D.J. Spore
Bluelighter
(we interrupt this poetry forum to innoculate y'all with a transmittion by your friendly neighborhood spore from his vacation at the heart of the bermuda triangle, floating on a handmade wooden raft, sipping pinia colladas, and listening to crunk on his ipod...)
* * *
RAD ARCHETYPES
These pop-culture archetypes will only continue to grow in popularity as we approach 2012 and will pop up everywhere in music, video games, interweb, t-shirts, movies, and media not yet invented...
1) GNOMES- once upon a time in the 90's everyone seemed to think elves were the coolest thing ever. Alas, all fads must pass. Gnomes, elves, and dwarves, though similar, represent different aspects of humanity. Elves represent mischief and are trouble-makers, but always playful and good. They are the modern man's word for "hekuras" (helping spirits of primitive belief which are said to live in mens' chests.) Gnomes, also always good, are not representative of play and mischief but rather a silent, stern, and *tactiturn* wisdom, of age, and of the Earth. While elves represent the "spiritworld", gnomes are far more planetarily grounded and "down-to-earth".Dwarves, not yet a common archetype, are by no means bad, but are nowhere near as positive as elves or gnomes, because in mythology (primarily Norse) their role is the forging of magical weaponry, and unlike the elves or gnomes, their relationship to mankind is very distant, as they live deep underground. [see the increasing trend in the prank-theft of porcelain "garden gnome" ornaments... personally, i believe anyone can steal a garden gnome but it takes a HERO to return one haha]
2) CLOWNS- unlike elves, gnomes, or dwarves, clowns can be either good or evil, and this may have something to do with the fact that the goal of a clown is to induce laughter and laughter itself can be of a positive or negative value. The "Cosmic Clown" would be a kind of yin-yang union of opposite values which interperets reality as a single entity encorporating extreme goodness as well as sin, and to explore the darkness of human failure instead of ingnoring it through a false/phoney "purity", but instead of alienation, atheism, or nihilism as a result of the deep awareness of human sin, to rather overcome it and challenge it by laughing at it. While religious fundamentalists may mistake thius dark humor as dismissal or even acceptance of evil, in truth it is a psychological mechanism for survival in a tradgic era and its victory is laughter as the noblest challenge of evil. Clowns are related in their outrageouse bravado to the priate-half of the emerging pirate/ninja polarity, and this extremely revealing pop-cultural trend will be explored later, but the crucial difference between the pirate and the clown is that pirates partake of a selfishness/greed/lust for gold + rum whereas the clown is ohter-directed and can serve ideals of compassion while the pirate seeks riches for their brethren. Now, the difference between the "jester" archetype and the clown (very similar) is that the jester is privately and politically wise and often in ballads and folklore of the middle-ages secretly advises the king, whereas the clown is by nature anti-political and less for wisdom than outlandish social action. [see multi-platinum band "insane clown posse"]
3) ALIEN [species-A and species-B]
(note- the belief or disbelief in aliens is irrelevent to a sociological appriciation of the alien as potent symbol in popular culture)
species-A) of the two kinds, this emerging polarity was once a single phenomenon, genrally refered to as "the Greys" (small thin bodies with large heads and enourmous black eyes). These symbolized sheer sientific knowledge (biological, technological, specifically in the categorization of the DNA of intelligent life from variouse planets and genetic experiments; also the techniques of space-travel. While generally held to be a positive force and peaceful, they are not "religious" in the human sense as their devotion to hard science far preceeds whatever form of spirituality their species may be said to partake of. If any, their spirituality may take the form of very subtly and un-forcefully introducing elements (not in the periodical-table sense!) of some kind (how and what are unknown) leading toward the advancement of science and towards interplanetary migration (if such a species is worthy). The moral victory of the greys as a symbol in modern culture is that the symbol is pro-technology and pro-science.
species-B) Now, the "Greys" were at their height of popularity in the 80's and early 90's, but, as all archetypes evolve, they are declining in popularity in favor of a very new and exciting way of approaching the concept of the alien. This archetype is generally refered to as "The Reptillians" and it is not yet known how people will come to judge them. They represent an alien species from a planet other than the greys, but unlike the science of the greys, the reptillians represent an almost magical feirceness that can be primitive and warlike but also (this is key) very *illusionary* and it is believed the reptillians are either shapeshifters or at least can somehow imitate and infultrate human culture in a way the greys would consider inethical, but at a very early stage in the emergence of the archetype, the reptillians could either be seen as heroes or villains. note that reptiles have cold blood (!). [see illuminatii-reptillian connection in the more ridiculous fringes of conspiracy theory]
4) THE PIRATE/NINJA POLARITY
(note- We see them EVERYWHERE these days, to the point they have nearly saturated our beloved pop-culture ad-nauseum, but deserve a brief critique. The two faces cannot be seperated, as they have emerged closely in tandem and only make sense in their differences.)
Pirate) the pirate symbolizes bravado, greed, lust, libido, the sea, and a tightly-knit brotherhood which does not aim to either "save" or "overthrow" the rest of culture but cuts through it with outlandish muscle and steals blatantly without remorse for the glory of the brotherhood. The attraction of the pirate is in its lack of fear and without care as to the results of the piracy experiment so long as gold + rum flow freely in fraternity. [see the "pirates of the carribian" blockbuster films]
Ninja) Now, the ninja, on the other hand, represents one virtue- stealth. they are asian in geographical origin and therefor exotic to the west, and always serve others who may be political or religious in affiliation, but the entity or individual who the ninja acts in service of is never revealed. the ninjas, like the reptillians, are masters of illusion and impersonation. [see ninja and samurai in Japanese animation]
5) THE MICROCHIP- While not a personality or character, this object may be the central metaphor of our time, love it or hate it. the silicon base emerges from silicon valley in california... Bill Gates as infinitly wealthy yet very kind and charitable... interweb as positive force??? (we hope!) and trends in communication technology leading toward a concept I call "absolute interconnectivity", which i define as perfectly functioning wireless internet connectivity via portable laptop in any spot in any nation on the globe, in conjunction with perfect cell-phone service anywhere on earth, and possibly durable waterproof wireless laptops and cell-phones provided without cost to any adult in the interest of modernizing developing societies, as well as providing religious and political options to the unfortunate citizens of repressive dictatorships, and to promote inclusivity and tolerance of the myriad lifestyles.HOWEVER, the illumininjas do not recomend volunteering for implantation of microchips by reptillians unless authorized by wicked clowns. [this last sentence was a feeble attempt at humor to end a very long, dry, and tedious sociology essay on a light note; if you took it seriosuly, please seek help.] PEACE!!!
_________________
"some wheat for a day's work, or three times that in barley for a day's work, BUT HARM NOT THE OLIVE TREE NOR THE VINYARDS."
-revelations.
* * *
RAD ARCHETYPES
These pop-culture archetypes will only continue to grow in popularity as we approach 2012 and will pop up everywhere in music, video games, interweb, t-shirts, movies, and media not yet invented...
1) GNOMES- once upon a time in the 90's everyone seemed to think elves were the coolest thing ever. Alas, all fads must pass. Gnomes, elves, and dwarves, though similar, represent different aspects of humanity. Elves represent mischief and are trouble-makers, but always playful and good. They are the modern man's word for "hekuras" (helping spirits of primitive belief which are said to live in mens' chests.) Gnomes, also always good, are not representative of play and mischief but rather a silent, stern, and *tactiturn* wisdom, of age, and of the Earth. While elves represent the "spiritworld", gnomes are far more planetarily grounded and "down-to-earth".Dwarves, not yet a common archetype, are by no means bad, but are nowhere near as positive as elves or gnomes, because in mythology (primarily Norse) their role is the forging of magical weaponry, and unlike the elves or gnomes, their relationship to mankind is very distant, as they live deep underground. [see the increasing trend in the prank-theft of porcelain "garden gnome" ornaments... personally, i believe anyone can steal a garden gnome but it takes a HERO to return one haha]
2) CLOWNS- unlike elves, gnomes, or dwarves, clowns can be either good or evil, and this may have something to do with the fact that the goal of a clown is to induce laughter and laughter itself can be of a positive or negative value. The "Cosmic Clown" would be a kind of yin-yang union of opposite values which interperets reality as a single entity encorporating extreme goodness as well as sin, and to explore the darkness of human failure instead of ingnoring it through a false/phoney "purity", but instead of alienation, atheism, or nihilism as a result of the deep awareness of human sin, to rather overcome it and challenge it by laughing at it. While religious fundamentalists may mistake thius dark humor as dismissal or even acceptance of evil, in truth it is a psychological mechanism for survival in a tradgic era and its victory is laughter as the noblest challenge of evil. Clowns are related in their outrageouse bravado to the priate-half of the emerging pirate/ninja polarity, and this extremely revealing pop-cultural trend will be explored later, but the crucial difference between the pirate and the clown is that pirates partake of a selfishness/greed/lust for gold + rum whereas the clown is ohter-directed and can serve ideals of compassion while the pirate seeks riches for their brethren. Now, the difference between the "jester" archetype and the clown (very similar) is that the jester is privately and politically wise and often in ballads and folklore of the middle-ages secretly advises the king, whereas the clown is by nature anti-political and less for wisdom than outlandish social action. [see multi-platinum band "insane clown posse"]
3) ALIEN [species-A and species-B]
(note- the belief or disbelief in aliens is irrelevent to a sociological appriciation of the alien as potent symbol in popular culture)
species-A) of the two kinds, this emerging polarity was once a single phenomenon, genrally refered to as "the Greys" (small thin bodies with large heads and enourmous black eyes). These symbolized sheer sientific knowledge (biological, technological, specifically in the categorization of the DNA of intelligent life from variouse planets and genetic experiments; also the techniques of space-travel. While generally held to be a positive force and peaceful, they are not "religious" in the human sense as their devotion to hard science far preceeds whatever form of spirituality their species may be said to partake of. If any, their spirituality may take the form of very subtly and un-forcefully introducing elements (not in the periodical-table sense!) of some kind (how and what are unknown) leading toward the advancement of science and towards interplanetary migration (if such a species is worthy). The moral victory of the greys as a symbol in modern culture is that the symbol is pro-technology and pro-science.
species-B) Now, the "Greys" were at their height of popularity in the 80's and early 90's, but, as all archetypes evolve, they are declining in popularity in favor of a very new and exciting way of approaching the concept of the alien. This archetype is generally refered to as "The Reptillians" and it is not yet known how people will come to judge them. They represent an alien species from a planet other than the greys, but unlike the science of the greys, the reptillians represent an almost magical feirceness that can be primitive and warlike but also (this is key) very *illusionary* and it is believed the reptillians are either shapeshifters or at least can somehow imitate and infultrate human culture in a way the greys would consider inethical, but at a very early stage in the emergence of the archetype, the reptillians could either be seen as heroes or villains. note that reptiles have cold blood (!). [see illuminatii-reptillian connection in the more ridiculous fringes of conspiracy theory]
4) THE PIRATE/NINJA POLARITY
(note- We see them EVERYWHERE these days, to the point they have nearly saturated our beloved pop-culture ad-nauseum, but deserve a brief critique. The two faces cannot be seperated, as they have emerged closely in tandem and only make sense in their differences.)
Pirate) the pirate symbolizes bravado, greed, lust, libido, the sea, and a tightly-knit brotherhood which does not aim to either "save" or "overthrow" the rest of culture but cuts through it with outlandish muscle and steals blatantly without remorse for the glory of the brotherhood. The attraction of the pirate is in its lack of fear and without care as to the results of the piracy experiment so long as gold + rum flow freely in fraternity. [see the "pirates of the carribian" blockbuster films]
Ninja) Now, the ninja, on the other hand, represents one virtue- stealth. they are asian in geographical origin and therefor exotic to the west, and always serve others who may be political or religious in affiliation, but the entity or individual who the ninja acts in service of is never revealed. the ninjas, like the reptillians, are masters of illusion and impersonation. [see ninja and samurai in Japanese animation]
5) THE MICROCHIP- While not a personality or character, this object may be the central metaphor of our time, love it or hate it. the silicon base emerges from silicon valley in california... Bill Gates as infinitly wealthy yet very kind and charitable... interweb as positive force??? (we hope!) and trends in communication technology leading toward a concept I call "absolute interconnectivity", which i define as perfectly functioning wireless internet connectivity via portable laptop in any spot in any nation on the globe, in conjunction with perfect cell-phone service anywhere on earth, and possibly durable waterproof wireless laptops and cell-phones provided without cost to any adult in the interest of modernizing developing societies, as well as providing religious and political options to the unfortunate citizens of repressive dictatorships, and to promote inclusivity and tolerance of the myriad lifestyles.HOWEVER, the illumininjas do not recomend volunteering for implantation of microchips by reptillians unless authorized by wicked clowns. [this last sentence was a feeble attempt at humor to end a very long, dry, and tedious sociology essay on a light note; if you took it seriosuly, please seek help.] PEACE!!!
_________________
"some wheat for a day's work, or three times that in barley for a day's work, BUT HARM NOT THE OLIVE TREE NOR THE VINYARDS."
-revelations.
