well... (Off-Topic)

by Cody Miller , Music of the Spheres - Never Forgot, Friday, December 09, 2022, 10:08 (496 days ago) @ Kermit
edited by Cody Miller, Friday, December 09, 2022, 10:37

The book was pretty much straight reportage based on Kesey’s experiences. I know it well because I taught both the book and the film for years. You seem to be saying the movie did not change the world (because the world had already changed). At the same time, you echo several points from this article (almost verbatim), The film that changed psychiatry forever, which I think supports what I said well. Though I still love the film, I do think now it probably did more harm than good.

But do you not see how the commodification of art itself undermines its ability to influence? The fact that Art needs the media to even disseminate, should clue you in as to how the media will always use even 'dangerous' art for their own purposes. Either you never hear about it, or you hear about it through the lens of the media. And if art is a stepping stone for change, it's because either it's going that way on its own, or those in power have decided to co-opt it and go that way for their own benefit. So in that sense, yes I can concede that it can 'change' things, but only because those in power allow it to change in a way that makes them more powerful.

It's how Paul Ryan can love Rage against the Machine. It's how Gangsta rap was embraced by the establishment, pumped into the homes of suburban America where they can reshift the conversation from the depicted hardships, to the profanity and sexism. All the while teenage white girls listen without context. "I like the beats and rhymes" I'm sure you do. It scared white america, but the solution was to actually embrace and nullify it. If you don't like what is being said, the best thing you can do is to give the artist a megaphone with your blessing. I assure you Compton and Watts are still bad places to live.

Talk about harm, though. Foucault… [shudders in disgust]

Please expand! From where I'm sitting, he nailed a lot.

Totally shows up Chomsky.