I really like to think that there is a sort of information revolution of some kind that we are in the thick of but for some reason I'm getting really pissed off at the stagnant and commercialized news coverage that is occurring throughout independent media during the period of June 2004-nov.2004.
If you take independent media to mean what I mean you'll do a quick browse of indymedia sites, various blogs, radical left websites, right leaning student website news centers etc. and you will come across a nagging feeling. That most north-american and western newswires have there heads shoved up there ass�and naturally all they're seeing is shit.
I'm kind of bored in my current location and am in hibernation mode. Constantly absorbing and mulling over various types of information ranging from cultural and sport to political and entertainment varieties. And the news is shocking.
Any given place I look on the internet is almost exclusively fixated to the minute details of the US presidential race and how many people dying in Iraq. On left websites you will also get a lot of stuff on the Palestinian war. This is a little problematic. If you dig deep enough you find out about a shitload of other stuff. A huge rich/poor gap developing in China which is becoming a superpower. US economic policy in African regions under civil war like Dem rep. of Congo and Uganda with millions dead over 4 years; The rise and conflicts challenging the radical presidency in Venezuela etc, etc. At home some people are smart enough to comment on the fact that the issues facing Palestine people just happen to be the same ones that First Nations people are facing everyday in Canada. But with little backing from Canadian radicals and no comment from the international community. Others point out local issues that affect us close to home, completely neglected by the local media: small scale strikes of people fighting for legit rights, Vancouver's crazy sweat-shop scene; the amount of money going into fighting marijuana over other things; the corruption of the NPD that is slowly spreading to the green party in Canada etc, etc. I could go on.
Some political scientists have said that people living in high consumption societies are experiencing a sort of mass denile. We flipped out over Sept. 11th but really it wasn't such a bad deal if you consider how many times 5 thousand people have been killed by riots in Haiti, monsoons in Japan, wars in Chechnya. How many Kurdish kids are we lighting a candle for in place of the ones in Beslan? Etc etc etc�
I feel this is less linked to consumption, and more linked to the nature of politics and political conversation that people have today. I can hardly think of anyone I've talked to who is in favor of anything anymore. The funniest shit I read in my day is the ONION which is killer at lampooning everything about the mental environment we live in. The simpsons was so successful, I believe, due to it's ability to focus on the absurdity of everything in our life.
But rarely are we excited about/organizing ourselves under/fighting for/arguing about the way things should go. No one thinks Kerry is the shit, they just hate W. No one can think of a substantial plan to fight terrorism, just not the way the US is doing it right now. No one talks about expanding welfare, just saving it. No one talks about increasing the role of the UN, just about hoping that it will hang on to dear life.
This isn't actually a fact that no one talks about this. People do. Lots of people do. But not on any major scale. News media and that includes the lower level stuff, is about reaction, not action. No body is focusing on where we are going, instead it's where we were yesterday. This is partially the reason why opposition to the war on Iraq was crazy, and why since then THERE HASN'T BEEN A SINGLE MAJOR RALLY DURING THE OCCUPATION on the scale that there was before the war begin. Muthaf*cker, damn right this ain't no Vietnam�
I believe until we get past trying to save this shit and start fighting for something i.e., accountable media or government, a less patriarchic style of politics, more education for the masses�I think the human race will keep getting fucked�
I'm as guilty as anyone. I'm trying to flip the switch. From against, to 'for'.