I just witnessed today’s Remembrance Day Parade march past my morning coffee place . I found it a bit sordid and unsettling really to see all the young people stiffly and robotically responding to the barked commands of the Authority-By-Intimidation . It seemed to me to be saying to the public " See how strong OUR tribe is ".
Fighting for Peace is like F**king for Virginity . This is the 21st century .
What is the relevance of this to this forum ? We all create music with computers . Our worlds are changing . The rate of change itself is accelerating . Sometimes the best way to get an idea of the best future for all of us is to look back at the visionaries of the past . ( Sometimes )
In the book " What the Dormouse Said : How the Sixties Counterculture Shaped the Personal Computer Industry " , John Markoff explains how the early visionaries in the industry in the West Coast fell into two camps ; those that saw this new technology as a means of accruing great wealth , and those who saw it as a fantastic means to bring the world together.
Conclusion ; All of us here use tools to create something that could either A) make us lots of money by preying on our listeners’ insecurities or B) making the world a better place for everyone . Music is a very powerful tool .
In the book " What the Dormouse Said : How the Sixties Counterculture Shaped the Personal Computer Industry " , John Markoff explains how the early visionaries in the industry in the West Coast fell into two camps ; those that saw this new technology as a means of accruing great wealth , and those who saw it as a fantastic means to bring the world together.
And to a man and ms they all funded the present terrorist functionaries by jacking, toking and snorting their vegetable produce. Just look at the place names they used for this “veg”. Every country everyone else in the world is having trouble with. The “visionaries” didn’t see that coming.
The empirical world takeover plot is not where you’re looking and trying to make others look.
Those visionaries were paying the way of enemies sworn to wipe visionaries off the face of the earth.
If you can’t figure it out then maybe they deserve to win.
Sorry, forum. I don’t like doing politics on a music forum but that needed an answer. I’m done here.
We all interpret the world at large by filtering it through our individual belief systems which are shaped by our personal history and culture that we were brought up in .
For example , the statement " I like fish " could be interpreted by one person as " I like to eat fish " or by another person to mean " I keep tropical fish " .
In the same way the word " music " could mean " something created in real time " by someone of one generation , or " a series of ones and zeros generated by a computer and stored electronically " by someone of another generation .
Here the phrase " Sixties counterculture " could be interpreted to mean " drugs " .
Different belief systems and reality tunnels , thats all . People tend to feel threatened when their reality tunnel is questioned . I don’t want to prey on anyone’s insecurities .
" Imagine theres no countries " can be interpreted as a political statement , just like " why can’t we get together and make music aimed at a better future for everyone " . That is ok , I’m just saying we are all involved in creating music with computers and the people around at the dawn of the computer age could see it going two ways . I hope the younger generations will think for themselves . The travelling minstrels and bards of the Middle Ages had a hell of a lot of hidden political influence through their music . Today any of us can write something that will be around the world overnight . Lets keep it healthy .
Alzheimer’s . I’m sure I used to know what that meant , or did I ? …
It seems to me that it would be better for our children to hear " Why can’t we live together ? " than " I am da King of da Hood 'cos I have a bigger gun than you innit " . One promotes global harmony whereas the other encourages Authority-by-Intimidation . As songwriters today we unwittingly help shape the future . Please discuss .
I have to say that for those of you who dwell in your own safe little world of coffee shops and laptops and denigrate those that have made it possible is a little sad.
A lot of people actually believe in service and patriotism. Not just for our own country, but for yours as well. There is a an saying that "it’s easy to sh1t when you eat 3 squares (or, when your ass is full) ". Discipline is not a bad thing. Learning it is valuable even to musicians. A lot of our great musicians might still be alive if they had some.
Can I jump in with “each to his own”? I totally support anybody’s right to celebrate the sacrifices of others and would think the world a heartless place if it didn’t. I also think nobody has the right to ram their traditions down other people’s throats…
Wreaths at the Cenotaph - yes(and broadcast for the world to see, if it wants to watch)
Poppies on International Football shirts - no(especially if you pressure others to accept it)
My issue with “lest we forget” is surely if we remembered “everything” our troops wouldn’t be sent out with less than best equipment and sacked the minute things got tight at home. But it seems to happen every time - the sentiment is a little in-genuine.
Since there isn’t a soldier in the entire force that earns the same as an international footballer I can’t help thinking there are better ways for the millionaire players to show their appreciation.
I digress…
I find it ironic that those who would have us “all live together” seem to draw the limit at getting together with those who would fight for freedom.
If you want one world - you better lead by showing tolerance for others.
Yes, war sucks, but if one tribe, or country, attacks another, is the victim supposed to just lay down, in the interest of “peace?”
My girlfriend, whom I adore, is a pacifist, and abhors the death penalty, and the way we took out Bin Laden. She’s even told me that if she were being brutally attacked, and I came to her defense and killed her attacker, she would endorse me being prosecuted for murder. When I asked her if she would still feel that way if I came to her defense but died in the process – if I gave my life for her protection – she was interestingly silent. I think that says it all right there, about war, and fallen soldiers
The ability to do this could be construed as the mark of a truly
advanced civilization; which might not last very long (see above)
but since time is an illusion anyway,
the length of that civilization becomes moot.
True, but most pacifists also deplore capital punishment. My point was more about how the taking of life can be seen in starkly different ways, depending on other factors; I think that’s why it’s possible to hate war but love the warrior
