JOH 9/19

OCCUPIED

Good session. I was a bit disappointed that we didn't get too far into discussing Hurk & Ad - looking forward to the accompanying images and dialogue. The absent-minded observer.

what?

Yes, the absent minded observer exISts. Per my last post, life is flying by - deadlines, micro-meals, soccer practice, church, knitting, coffee, CSI, beach, mow, hypertension, headaches, RedBull, Zoloft, MTV, Texas hold'em, Orange Avenue, Ambien, SportCenter, ..., ... Goodness!
Land of the option, home of the slave. That's a bit dramatic and quite not the truth - totally. We are in a really good spot over here, only many of us can't feel our asses cause we've been sitting so long. Benjamin asserts that democratism provides options rather than freedom - though the image of freedom, rather, the illusion, veils our experiences. Are these signifiers planted with evil intentions? Like booby-traps set all around us, one can't lift a cell phone, pick a nose, or check YouTube without having to decide how small or how fast or how long or which color or, you get the picture. Maybe not, this feels like mush.

What's interesting is this: as many of our PoMo mindsqueezers have proposed over the past few weeks, many Americans are passive consumers of the superficial, omnipresent, simulacratic experiences; oiled and baking in the relentless rays of capitalist marketing initiatives. As Ben mentions, many are absent minded examiners, YET let one person cut in front of someone at Publix, see one person merge onto I4 a few miles an hour too slow, feel thousands of angry football fans lurch to rip the arms off of a mistaken quarterback - they're paying attention now. All's fine, pass the salt, don't slow me down fuqr!
So we selectively pay attention, deep and passionate attention, to anything that impedes our schedule, our path, our pleasure, or our drift.

PoMo America- what an interesting time to be an American. It's weird to be in a room where an image of Pres. B is shown and you can literally feel the douchebag darts flying at the screen. Again, selective attention. Are the feelings that Americans are feeling, when felt, as superficial as some would suggest? Technology has driven our imagination deeper and deeper into the core of possibility, yet hours are spent arguing over which type of voting ballot is fair. We have model monster trucks on the surface of mars, yet we witnessed New Orleans sit like a well drawn bath for five days virtually untouched. Janet Jackson's tit and the cancellation of Buffy, pisses people off!

I've been a bit grouchy. I believe we are only viewing, in the popular realm, what carries the weight of a well marketed toothpaste. MUCH OF THE GOOD IS NOT ON T.V. - that might not sell a Chevy - and that's okay. Things really are good, I believe, it is just healthy to quarantine thoughts from time to time, sit down and unload. Thanks for your patience.

VACANT