Sunday, September 25, 2011

THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED

I think this movement will, in 140 years, be viewed as one of the seeds of the Macro world as described in the book 2150 A.D.

https://occupywallst.org/


These are all status updates and comments I wrote about this situation, mostly in response to someone's comment that "a bunch of people waving signs and yelling won't do anything".
How non-violent occupation works: Resources must be diverted to support the sudden population. This can be as simple as all the influx of human waste, or as complicated as staffing a new police force. In an already strained economy, the government does not have much to spare (especially with all those $8 cups of coffee-- Marie Antoinette, anyone?). SO as the ranks swell, they become less and less contained, until they dominated the microsytem-- in this case, the most important microsystem in the US. Now business as usual can change.  Now business as usual HAS changed, and can be made to change more permanently, in a manner that is better for all people everywhere.
  This is the first time this has ever been done non-violently. Watching the livestream from Liberty Square I feel joy for humanity. This is a beautiful movement of courage and daring. These are people that are really seeing that there IS enough for everyone. It just needs to be properly distributed.
 The longer this goes on the stronger it will become. I see thirty thousand, more. I see deeply shifting changes. I see an understanding between the "sides" that has never been seen before.
 You know, someday, clicking "like" is going to be how people make money. One day we will realise that money is human energy. It can buy honey but only if bees make it. There are enough humans, there is enough money. 
 

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

THIS IS NOT A PIPE

"Ceci n'est pas une pipe" was a painting by the surrealist Magritte.  The painting was of a pipe, and the words were underneath it.
So last night at grocery store I bumped into one of my favourite people. I really love this dude, he's this crazy sax player that just drifts around the country, following the Grateful Dead sometimes, or just wherever he has gas to drive to. 
Anyhow, after I saw him, for some reason it really struck me how, in this modern world, and especially this country, music has become something recorded that we listen to over and over again, but the experience of being a musician is completely temporal. A musician is only a musician when s/he is performing (or composing, etc). 
I think that is why it is so bothersome to music lovers with the whole packaged star like Brittany Spears or someone. Yes, these people are musicians, but they are so aimed at the consumer, they are about the music as recorded.  As a product to be consumed.
Someone like my sax player friend does not even think in words. He does not perform for fame or a record contract. He plays where he is, in whatever circumstance, because that is who he is. That is how he communicates his soul to the world. And the world is lucky to have someone willing to have that conversation with it, and to bring beautiful sounds into it.
Music might actually be the only real and true, unfailing religion in my life, despite my current spiritual proclivities.  Music is ephemeral, and must be constantly re-created, and will always be different, because it is created out of each moment, and every moment is different, no matter how much effort is made to re-create exactly as before.
A piece of music only exists when it is being performed. A recording of it is a recording. Sheet music is a piece of paper with symbols on it.  
Music is completely intertwined and inseparable from the performance.
And therefore, the performer.
 And the moment of the performance-- the place, the people, the landscape...
I believe that music is one of the most important things you can do with your time. Whether listening to it or creating it. 
 I also believe that music will seek a listener, in the same way a bee seeks a flower. I also believe that I am a Listener that Music wants to hear It. I try to always look for other people that are like me, musician or non-musician alike. I love a world filled with music.
Tony left town, I think he's headed south. If you see a crazy sax player with tribal tats on his face, give him some of your time, and your most reverent listening.  (And some money would be good too!) 
 It will be worth it.  The music he is making will include a little bit of you, in that moment, wherever you are.

TOLERATE THE INTOLERANT

You know, seriously, maybe we "tolerance" people should just tolerate these really crazy people called conservatives. They really do seem to be the new minority, or even more accurately, a dying breed. Let the zealots fight each other to death, I am going to stay out of it from now on.
If you hear me talking about politics, please feel free to remind me of this. I have a lot of perverted sex to have, bizarre topics to discuss, pagan worship to do, banned books to read, and devil music to listen to.
Thank you.
 (This is post of one of my better facebook status updates. :o)