Upward Spiral #3 – Homeland and The Holy War
In our third episode we explore the oft neglected fact of the ongoing Holy War, and how our Western habit of neglecting the power of culture is an aspect of this Holy War that only becomes apparent after we’ve been engaged in it. We use the show Homeland (Season 1) as a starting point for [...]
Upward Spiral – #1 – Slavery and Freedom
In our first episode we explore the themes Slavery and Freedom in response to our recent viewing of Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained. Co-hosts Ken Vallario and Eric Duffy, with special guest star Byron King. Also featuring a surprise visit from Downward Spiral co-host Geoff Feder. Enjoy!
Confession of Gender Prejudice
Watch the video below. I believe it is one of the most important speeches of our time. I want to confess a few things, to get them off of my chest, to do what this speech inspired me to do. First, I want to confess that I came to this issue because of what the [...]
Marriage and Politics
My wife and I recently celebrated our 7 year anniversary. I am very proud of this, mostly because my wife and I worked very hard to develop what has become a strong and happy marriage. Anybody who knows us well knows two things. One, that we are both very strong-willed individuals and that we struggled [...]
The Dark Knight Rises – A Critical Analysis of Context
I went to a morning show of The Dark Knight Rises last Friday because it had not been 12 hours since the massacre in Colorado, and I was afraid if I went that evening there might be copycats. Having been the victim of random and senseless acts of violence I was well aware of how [...]
New Tactics for OWS #2 – ONE WORLD CURRENCY
HEY OCCUPY WALL STREET! PUT OUT A CALL AROUND THE WORLD FOR A SINGLE GLOBAL CURRENCY. From the beginning of my participation with Occupy Wall Street I have advocated for an absurdist approach to demands. Why? Not because I want chaos, but because the problems we face are too large for singular or systemic legislative [...]
Rap News has gone transcendent
The latest episode of rap news is so wonderful. It’s deep reading of our present crises and integration with historical cycles is beautiful and inspiring…these are some of the true cultural gems of our time…thank you Rap News…
An Inappropriate Truth #3 – Tyranny of Unknowing
Democracy and Enlightenment are mutually dependent. Therefore, because we are far from the latter, we cannot expect, any time soon, to have anything like the former. We are doomed to experience either the tyranny of power, or the tyranny of the mob, and these too are mutually dependent. Our laws are poems we write to [...]
Empire and Imagination
Imagination is the primary driver of compassion, as it enables us to feel what those who suffer feel. Compassion drives revolution, because shared feelings compel us to act in solidarity. Thus Imagination is the primary threat to all empires, and so every measure is taken to squash it. In our time, Imagination is squashed by [...]
The Voice of Reason
Very rarely will I post links here to articles that would take you away from my site, as I wish to capture you virtually, like we all do, so that I can get more attention, and live there in your neural network, and secure my perpetual affect upon the tapestry of forces that make up [...]
Revolutionary Tools … puns for fundamentalists…
If I have a gift, in the realm of revolution, it is for creating linguistic frames that allow us to perceive the problem in a way that implies a next step. And one of these problems is found in our use of the word Solidarity. There are two forms of solidarity; negative and positive. Negative [...]
Time Stamp #1 – Rosy-colored glasses
Here are some things I’m doing or thinking about. 1. I have committed myself to provoking members of the Occupy Movement (I still consider myself a member) into asking what the movement means now that, you know…there is no occupation, and we have become what we said we were not, a protest movement. I believe [...]
The Physics of a Movement
As I continue to watch this Occupy Wall Street movement unfold, I cannot help but feel it is time to create a movement within a movement. It is time for us to move from solidarity that arises from dissatisfaction toward the unity that comes from shared vision. This is difficult, but it is made [...]
Reality Mic Check…Occupying Spring
This is a difficult post to write, especially since I am so partial to the whole notion of a human-centered movement that brings about a more sustainable approach to civilization. However, I feel it is time for the gadflies to begin flying around our upcoming Occupy Season to arouse the kind of introspection that will [...]
Self Diagnosis
If I grew up in today’s world I would be diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Disorder because of my daydreaming…I would be diagnosed with Asperger’s because of my fantasy life…and I would be diagnosed with bipolar disorder because of the intense despair I felt about the way people treated one another. When I was a [...]
Occupying Reality
Here is a recent piece I wrote for my Facebook friends, many of whom I’ve met through the Occupy Movement. It details the story of my local movement and the reasons for my limited engagement. The Controversy at My Local Occupation Many of you have probably wondered why I have been somewhat silent lately about [...]
Real Konversation
First of all I support any campaign to cease violence, especially of the sort practiced by this person Kony, who is unquestionably horrible in the extreme. So, for that reason I am sharing this video, but I want to state very cautiously that I do so as part of a larger project to end worldwide [...]
Banksy on Advertising
Here is an image circulating on the web of Banksy’s letter on advertising, and I am often tentative in my feelings about this artist, but I must say I approve and endorse this message.
Akbar’s Aphorisms #7 – Revolution
The only revolution worth thinking about is the one that conquers violence.
He who feels it…knows it…
The more I awaken to the world I live in, the more I find it impossible to stand idly by while enslavement of my fellow human beings happens at an escalating rate. There are those in the polite society I have somehow found myself in, who urge me to focus on my own success…who see [...]
Open Letter to David Graeber and Chris Hedges…
After watching the video interview of Chris Hedges, and reading the follow up letter by David Graeber (both below) concerning the Black Bloc occupy tactics, I wrote my own open letter. Please share. Open Letter to David Graeber and Chris Hedges Dear Distinguished Dudes, As a member of this ‘struggle’ I cannot help but see [...]
Football Metaphors and Class Struggle
What is the end zone? Patriotism? David and Goliath? Engines driving us over the environmental metaphor? Loyalty to growth vs. commitment to sustainable slow down?
The Forbidden Fruit of Progress – Apple Boycott
After you listen to the following podcast, I think you will understand the subsequent campaign I am launching. Please listen and then join me in trying to liberate those who are working for our pleasure. What would you do if you lived in a society where slavery was being practiced? When, as Americans, we learned [...]
KRS – One – The Voice of the Apocalypse
Hip Hop will be to this awakening what Rock and Roll was to the 1960s… Why? Because, as you will see in this video, it is all about data crunching, and Rap is especially suited to this end, at a time when we need an efficient source of musical and intellectual inspiration… I want to [...]