When I drove across America, I left Vancouver on the day of Barack Obama’s acceptance speech at the DNC, and arrived in Pennsylvania on the day of John McCain’s acceptance speech at the RNC. 19 states through the heart of the times.
Since returning to Canada on Sept. 6 I have predicted a landslide in Barack Obama’s favour. My experiences have led me to truly believe this is what will happen. I saw a lot, but from conservatives I saw mostly thinly veiled panic, and raw scrambling fear. Their sand castle hasn’t exactly been sound since.
That said, you should check out this mixtape: Russell Simmons & DJ Green Lantern present: Barack Obama – Yes We Can. In my opinion, Hip-Hop and politics go together like peanut butter and jelly, and this is bananas. Another sign of life from Hip-Hop in 2008, and On November 4th , I believe we will also see a sign a sign of life from America.
October 26, 2008 at 10:03 am |
this mixtape is SO good. thanks.
October 26, 2008 at 11:27 pm |
read this today, from Basic Values of Western Civilization (1960)… best few paragraphs in the book. Gotta throw a few in for intro but its the last 2 that run game.
“Whatever deviations from the ideal values of Western culture exist because of differences in education, status in society, or professional affiliation, the fact remains that the most remarkable digressions from the norms are the result of extraordinary situations. In the case of war, for example, we throw off our respect for human life, our taboos regarding killing, our appreciation for conducting ourselves according to the Golden Rule, and our ideas about progress toward higher levels of civilization. All things which we consider to be the very goals which constitute purpose in life are, at least temporarily, thrown into the discard.
That our basic values should be put so completely aside under the stress of certain situations is extraordinary. This very fact constitutes an aspect of our cultural behavior which requires serious consideration, for it prompts the question whether or not certain values are really [i]basic[/i] if they cannot control our actions in moments of crisis.
An easy way to avoid this problem would be to say that in the case of war some groups within the culture – and very small groups at that – decide to get what they want by means which are incompatible with our values and that that part of the culture which is attacked has to defend itself. Thus all the culture is thrown into a deviant position by a minority, and a struggle goes on in which some values are disregarded in order t preserve most of the values in the longer run. In some instances such a rationalization of our shortcomings might be in conformity with the facts, but there are others when it is not.
At all events, the entire subject of the impact of situations on values may be looked at in an entirely different way. Compliance with established patterns of behavior and recognized basic values is obtained by the widespread [i]teaching[/i] of what is expected by the family, the schools, the churches, the press, and the groups to which we belong. There is also a very widespread expectation in society that these teachings will be followed and that society will stigmatize the deviant and bring social pressure on him to conform to its rules. Thus people adhere to a value pattern because they are told to, are expected to, and are forced to by a threat that social sanctions will be taken against them. In brief, ‘social organization’ helps to maintain our value system.
Because the maintenance of our value system depends so heavily upon social organization, it follows, of course, that when there is social disorganization, the behavior of people departs from the culture’s norms. If, for example, men are brought under arms and told to kill to preserve their nationality or themselves, they have to give up some of their values in order, so they are taught to believe, to keep other values. Moreover, both the military and nationalist leaders provide sanctions against those who do not conform to wartime behavior. Then, too, as men are separated from those groups from which pressures emanate to make them adhere to the peacetime value line, they indulge in behavior that is at odds with ordinary basic values.
Consequently, any movement in society which results suddenly in social disorganization – that destroys those agencies which make people conform to social prescriptions or which free men from those agencies – is certain to result in variations in our value behavior. From this it follows that if we would keep our value system intact, we should maintain our organization of society. There may be a necessity for change, but change is realized with the least amount of disorganization if it takes place slowly. Peaceful change and effective social organization are the chief pillars which sustain our value system.”
October 27, 2008 at 5:05 pm |
Let me read that a couple more times and I’ll get back to you.
October 27, 2008 at 6:21 pm |
you should re-upload that file. its reached its limit. i need to add some bananas to my sandwich.
October 28, 2008 at 10:30 pm |
File is back up.
October 28, 2008 at 11:27 pm |
dave, pop in journal, go to the sponsors, watch the ns one, tell me what you see.
October 31, 2008 at 5:49 pm |
pwnd.
October 31, 2008 at 7:05 pm |
Josh that was really interesting reading.
The ruthlessness of civilization:
“Consequently, any movement in society which results suddenly in social disorganization – that destroys those agencies which make people conform to social prescriptions or which free men from those agencies – is certain to result in variations in our value behavior.”
November 4, 2008 at 10:24 pm |
well dude, good call
November 7, 2008 at 2:39 am |
It’s all about the physics of snow.
December 17, 2009 at 4:00 am |
For some tips on check this out check this out: