Factotum

I'm no preacher, but I can tell you this -- the lives that people lead are driving them crazy, and their insanity comes out in the way they drive.

-- Charles Bukowski (1975)

Political correctness effects

Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small. In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, nor to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better. When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is to co-operate with evil, and in some small way to become evil oneself. One's standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to.

-- Theodore Dalrymple, Our Culture, What's Left of It  (2005)

self-righteous left

I never thought I’d live to see the day when the right wing would become the cool ones giving the middle finger to the establishment, and the left wing becoming the sniveling self-righteous twatty ones going around shaming everyone.  

-- John Lydon

Working Class Hero

As soon as you're born, they make you feel small
By giving you no time, instead of it all
'Til the pain is so big you feel nothing at all

They hurt you at home, and they hit you at school
They hate you if you're clever, and they despise a fool
'Til you're so f*cking crazy you can't follow their rules

When they've tortured and scared you for twenty-odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function, you're so full of fear

Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV
And you think you're so clever and classless and free
But you're still f*cking peasants as far as I can see

There's room at the top, they are telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill

A working class hero is something to be

-- John Lennon (1970)

Minstrel in the Gallery

The minstrel in the gallery looked down upon the smiling faces.
He met the gazes -- observed the spaces between the old mens' cackle.
He brewed a song of love and hatred -- oblique suggestions -- and he waited.

Then he called the band down to the stage, and he looked at all the friends he'd made.
The minstrel in the gallery looked down on the rabbit-run.
And threw away his looking glass -- saw his face in everyone.

-- Ian Anderson / Martin Barre (Jethro Tull) 1975

tomorrow is already here

Originally the set-up [was] to serve society. Now the roles have been reversed -- they want society to serve the institutions. 
-- Tim Gane / Laetitia Sadier (Stereolab) 1996

Radio Clash

This is Radio Clash, stealing all transmissions.
Beaming from the mountaintop, using aural ammunition.
With extreme prejudice on a terminator mission.
This is Radio Clash, consider your position.

Breaking news flash:  Assassination!
The whole country has been shot.
Evil will abate in revelation -- the ministry of whitewash.

This is Radio Clash from pirate satellite
Orbiting your living room, cashing in the Bill of Rights.
Cuban army surplus or refusing all third lights
This is Radio Clash on pirate satellite.

This sound does not subscribe to the international plan
In the psycho shadow of the white right hand.
Them that see ghettology as an urban Vietnam
Giving deadly exhibitions of murder by napalm.

Forces have been looting my humanity.
Curfews have been curbing -- the end of liberty.
Hands of law have sorted through my identity
But now this sound is brave and wants to be free!

-- The Clash (1981)

European Union

"One of the ironies of the European project is that this project that was set up to make us all love each other is actually beginning to make us hate each other.... Far from Europe coming together, Europe is being torn apart, and we are risking stirring up the very kind of nationalisms that the project was supposed to stop in the first place." -- Nigel Farage, UK Independent Party

modern culture

"There’s nothing in the design of modern culture which inspires people to be great and to be grand and to think in terms of grand thoughts."
-- Ryan Adams, Salon interview (10/9/11)

living in the material world

I'm living in the material world
Living in the material world
Can't say what I'm doing here, but I hope to see much clearer
after living in the material world

I got born into the material world
Getting worn out in the material world
Use my body like a car, taking me both near and far
Met my friends all in the material world

Met them all there in the material world
John and Paul here in the material world
Though we started out quite poor, we got 'Richie' on a tour
Got caught up in the material world

From the Spiritual Sky, such sweet memories have I
To the Spiritual Sky, how I pray
Yes I pray that I won't get lost or go astray

As I'm fated for the material world
Get frustrated in the material world
Senses never gratified, only swelling like a tide
That could drown me in the material world

While I'm living in the material world
Not much giving in the material world
Got a lot of work to do, try to get a message through
And get back out of this material world

I'm living in the material world
Living in the material world
I hope to get out of this place by the [Lord's] grace
My salvation from the material world

--George Harrison (1973)

palo alto

In a city of the future, it is difficult to concentrate
Meet the boss, meet the wife
Everybody's happy, everyone is made for life.

In a city of the future, it is difficult to find a space
I'm too busy to see you; you're too busy to wait

But I'm okay, how are you?
Thanks for asking, thanks for asking
I'm okay, how are you? I hope you're okay too.

Every one of those days when the sky is California blue
With a beautiful bombshell, I throw myself into my work
I'm too lazy, I've been kidding myself for so long

But I’m okay, how are you?
Thanks for asking, thanks for asking
I’m okay, how are you? I hope you’re okay too.

-- Thom Yorke (Radiohead) 1998

Amerimacka

The land of the free, built on slavery
Our consciousness in captivity
The promised land is the liar's den
Culture of greed has got to end
-- Garza / Hilton (Thievery Corp.) 2005

childhood lost

"As you can see, everything has just vanished. It's just like the whole thing has been completely erased from the face of the earth. I feel great anger. I feel massive sadness. It's like a complete loss of childhood...."
-- Morrissey, Top of the Pops interview (1983)

communication technology beneficial?

"What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture serve to enlighten us and help us to understand one another better, or will they deceive us and keep us apart?"
-- Roger Waters (1988)