Being a university student, especially a sociology major i hear a lot about "The Enlightenment" era of thinking. Where science supposedly overtook religion as the dominant form of thinking about the world. Anyone who's been to a university and thought hard and long about what they're being taught knows that this "enlightened" way of thinking is front and center. And a lot of it is pretty bogus.
There seems to be a really strong undercurrent (at least at the university i attend and i imagine most others) of what i guess you could call "scientific religion". The overall point is that we didn't stop being religious, we just swapped our allegiances from God to Science and everything that a scientifically advanced society has to offer. Even if you have a belief in God, chances are that belief has been manipulated and twisted and packaged to fit nicely into the scientific framework that our society holds so dear.
This isn't about whether or not you believe in God. It's about the fact that historically, as well as presently religion is at the root of most of evil this world sees. I would argue that Capitalism is a development of enlightenment thinking and that capitalism is the most overriding religion in the entire world. If you look at the things that are done every second of everyday in the name of capitalism, how stupid and irrational they are, how blatantly they disregard the value of human life , how they're so ruthlessly motivated to create more and more capital for those who already have more than they need.
We're raised, from the time we can form reasonably cognitive thoughts to be a consumer, to be a cog in the machine, to be a contributing number to the progression of this system. I know that if i think about the things i do everyday just as part of my nature, they're deeply tied to values and principles of a capitalist system.
It's a daily struggle if you want to liberate your heart and mind from the stench that permeates and corrupts every ounce of potential every person has to offer. This all goes back to the Noam Chomsky quote i included in my last post about being "diluted and manipulated by the system." I definitely think that not only the potential of the world as a whole but the potential of each individual person is severely hindered by this capitalist religion.
Max Weber said in one of his writings that capitalism was like an "iron cage", you can't escape no matter how hard you try. Thats not true. It's up to you to take ownership of your thoughts, of the desires of your heart. They can be separate from this system, i don't think it's easy, nothing worth anything significant ever is. But it's possible, i guess that's how things will change, if enough people learn to train their hearts in opposition to the system, if enough people are willing to sacrifice their impending bliss and really live. That's where hope lies.
While i was writing this numerous songs came to mind, Embraces "Money" Battery's "Say It", 90% of Strike Anywheres discography. I'll post the lyrics from Say It off of Battery's "Until The End" LP. That record ruled, that band rules, and this song rules.
"Say It"
wake up, throw on your clothes,
another day of feeling old.
9 to 5 a suit and tie,
can you feel the wind of life passing you by?
what about the times you've wanted to die?
please don't tell me you're standing in line to say goodbye.
you're hurting, you're dying
BELIEVE ME
there's nothing worse than feeling like that
there's nothing you can do
no friends at the office
no one who understands
that you gave up dreams and settled for things
that were not in your heart
it's fucking hard...you have gone so far
but the work-force dragged you down
now you're screaming for someone to help
but your voice, it makes no sound.
you're hurting, you're dying
BELIEVE ME
I've been there too
BELIEVE ME
there's nothing worse than feeling like that
there's nothing you can do
say it, say it
say it, say it
i can find a place in this world
i believe, i believe
i can find a place in this world
i believe i believe.
it's not what you do from 9 to 5
it's what you do from 5 to 9
so pick up your head and give me your hand.
so believe someone believes in you
there was a time when i felt bad too
school just sucked, my parents were rough
another day... it always comes, that you can trust,
another day... it always comes, but never stays.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Shock and Awe
I've been working my way through Naomi Klein's "The Shock Doctrine" the last couple weeks. I've been reading about 20 pages every few days, She's saying a lot of weighty stuff so taking time to let it digest is always good.
To this point she's just been documenting Western involvement (Primarily the CIA and other U.S. backed corporations) in developing nations around the world. Nations that at one point were nationalizing their resources and socializing their profits. This isn't good for multi-national corporations that make a killing off of foreign resources. So the rich and powerful had to do something. I won't go into detail, other than to say many of the things that were done were beyond atrocious.
As I'm reading this book it's hard not let anger and frustration build. The same things, the killing, war, and torture, backed by supposedly democratic foundations are still happening. Only now with more precision and devastation than before. We haven't learned from our history at all. I don't mean the people backing and carrying out these evil things, those people, those companies and institutions don't care, they see money and rational thought disappears. It's like this radical form of capitalism is driving people to insanity.
What's most disturbing is that people in the countries who are benefiting from this exploitation the most are letting it happen. It's not as though we don't know what's happening, all you have to do is dig a little and the most gruesome truth is there. It's not pretty to look at but it is willing to be seen. It's up to the people living in Western democracies to stop their governments interaction in terror. The people living in the countries under attack, whether it be military, ideological, social, or economic attack are usually too shocked or fearful to resist what's happening to them. And many times if they do, they disappear.
I know it's easy not to care when you have everything you need, but the time will come when many of today's middle class won't have what they need anymore, then they'll be forced to do something. Unfortunately they won't react until it's too late. I think we really have a responsibility to denounce our apathy and be more active and hold government's and corporations accountable. We're the only people who even have a shot at doing that.
My perpetual listening to Good Riddance's "Operation Phoenix" probably has something to do with me reading this book. There's a song on that record called "Winning the Hearts and Minds." At the beginning of the song there's a quote by Noam Chomsky that sum's up what I'm talking about pretty well.
"We're dealing with real human beings who are suffering and dying and being tortured and starving because of policies that we are involved in. And what the media are doing is ensuring that we do not act on our responsibilities and that the interests of power are served not the needs of the American people, who would be horrified if they realized the blood that's dripping from their hands because of the way they're allowing themselves to be diluted and manipulated by the system"
To this point she's just been documenting Western involvement (Primarily the CIA and other U.S. backed corporations) in developing nations around the world. Nations that at one point were nationalizing their resources and socializing their profits. This isn't good for multi-national corporations that make a killing off of foreign resources. So the rich and powerful had to do something. I won't go into detail, other than to say many of the things that were done were beyond atrocious.
As I'm reading this book it's hard not let anger and frustration build. The same things, the killing, war, and torture, backed by supposedly democratic foundations are still happening. Only now with more precision and devastation than before. We haven't learned from our history at all. I don't mean the people backing and carrying out these evil things, those people, those companies and institutions don't care, they see money and rational thought disappears. It's like this radical form of capitalism is driving people to insanity.
What's most disturbing is that people in the countries who are benefiting from this exploitation the most are letting it happen. It's not as though we don't know what's happening, all you have to do is dig a little and the most gruesome truth is there. It's not pretty to look at but it is willing to be seen. It's up to the people living in Western democracies to stop their governments interaction in terror. The people living in the countries under attack, whether it be military, ideological, social, or economic attack are usually too shocked or fearful to resist what's happening to them. And many times if they do, they disappear.
I know it's easy not to care when you have everything you need, but the time will come when many of today's middle class won't have what they need anymore, then they'll be forced to do something. Unfortunately they won't react until it's too late. I think we really have a responsibility to denounce our apathy and be more active and hold government's and corporations accountable. We're the only people who even have a shot at doing that.
My perpetual listening to Good Riddance's "Operation Phoenix" probably has something to do with me reading this book. There's a song on that record called "Winning the Hearts and Minds." At the beginning of the song there's a quote by Noam Chomsky that sum's up what I'm talking about pretty well.
"We're dealing with real human beings who are suffering and dying and being tortured and starving because of policies that we are involved in. And what the media are doing is ensuring that we do not act on our responsibilities and that the interests of power are served not the needs of the American people, who would be horrified if they realized the blood that's dripping from their hands because of the way they're allowing themselves to be diluted and manipulated by the system"
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Writer's Block?
I decided to start a second blog, this could be a debacle considering i don't update my other blog with as much regularity as i would like. It seems I've been gravitating towards discussing things music, specifically punk and hardcore, related in The Road Less Traveled so i hope to use this blog as sort of a database for all my semi-coherent ramblings.
I find myself thinking of some pretty weird things sometimes and i never feel the need to write them down even though i know they might come in useful someday. That's where this blog comes in, hopefully by putting in 15 minutes to create this thing I've given myself enough motivation to start writing about more than just music on a more regular basis.
What good is thinking outside the box if all it does is fester inside and drive you into a state of mental paralysis.
I find myself thinking of some pretty weird things sometimes and i never feel the need to write them down even though i know they might come in useful someday. That's where this blog comes in, hopefully by putting in 15 minutes to create this thing I've given myself enough motivation to start writing about more than just music on a more regular basis.
What good is thinking outside the box if all it does is fester inside and drive you into a state of mental paralysis.
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