Resist by Jesus Ali I'm fed up. Pissed off. Disillusioned. ... I'm going through changes, let's put it that way. Changes in the way I see the world, in the way I imagine my future, in my values, and in what I perceive to be my enemies. I am a filthy poser. I know. At the release of Bulls on Parade I jumped with both feet onto the Rage Against the Machine Bandwagon and rode it strong all day long everyday for about six months, learned all the lyrics, bought a tee-shirt, supported the Zapatista Movement, and explored Communism. Then other bandwagons soon followed. But RATM left a definite mark on me. I didn't realize how definite until a few weeks ago. All of the sudden I've become disenchanted with the entire "become a graphic designer-work hard making the new Hefty Cinch Sack logo-repeat until I'm rich" meme. All of the sudden out of nowhere, I find myself demanding substance out of my life. The term "corporate" keeps pounding at me. "Can't sell out to the corporate Man!" "I can't become a cog in the capitalist corporate machine!" "There are things in the world, causes, children, people, [who and/or which] mean more [cosmically / in the long run / on the greater scale / when I die and go to God and have to be accountable for my life] than some corporate letterhead or logo." I have tens of condemnations for all the ways that capitalism has poisoned the world [and tens more ways each of those poisoned things relate to us living in the world{America}] bouncing around in my head and I thought that writing this would put those tens of indictments in some straight orderly rows that would lay out a complete and succinct manifesto of my new world order inside my head. So far it isn't happening... [and try again...] Capitalism. [start at the beginning] destroyed the Native Americans [buffalo carry bacteria that was lethal to cows]. We had to have the American cattle industry to populate and economically invigorate the West and fulfill Manifest Destiny [census of 1890 and the like]. [Native Americans were absolutely dependent upon the buffalo. Without the buffalo they will perish] America must fulfill Manifest Destiny. "Buffalo are killing our cows, gentleman! Now, I don't need to tell you that cows is money. So when I say ride the transcontinental railroad that was built on the broken backs of Asian imi[slaves]grants and open the window when you see that buffalo and take your rifle and shoot that fucker right between the eyes, [I mean, it's a long train ride, what else are you going to do to entertain yourself?] and you get too queasy to senselessly kill that animal and help expedite the Native American holocaust, I'ma tell you that it's US or THEM, boy! Our cows or their buffalo. What if that buffalo you don't shoot ends up months later infecting one of my cows with that damn bacteria?! Huh, boy? What then? Are you going to get square with me about that cow of mine you killed? YOU killed. Because you wouldn't put that damn buffalo out of its misery. Boy you just cost me and yourself a hell of a lot of money." Capitalism. It killed the Indians. It's killing us [Americans, American Youth, Gen Xcetera, etc.] right now. For example, when asked to describe a person to someone who doesn't know that particular person, what tidbit of information do we communicate? The person's looks? Their achievements? Their goals in life? What their job Jobs are given too much undue respect in this society. Even here at MIAD. A LEARNING institution. The goal is to make us profitable. Marketable. Of course poverty is a bad thing. Ignorance is worse. I'm not branding MIAD with a blazing "A", on the contrary, I developed this hate for capitalism largely while at MIAD. Being surrounded by the beautiful art and men and women who want to devote their lives to making beautiful art makes the thought of growing up in a world full of worthless, hungry Capitalist Hyenas that much more bitter. I am thoroughly sickened by those who wish to squander their time on earth getting rich whenever I imagine all that can be accomplished in a lifetime. Two people are jobless. One person was a drunk-drug addict in high school-parent in high school-drop out in high school take your pick. Person b is a college grad. BA of Arts. Highly marketable person. Could be earning high five figures courtesy of the corporate Man. Person A has two children, lives in the inner city, casual drug addict. Years later, goes insane from to much Crack. Years later, semi straightens out. All along, on government assistance. Jobless. Person b turns down offers from the Man. Hops a flight to Mogadishu to change the diapers of war orphans. Years later, teaches inner city youths how to use computers. Years later, earns MA, joins the peace core. All along, on government assistance. Jobless. Two very different lives. Three. Person c. College grad. Greedily and readily suckles the corporate phallus. Years later, passed over for promotion. Years later, promoted. Family. Casual alcoholic. Spouse and child mental and physical abuser. Years later, promoted, decides what children watch on television. Decide the Ninja Turtles don't fight long enough or eat enough pizza or aren't making the company enough money. Takes the stress home and smacks up the kids, hits the bottle. Years later, the world reaps six year-olds in Switzerland who beat a young girl to death playing Power Rangers and stuffed-crust-triple-decker-chicken-on-top-pizza-pizza. A, b or c, who gave more to the world? If it wasn't for Capitalism's hold on the America and the world, it might be somebody's "Job" to raise their children into decent human beings. Somebody's bills might get paid by that person to educate, one on one a fellow human being. But instead some people pay over US $14,000 a year to be trained in the ultimate capitalism, the selling of themselves. The Man is buying so why not? Supply = [Demand = Supply] while human decency lays at [sub]subsistence. That is what I see. I want to benefit the earth for my being here. I want to add up to something that mattered. People shouldn't be measured by title, but by how they treat other people, what they accomplish, and what they leave behind. So far the only people who had it right were the Sophists of Ancient Greece. Look up Sophist. If you were a Sophist your purpose was to find truth to benefit human kind. The new Hefty cinch sack logo doesn't do shit for me, you, or humankind.