look at it for awhile and then for another
while and eventually come to the realization that we're all in this thing
together and we'd better start being nice to each other.  The way things
are now the world is moved by a zillion acts of aggression and
counter-aggression and counter-counter-aggression ad infinitum.  If
history teaches us anything it is "to the victor belong the spoils"...that
is until another victor comes along.  This world is in a mess and no form
of politics (i.e. legalized oppression, slaughter, etc.) is really
addressing the fundamental problem which is that as a species were are so
efficient in our greed that we are teetering on the brink of
self-annihilation.  Dr. Strangelove ain't over, my friend.  It ain't even
started yet!  In my darker moments I can even see this as a good thing. 
Give some breathing space to the animals for chrissake.  In my brighter
moments I see our survival as a noble breed of animal as being a kind of
waiting game.  Let the forest fire of world leaders, megalomania, media
hype burn itself out and hope there are enough small green blades of grass
left on the ground to grow something uniquely, completely different. 
Something worthy of the name "human".  Of course this seems foolish,
apathetic, naive but what's the alternative? Kill the bastards?  Argue the
bastards down?  Which bastards?  The Americans?  The Chinese?  The
British?  The Tibetans?  You see what I mean?  It's the hydra story, you
cut off one head and two new ones grow in its place.  The hydra/gorgon
could only be defeated by turning it to stone with a mirror, its own
reflection immobilized it, nullified its power.  This is the role of art
and for art read truth.  And the truth doesn't have to be exposing the
shit of governments to be politically effective.  It is more humanly
effective in the long run (because politics is the dead-end refuge of
power-mad megalomaniacs) to create art, music, society, families,
whatever, within the hard shell of the beast using the imagination to
reflect and re-create the beauties that are all around us.  Forget the
fake fight of nation against nation and fight the real fight of the
corrupted self.  Become invisible and teach others to become invisible. 
It might not work but I don't see any way of redirecting the massive force
of history that now pretends to determine our lives apart from pulling
back from it and trying to create something that might still be standing
when it all comes tumbling down.  Now I know there are good people working
within grassroots politics and I admire and respect them.  But in the big
picture.... I don't know. 

This pass we are approaching was seen by people who can see such things
many many years ago.  Some native Americans notably.  As a rationalist,
surely you see where all our brilliant inventions are leading us?  We're
too damn smart for out own good!  Let's try being stupid for awhile and
see what happens. 


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