Voting
By Andrew
In good consciousness, I cannot support the concept of the 'right' to vote. By voting, one instills authoritarian power in the hands of the few, when the power belongs to the individual. Voting is nothing more then an authoritarian
policy. By allowing this policy to take root, libertarian ideals can
never blossom. In a sense, voting in this democratic-republic, that
we call the United States of America, takes away our natural rights.
Voting acknowledges government power. By acknowledging this power, more and more power is given to the government, rather then the individual. If in the next election for president, not a single vote was cast, this democratic republic would cease to function as is. Yet nothing would actually change. The
authoritarian powers would only have to find another way to justify
their power, which is what they would do. Examples of this can be
seen in parts of Africa and pre-invasion Iraq. By this logic, the
democratic-republic's system is inherently flawed at best. This
system actually gives no power to the masses by 'giving' them the
right to vote, only the illusion of power.
I am not apathetic to voting. I actually care a great deal about voting. So much so, that I refuse to vote. The idea of voting is nothing but a dangerous tool created by
authoritarian powers to cement their power.
By refusing the vote, I have cast my
vote to where the power belongs...
Showing posts with label philosophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label philosophy. Show all posts
Friday, April 17, 2009
This Isn't American Behavior...
I would just like to throw a big thanks out to all the THOUSANDS of people who attended any of the Tea Party protests this week. I'd also like to apologize for not posting in a while. Haven't gotten around to Issue 2, printer problems.
What is the one thing you can say about the political left? They love to protest. So what's the problem here? What's not American here? The fact that the Liberal public in our country is actually outraged that we free American men and women for once in a long time are actually using our voices to protest injustice. I've spoken of dissent before, I'm a fan, it's necessary, it keeps our government accountable.
This is baffling to me. How those crazy bastards on the far left side of the board can hypocritically say that we [conservatives] are un-American for protesting some we think is unfair, something we think is unjust. Well, we must be doing something right. We're putting a ruffle in their feathers. I am proud of the reactions of the left, they say we are un-American, we are un-Patriotic. Because non-Hollywood men and women, those of us who have real jobs, are finding our voices they are getting pissed.
What does this behavior prove?
This behavior is, to me at least, a brief preview of the country to be if we Right-Protesters quit doing what we're doing. We must continue, we must rise up, and we must yell at the top of our lungs: "Do Not Tread On Me."
Monday, December 15, 2008
New Article/Fear and Neo-Orientalism In Cyberpunk
Fear And Neo-Orientalism in Cyberpunk
By Chris
Casting aside, for the moment, such works as Appleseed and Ghost in the Shell, I think we should address the new Orientalism that is so apparent in cyberpunk*, both in film (Blade Runner having seemingly set the archetype) and literature (Neuromancer guilty of the same). It seems that, for authors of speculative science fiction, South-East Asia is a haven of exoticism that can be produced at any point to provide a contrast with our contemporary age.
However, I question why? Is it demonstrative of a fear of the growing economic power and political intent of South-East Asian nations? Or is it merely new Orientalism, fetishising the East as some remote and exotic land much as the aristocracy did in centuries past?
Unless Japan takes over half the world or large amounts of people escape from China before some new genocidal plot from the government begins, the amount of Asian immigrants we see in cyberpunk works is inexplicable. In Europe, countries such as Germany and the Ukraine (if it is not annexed by Russia) would doubtless corner the market in cybernetic and genetic advances. Likewise, fearful North American corporations would produce their own enhancements in reaction to East-Asian competition (Japan, as with Mobile phones, fax machines and computers, would doubtlessly be one of the first countries to encounter mass-demand for emergent technologies). Therefore, to me at least, it seems inconceivable that this Orientalism controls so much of the cyberpunk visual. Yes, it looks good, but it seems unrealistic, and cyberpunk is a decidedly realistic genre.
As a comparison, we might look at Ghost in the Shell as a comparative product of fear. Instead of South-East Asian being a dominant world power, S.A.C.* depicts the 'American Empire' as a major threat to the fledgling post-war state. Running alongside this are fears of Communist China (expressed in an episode in which a Communist Chinese assassin attempts to kill a rich Japanese stock broker) and Russia (the Northern Territories of the GitS universe presumably relate to disputed territory that sparked the Russo-Japanese war of the early 20th Century).
Therefore we can see a fear, not just individually for a dystopian future, but fear and continuing conflict between East and West, Communism and Capitalism. This reading of cyberpunk is not one I find particularly rewarding, but the visuals infer the struggle which seems increasingly likely to become a reality.
*S.A.C- Stand Alone Complex
*Cyberpunk- a science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is derived from cybernetics and punk and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983. It features advanced science, such as information technology and cybernetics, coupled with a degree of breakdown or radical change in the social order.
By Chris
Casting aside, for the moment, such works as Appleseed and Ghost in the Shell, I think we should address the new Orientalism that is so apparent in cyberpunk*, both in film (Blade Runner having seemingly set the archetype) and literature (Neuromancer guilty of the same). It seems that, for authors of speculative science fiction, South-East Asia is a haven of exoticism that can be produced at any point to provide a contrast with our contemporary age.
However, I question why? Is it demonstrative of a fear of the growing economic power and political intent of South-East Asian nations? Or is it merely new Orientalism, fetishising the East as some remote and exotic land much as the aristocracy did in centuries past?
Unless Japan takes over half the world or large amounts of people escape from China before some new genocidal plot from the government begins, the amount of Asian immigrants we see in cyberpunk works is inexplicable. In Europe, countries such as Germany and the Ukraine (if it is not annexed by Russia) would doubtless corner the market in cybernetic and genetic advances. Likewise, fearful North American corporations would produce their own enhancements in reaction to East-Asian competition (Japan, as with Mobile phones, fax machines and computers, would doubtlessly be one of the first countries to encounter mass-demand for emergent technologies). Therefore, to me at least, it seems inconceivable that this Orientalism controls so much of the cyberpunk visual. Yes, it looks good, but it seems unrealistic, and cyberpunk is a decidedly realistic genre.
As a comparison, we might look at Ghost in the Shell as a comparative product of fear. Instead of South-East Asian being a dominant world power, S.A.C.* depicts the 'American Empire' as a major threat to the fledgling post-war state. Running alongside this are fears of Communist China (expressed in an episode in which a Communist Chinese assassin attempts to kill a rich Japanese stock broker) and Russia (the Northern Territories of the GitS universe presumably relate to disputed territory that sparked the Russo-Japanese war of the early 20th Century).
Therefore we can see a fear, not just individually for a dystopian future, but fear and continuing conflict between East and West, Communism and Capitalism. This reading of cyberpunk is not one I find particularly rewarding, but the visuals infer the struggle which seems increasingly likely to become a reality.
*S.A.C- Stand Alone Complex
*Cyberpunk- a science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is derived from cybernetics and punk and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983. It features advanced science, such as information technology and cybernetics, coupled with a degree of breakdown or radical change in the social order.
New Article / Red Sky at Night
Red Sky At Night
By Chris
Money is like muck, not good except it be spread
- Francis Bacon, Essays, 15, ‘Of seditions and Troubles’
A great industrial Nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the Nation and all our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated Governments in the world ~ no longer a Government of free opinion, no longer a Government by conviction and vote of the majority, but a Government by the opinion and duress of small groups of dominant men.
- Woodrow Wilson, 28th US President
Something is wrong with the world economy, and it is because, not for the first and probably not the last time, we have been betrayed by our politicians. Capitalism, which has been consistently praised as a system of total economic freedom, has resulted in vast monopolies run by small, unelected groups of men (and I say men because that is the truth, this system promotes and encourages few, and those few tend to be male). Money, we are all aware, is power, and that power sits in the hands of these oligarchs, who can control and manipulate governments, not for some bizarre occult purposes or because they are space lizards, but merely for the fact that they want to preserve their awesome wealth. In 2006, the UN released a report stating that the richest 2% of the world's population control over half of the household wealth of the world. In contrast, the poorest 50% own less than 1%.
Obviously something is wrong here, when the manipulators of capital who have not lifted a finger in their lives control the world. Their policies are egocentric, anti-human and greedy, and have contributed to this economic crisis that dominates our news. What have the governments done about it, our elected representatives? They have, on multiple occasions, thrown money at the elite bankers, who have used the influx to buy out smaller banks, give themselves pay raises and generally continue the policies that have led to this crash. However, what do we care if our chocolate bars cost a little more? The majority of people are too ill-informed to realize that this system itself is the reason for the meltdown, and certainly they do not care for those who are hit worst: third world workers, those responsible for bearing the brunt of our economic cruelty throughout the latter half of the twentieth century.
What is the alternative, though? Communism? Derision floats around that system like flies around shit, or perhaps more topically, bankers around money. However, the sharing of wealth, and the granting of the means of production to the workers seems a positive boon in this dark economic age. Why should African farmers toil to produce cocoa and then be sent increasingly small pay packages by the corporate fat cats that buy their crop? Negative climates demand positive action, and the unionizing of these workers could prevent exploitation, or at least lessen it. At home, the sharing of wealth seems a greater idea, too. Health care that all can afford, state-sponsored, and a chance for children of all backgrounds to attain the highest education. Surely such a thing is possible, and perhaps it would have been within the U.S.S.R. had it not been for the corrupt policies of the U.S.A. and its allies drawing states away with the temptation of money, using greed as a weapon against a system which seeks to destroy the self-same principle.
Communism and Socialism demands an international approach, though, and it is this where the U.S.S.R. faltered. In an unfriendly world, the Socialist Republics were besieged, forced to spend ridiculous amounts on defense and policing, leading to paranoia within the government, who famously brutalized the populace. However, Cuba has avoided this mostly, and Vietnam too. Indeed, most of the states used as examples of Communism's failure seem to be corrupt anti-Socialist states that collapse inward due to outside, usually American pressure. Perhaps a world in which the U.S.A. leads a Socialist renewal, or at least adopts some more left-leaning policies we might all get along better?
By Chris
Money is like muck, not good except it be spread
- Francis Bacon, Essays, 15, ‘Of seditions and Troubles’
A great industrial Nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the Nation and all our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated Governments in the world ~ no longer a Government of free opinion, no longer a Government by conviction and vote of the majority, but a Government by the opinion and duress of small groups of dominant men.
- Woodrow Wilson, 28th US President
Something is wrong with the world economy, and it is because, not for the first and probably not the last time, we have been betrayed by our politicians. Capitalism, which has been consistently praised as a system of total economic freedom, has resulted in vast monopolies run by small, unelected groups of men (and I say men because that is the truth, this system promotes and encourages few, and those few tend to be male). Money, we are all aware, is power, and that power sits in the hands of these oligarchs, who can control and manipulate governments, not for some bizarre occult purposes or because they are space lizards, but merely for the fact that they want to preserve their awesome wealth. In 2006, the UN released a report stating that the richest 2% of the world's population control over half of the household wealth of the world. In contrast, the poorest 50% own less than 1%.
Obviously something is wrong here, when the manipulators of capital who have not lifted a finger in their lives control the world. Their policies are egocentric, anti-human and greedy, and have contributed to this economic crisis that dominates our news. What have the governments done about it, our elected representatives? They have, on multiple occasions, thrown money at the elite bankers, who have used the influx to buy out smaller banks, give themselves pay raises and generally continue the policies that have led to this crash. However, what do we care if our chocolate bars cost a little more? The majority of people are too ill-informed to realize that this system itself is the reason for the meltdown, and certainly they do not care for those who are hit worst: third world workers, those responsible for bearing the brunt of our economic cruelty throughout the latter half of the twentieth century.
What is the alternative, though? Communism? Derision floats around that system like flies around shit, or perhaps more topically, bankers around money. However, the sharing of wealth, and the granting of the means of production to the workers seems a positive boon in this dark economic age. Why should African farmers toil to produce cocoa and then be sent increasingly small pay packages by the corporate fat cats that buy their crop? Negative climates demand positive action, and the unionizing of these workers could prevent exploitation, or at least lessen it. At home, the sharing of wealth seems a greater idea, too. Health care that all can afford, state-sponsored, and a chance for children of all backgrounds to attain the highest education. Surely such a thing is possible, and perhaps it would have been within the U.S.S.R. had it not been for the corrupt policies of the U.S.A. and its allies drawing states away with the temptation of money, using greed as a weapon against a system which seeks to destroy the self-same principle.
Communism and Socialism demands an international approach, though, and it is this where the U.S.S.R. faltered. In an unfriendly world, the Socialist Republics were besieged, forced to spend ridiculous amounts on defense and policing, leading to paranoia within the government, who famously brutalized the populace. However, Cuba has avoided this mostly, and Vietnam too. Indeed, most of the states used as examples of Communism's failure seem to be corrupt anti-Socialist states that collapse inward due to outside, usually American pressure. Perhaps a world in which the U.S.A. leads a Socialist renewal, or at least adopts some more left-leaning policies we might all get along better?
Saturday, December 13, 2008
First Issue Published!
Here is a picture of the 2 copies of the first publication of Outrage! These are the last 2 copies that I've saved. I made 10 copies in all, and I distributed them to surprising satisfaction. Issue 2 is in the works, I'll be printing 50 copies. I'm pleased with how my test went over, it had good reactions from all but one person (who refused to read it).
Cheers!
-The Outrage! Team
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Anthem of Dissent
Dissent-
1. Disagreement with the ideas, doctrines, decrees, etc. of a political party, government or religion.
2. An act of disagreeing with, or deviating from, the views and opinions of those holding authority.
Fascism-
A political regime based on strong centralized government, suppressing through violence any criticism or opposition of the regime, and exalting nation, state, or religion above the individual; A system of strong autocracy or oligarchy.
Anarchy-
Anarchism; the political theory that a community is best organized by the voluntary cooperation of individuals, rather than by government, which is regarded as being coercive by nature.
Dissent is an integral part of a working and free society. Respecting authority and respecting ideals is only appropriate when it does not lead to fanaticism. The ability of dissent is the most important freedom we have, as Thomas Jefferson once said "dissent is the highest form of patriotism", this is to say that disagreeing with the government and questioning it is more patriotic than blindly following it. Through dissent we keep our government accountable, and through the necessary dissent we inspire others to take up arms against social and political injustice.
Without dissent think of where we could be, racism, sexism, all of those social injustices suffered in the past would still be alive and kicking. Direct action is the single most important thing I think any of us can be a part of, rather than simply electing officials to remedy our ills, we must take action against whatever injustice we might perceive. Anarchy vs. Fascism is a common theme in literary works, but very few people take the ideology seriously. Anarchy is not what most people see it as nowadays, it is not some idiotic symbol that skate rats* cling to in an attempt to see 1) intellectual and 2) "punx". Anarchy is often perceived as "chaos" or "destruction", but in actuality it is the most humanistic political ideology that I can possibly think of. It puts the responsibility of governing in the hands of the common people, and through common voluntary cooperation peace and a common good is achieved.
I have included a link to a demo of North Carolina crust punk/sludge metal band Choke Their Rivers With Our Dead. It was formed in the early 2000's by members of several Carolina hardcore punk bands. This is a one time album from a great band, and yet another example of how Crust Punk features some of the best female vocals in the genre.
Choke Their Rivers With Our Dead
*- A skate rat is someone who attempts to be a part of the skater culture, through wearing ridiculous amounts of skater brands, and carrying around an expensive skateboard which is never actually ridden. To a skate rat and skateboard is a fashion accessory, they are completely oblivious to the actual culture surrounding it.
We Are The Future
The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.
-Malcolm X
We are the youth of America, whether you're republican, democrat, white, black, rich or poor you can agree that action speaks louder than words. We are the future of the country, no matter what your parents or your teachers tell you, you have a voice. It may be weak now, but through active participation and objective study your voice can grow strong. Do NOT let anyone tell you that your opinion doesn't matter, because your voice will decide the fate of all of those detractors in the very near future.
You may sit back and think there is nothing for you to do. This is false, pic up a pen and write it, pick up a mic and speak it, your frustration and anger is shared. We have the abilities required, up until now we've been led, it is your duty as a member of the world to take an active approach. Get ANGRY, work out your own salvation through fear and trembling. It doesn't matter who you are, your ideas are eternal, your movement is forever. Take your outrage and turn it into creation, take your frustration and turn it into activism, take it all and push it towards the change that YOU want.
What do petty differences matter? Punk or metal, scene or goth, cat or dog. It doesn't make a difference when you are confronted with the weight of it all, by joining together and learning, use their oppression as a weapon against them. We are louder than you might think.
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