The world turned upside down II

It’s become a bit of a clichĂ©, but life will never be the same again. Clearly the reactionaries in charge will do their damnedest to return to ‘normal’ but I don’t think even their worst efforts will be totally successful. Too many people will have died to keep things the same.

I’ve found this time to be both calming mostly with bursts of deep anxiety every so other. There are times when I feel helpless. We all are I suppose. Then there are times when it all makes total sense and I am at one with my fragile existence. My life isn’t how I’d like it to be but compared with many I’m very fortunate. I am managing some fulfillment with many of my Maslow needs being met.

Thankfully I've been quite prolific on the creativity front. In fact I think I’ve been more creative in these two months than I’ve ever been before. It’s quite incredible. But just as my creativity has gone from 0 to 60 in this time, other things have fallen by the wayside.The obvious one being politics. I really can’t be arsed. Yes I still hold the same political beliefs but do I want to sit in on endless Zoom meetings? No, I don’t think I do. So I've decided not to stress about it and take a break. I may come back to it. I may not. Quite frankly apart from survival not much else greatly matters. Life truly is a day to day existence. There is no future.

When life evolves into some kind of consistent new normal, perhaps I will go back to some of my old life. Or perhaps I won’t. Right now I continue playing in cyber space and making art.

Fascism

Fascism is stupidity.

Fascism is oppression.

Fascism is violence against body and soul.

Don't think that just because you are a loyal follower of the fascist cause that you are safe. Fascism eats itself. No one is safe. Purges are a way of retaining power. Not even those in control are safe. Not even the dictator is safe. There's always a new one waiting in the wings. The trouble is that most people who advocate fascism are idiots. They are incapable of seeing what it causes and how it always ends.Fascism is never stable, never successful. It will always fall. Dedicated supporters of fascism are never safe. Their turn will always come. No one is ever safe.

May Day

Today is International Labour Day, or International Workers' Day. Normally a day of marches and parades, but this year because of the pandemic it's gone virtual. It is the day when comrades across the globe celebrate the importance of the proletariat, and this year I think it's evident how important the working classes are! It is they that have borne the brunt of the devastation that is Covid-19. It is they that have worked the hardest. It is they that are fighting the good fight, whilst the bourgeoisie have right royally fucked up!

If you're as disgusted as I am at the senseless deaths, because of the incompetence, stupidity and selfishness of the ruling classes, then don't moan, stop mourning and join the struggle. Organise and fight back. Join a union, join a left-wing political party. Stop believing the mainstream media lies. We can change things if we work together. Stop dancing to their tune!

The anthem of International Labour is undoubtedly L'Internationale. If you don't know of it well you should be ashamed of yourselves. Anyway here's a version sung in French along with a video I put together.

Futility

Mostly I've coped with lockdown quite well. In fact many days I quite enjoy it. Physical distance, I find, is quite refreshing. But occasionally some days are just shit, and there's not a lot I can do about it, apart from write it off. Life is pointless and I can normally deal with that fact, and mostly I enjoy knowing that it is, but then some days the futility of it all just seems too much to bother with. Today has been one such day. So because I couldn't fully put into words how I feel I created this picture. Enjoy. All being well I should be fine tomorrow.

The Epilogue

The Epilogue - Act 5 - The Tempest - by William Shakespeare
Spoken by PROSPERO

Now my charms are all o'erthrown,
And what strength I have’s mine own,
Which is most faint. Now, ’tis true,
I must be here confined by you,
Or sent to Naples. Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got
And pardoned the deceiver, dwell
In this bare island by your spell,
But release me from my bands
With the help of your good hands.
Gentle breath of yours my sails
Must fill, or else my project fails,
Which was to please. Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant,
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be relieved by prayer,
Which pierces so that it assaults
Mercy itself and frees all faults.
As you from crimes would pardoned be,
Let your indulgence set me free

William Shakespeare died on this day 1616

You might also want to check this out: The Tempest on Zoom

Nature’s Wonderland

One thing that I’ve always been thankful for was growing up in a household where books were always there. I think that was mostly down to my mother's influence. Books meant learning and learning meant advancement. Mother also made sure we were all library members from a very early age. I am grateful for books being in my life.

I only own one book from my early childhood. I think it was a hand-me-down. I had an uncle who was only seven years older than me and it probably belonged to him. The book is called Nature’s Wonderland and dealt with an eclectic mix of what it considered to be the wonders of the natural universe. There’s no date or price on it, but judging by the quality and the style of the few colour pages, I would put at early/mid fifties.

As a young boy it fascinated me with what truly were wonders as far as I was concerned. It introduced me to the Northern Lights, the giant redwood tree, stalactites and stalagmites, and things in outer space. My interest in space travel and astronomy were fired at an early age and have never gone away. All exciting stuff for a lad whose world was a council estate in a Suffolk market town.I guess that’s why I’ve hung on to it all my life. I still occasionally look through it with fond memories even now. It’s a bit battered and has generally been mistreated over the years but I try to take care of it these days. In monetary terms it’s worth very little which makes it all the more valuable to me.

Ritual Mind Control

Well everyone needs a hobby!

And mine is making weird music and weird videos - I combine the two with this latest offering.

Electronica for the dystopian age. If you dance to the tune that the neo-liberalists and Tories play you are indeed a fucking idiot! For they will tell you what to do. If you listen and obey you will receive only pain and hardship.

To download the music click here.