2001
Month: August 2018
Among the living, stepping out into the unordinary.
4.1 Depression, recession, low, despair, destitution, cynicism, shame of it, intolerance, indifference, violence, problematic complexity of showing emotions and knowing them and consequences of not knowing.
4.2 Medication, psychotherapy, hospitalization, help strengthening feature and the phenomenon of thinking you know.
4.3 She is fucking mad!!
4.4 revolutionizing something – the ways of making money.
Revolution, the very emotional event, the anticipated door to change and banging it, looking at it, adoring it; how involved are we and is it a political, cultural, emotional, intellectual and social necessity as it is there all the time as potential, a potent possibility, force and scare, a known unknown? It is a moment of not wanting to be controlled anymore but taking control, the question is of what. Reminding of growing up and making or trying to make a distance/difference to one’s parents and traditions but still restrained by all of those and making a life always is connected to where one comes from, and yet revolution needs to be led, guided and planned anew. Authority and structure is needed in every creative act in terms of the past, right and wrong must be chosen, what does it mean to be led by a charismatic person and who is that? It can be a sure road to destruction as character can be a mere image, a posing shell. Isn’t it the lure the vanity the idolization of someone bigger than yourself and having pure faith in an image true proof of our sensational infantile need for beauty, the outer beauty, the what we see is what we believe? My question is, is revolution immature always, a utopia which stands for us as a beautiful freeing dance-like claim for liberty which is there to be taken and be celebrated, but is too much at once to swallow, too much to own and digest, understand and know, because the structure which is profound and solid takes time and effort to construct? What happens after the party as Žižek wisely has asked and after the idol begins to look like a normal human being with flaws does revolution fade as well? Yes, when the ground work has not been done properly, revolution is a mere event in time.
Again a question as there is also such a thing as leaderless revolution which happens organically but knowingly and is liberty for us to learn, where no one is taking the credit for making the revolution and being a hero of the resistance. What happens when we are free and we are not led in an old-fashioned sense? Is there being born a new way of leadership? What is needed to know freedom and how much structure people need to feel safe, as it is understood with freedom safety is an uncertain and a luxury? Not wanting to be dictated, told what to say, do, be like and feel is an anthem of the youth, gay movement, in art, as it is something to sell and buy: be yourself, become the best you and this is how, only you should know how to be yourself: follow your urges and desires and live them. Again feminine and masculine come to show and manifest in different ways in making social change, being oneself can be found via daring to go dangerous routes, sexes may have different causes and needs, those who are less scared dare more obviously, different meanings sexes and sexualities have what comes to goals and aspirations, to have sex to procreate or to have fun or both. Those choices have important task in society and for individuals: how we form collectives and let our groups to be formed, who are invited and who are out and why in and out exist. Those are very much questions of what we are attracted to and what is allowed. To live like it is the end of the world and the paradise is now is one form of freeing oneself, finding total excitement and joy within with others. It has happened in the sixties, along with sexual revolution, hippie movement and in the seventies with gay liberation movement which consequently also had disastrous results in AIDS epidemic breaking out in the eighties in New York and San Francisco. This wild and unrestrained behaviour has been culturally significant which probably has its roots in art and music, namely rock, sex and drugs and the very oppressed and hated position of the sexual minorities. Human right of gay men was to fuck as much as possible and this they did. Thinking next is what do men and women do differently in situations of demanding rights and do women endure ill-treatment longer because they have little alternatives to choose from? Many found sexual liberation in having multiple partners whenever and talking about sex which had not happened in human history before at least not in this scale. Sexual liberation is also a class issue: who have time and chance to liberate themselves sexually? Sex is still the most flammable issue socially, the true taboo subject all over the world. Whose agenda is the most powerful, who are listened to and who are the loudest, who oppress the most, who are the oppressed and why? What is power there is the scare that free sexual expression brings, scare is decay and corruption of the youth, which scare is not unfounded, still the process of freeing is necessary in finding something worth while to live by and think about.
It is seen as feminine to feel, to show and talk about emotions, to cry, to laugh, be insecure, admit sensing, being physically weaker, lose reason and being irrational is somehow feminine and show compassion is expected of women. Crying is a powerful outburst with tears and facial expressions. It is probably the most controlled emotional mental physical act. Please don’t cry, I would have to react to your tears. Does revolution (political) bring out the best in us, the true us (whatever the best might be)? One has to define the best qualities of humans, but is civilized, cultivated and the human self the best in us? That can be the most robotic part of us. To define ourselves comparing each other is what we do and find groups to belong to which can result to building shelters of similar minds and bodies, we are tribal whatever ism we stand for. Behaviour can be seen irrational, behaviour of those who oppose us is lunacy as opposing is dangerous, a mental disorder at worst (something that happened to the Suffragettes and feminists afterwards over and over again). To declare mental love is to share emotions as we should and to love is demand human rights for all, cost can be high as with love it often is. To some fucking a lot is the purest form of making love. Question is why we like to abstain and refrain our emotions into illness, into nothing instead of dealing with them? Because there is death lurking in going to extremes. Scared of being exposed is one part of our existence. To not being scared of judgment and abandonment is part of liberation. Expressing to the fullest is an illness-like happening and also the healthiest one, feelings are stupid but still we trust them, we go with the flow of them. We like having an order of emotions, taking them for granted. Being stuck up is more a standard and emotional is inferior a phenomenon which must be ruled by reason and us be guided because we are monitored for our behaviour and everything unordinary is to be suspected especially if you are a woman and a feminine man is not a man in macho world.
An order which many of us seem to live by is not to, a no, a ban, a prohibition of, especially what comes to others what they can be and do. Something in us that must be closed off from sight and be ruled. What do we let out and what we do not, because we are not allowed, because it is not proper and we’ll be damned, we do not dare to break the civil backbone of modern humanism, because we must behave ourselves, contain ourselves in the eyes of others to be seen as accepted and prosper? It is an interesting topic, because our refusal to be ourselves and the desire to find ourselves are in conflict, which could be called a plug there is, that is not wished to be pulled off, there is a pivot behind the door, a stepping stone, something nonverbal we must find in therapy and via personal fall-down, an unspoken inner banner which is there and one must find it, but how far is it there and can you see it. Inner banner, a flag of your own, what is it like? It is often a heard dichotomy, the confrontation between the political and personal and how do they communicate and effect. It is to say personal is political, a common phrase to use, it is also true. My choices in everything make politics not only by voting and in my choices of educating myself, but in what I consume, how I choose to live, eat, drink, travel, see, listen, wear, talk about, watch and how I express myself in anything and where. Everything comes up from making political decisions and choosing of what is safe, good, correct, profitable, good for economy, good for our nation, what is good for us to do in order to live in an organized society and profit from it and how we look. But it is common to think politics does not concern, touch, interest or they, who do politics, are not interested in people as they should, concerned or touched by lives of ordinary citizens. Emotional landscapes we inhabit, which we make, we have and how we notice them, invaded emotional spaces online and outside, which emotions are there for us to sense, why are they there for us, why do we have feelings at all if we are unable to use them, recognize them or are they to use us? Do we inhabit or know emotions at all? Emotions are as if they were rare
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precious things we cannot afford anymore other than instant ecstatic thrills and chills called experiencing excitedly. It is good to say I am excited. We go looking for company to avoid boredom and loneliness, not to face ourselves, not to face the everyday of someone nor mine but to enjoy and be entertained, in other words we are drugged by entertainment.
How about those sudden outbursts like revolutions, riots and revolts? Do they entertain,excite, release emotions, aggression, rage, go in circles?
Speed of change, speed of time, there is time capsule in change, in every moment. Waiting it to happen, saying change is what we want, but what does it mean? Phrasing what it is one wants to change or do we have capabilities to do what needs to be done and changed? Framing to tell we have no other alternative but change. It is settling, something is going to happen soon and alarming at the same time, exciting, maybe an effort and time to find crystalized truth, meaning and explanation of what happens, what might happen and why. Timing, what happens with timing, in time, in waiting, in lining up, in hurry, in speed which media and civilization bring in to our lives. Speed of pictures, speed of events, speed of a runner, speed of a shutter. Speeding, measuring, comparing, working, staying put and there it is, change. It is all the time.
4.2 Medication, psychotherapy, hospitalization, help strengthening feature and the phenomenon of thinking you know.
How does it happen, change? According to some laws of life? Yes. Mentally, physically and socially could the reasons leading to depression, getting ill and having economical downfall be similar, they are inevitable for us to grow as humans and communities. Societies have psyches, bodies, illnesses, life and death, cycles. Situations and capabilities of making the dealing of money and wealth, social and economic sectors function poorly, one-sided staring of financial wellbeing of one’s own and what one gets make us blinded. Failing to fulfil political promises make voters anxious and feeling low. We look at the pictures of the wealthy, how they live and want the same at any cost. Telling repeatedly good times are not ahead of us unless we make these cuts, but in the same page economic growth is a demand and cry. Depression is a situation with lack of trust on anything anymore. To feel depressed is very understandable in this picture: we can’t all be enormously wealthy and happiness is what we seek via wealth and physical appearance. Complete lack of hope for things to change for better as we measure success with what one has, what one possesses, how one looks. Depressed society begins to eat itself instead of flourishing, because it is scared and paralyzed for not growing exponentially all the time. How could amount of depression in society be measured and through measuring healed? How we change the whirlwind of illusions that drive us mad? It is to be measured how we fall sick and to be acknowledged is what we desire the most. In order to heal a hopeless situation we do desperate things, but every particle and unit must work for the same cause, the cause is what at the moment? How depression moves socially can be evaluated, as can birth mechanisms of a downfall be predicted. Other than speculating the patterns that occur and listening to people’s stories we like to assume most. Other than listening to those who know we like to see everything in monetary value and loss. There are pretty clear ways how depression happens, what it does, what it is like. Reasons to fall, reasons of getting ill. There is something fundamentally wrong that has happened, a deep cut where a soul has fallen. Wrong happens when all are not listened to, taken into consideration, taken care of,
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talked to, touched, acknowledged, needed, aren’t given what they need: what do we need can be understood via destruction and loss. People need to be needed, our fundamental reason for lot of despair, to have meaning in life for many come via others, if life feels meaningless and if it looks like there aren’t means to change much in circumstances, there is a dead-end feeling, bottomless sentiments, darkness. Uselessness and hate make depression. In order something to fall and fail, it is like we are expecting it to happen. There is lack of kindness and compassion there. Mistake is to think people are like machines, miscalculation is to look for financial winnings only which refer to us as intellect and proper. There is an inability to slow down, unwillingness to settle for less. For things to fail there is wisdom lacking in seeing how parts function together, how we function together, how we should function and what is sharing. Our systems in which we live are working for wrong reasons altogether if economic growth is why we work, live for and why anything is done in the first place and we are loved for how we look like and what we have. Reasons for mental disorder as depression vary, reasons that lead us feeling low, make us feel inadequate, not enough, not loved, unfit and so forth. Emotional hygiene supports possibility of depression to emerge. In this empirical, personal and emotional perspective depression is very much a social disease, since we are social beings, needy of being loved. Animals get depressed for same reasons, for neglet and having lost the contact to their purpose and natural environment. They also need something else than to eat and stay physically alive. Emotional life of animals is easily discarded as unimportant, but they do feel pain. Some people are more sensitive than others, and some get ill easier, like those who do not handle the load they given and are supposed to carry. Some of us get depressed, because they are melancholic by nature. We like to emphasize individuality, but the most difficult task is looking, we do not see the individual, a person but expect what one are supposed to be like. We cherish mass unity and movement in one direction often on surface level, in the face of complexity of life it feels insane and unjust. Is that why we like to simplify ourselves? To fit in is what one should be doing, not understanding the massiveness of this multitude we are, not understanding ourselves.
Medical evaluation process of who is ill and who is not has evolved in twenty years. For example, homosexuality is no longer an illness in Finland. There is no illness nor cure for that matter to cure sexuality of someone. But it takes a lot of effort to make it sink into public consciousness that gay/transgender or any other gender is not a choice one makes or a state of mind someone falls into. To fight prejudices, we need legislation and work done for minds to change. Prejudices stick hard, almost unbelievably tough, as an artist I know. To know personally gay people, mentally ill, poor, rich, people of different ethnic backgrounds, different classes, people who think differently, look different, act different etc. is essential in making world more tolerant, therefore ghettos, bubbles, isolation, divisions keep prejudices alive. For not people to marginalize in an unsatisfactory way left in loneliness, they have to do something about prejudices themselves. It is scary to meet
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people who hate you because you are gay, as it is scary if they hate you for being a woman and an artist. How would that kind of meeting happen and what would happen? A hate crime or a public hugging? Prejudices function strangely in an imagined world of abstractions, simplistically focusing on weaknesses. Working on comparison between those who think are strong to evaluate those who seem weak. Weakness is intolerable still, weaknesses are easy to spot and strengths are there to be grasped if you are willing to join certain group. Groups of those who think are mighty and strengthen their existence as community. Comparison and division, separation, isolation is familiar behavioral pattern to make hierarchy. It is a lonely spot to think, be and act differently, but what can you do but be fearless. What kind of option it is to go with the mass?
Who can be cured and who not, what it is to be cured and be normal, what the norms are, how to know what actually is the wrong there to begin with? Are there hopeless cases? How to face someone who is mentally ill? Should I be scared? Mental illnesses are problematic in many ways, difficult to treat, to diagnose, difficult to live with. How can we tell when society is mentally ill? We like to call each other crazy quite often without it being hugely stigmatizing, but to talk about someone in that manner behind someone’s back ”there is this crazy person” makes it a bit different. Then it becomes stigma. Need to give stigma to someone has not disappeared. It is everyday fascism. Someone is crazy, the one is dangerous, a threat and must be avoided, locked up, isolated, spat at or felt sorry for. It is true mental illnesses increase violent behavior especially against the ill her/himself, suicidal tendencies, self- loath and hateful thoughts get the best of. It is a painful experience to be depressed. Stress and constant facing of ill in life make possibility of mental illness bursting higher than for those who live in secure environment with loving people around or people who have been loved much face mental illness against all odds. How random it all is… Levels of stress in life and how one tolerates stress and randomness, dealing with setbacks indicates clearly how one is doing mentally. Where does the border of ill and being healthy go? Merely being an artist is sick for some. If there is a group of bullies and one person who is bullied, who is the sick one? What kind of behavior is seen as sick and what not can also be culturally bound. Illness breaks the atmosphere of normal every day. We see ill so much it is maybe normal and underestimated like a minor injury or cut in hand. Atmosphere of there is nothing wrong is a bit strange, of something exact, sterile and cleaned out of sight and hidden.
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Can there be such a state on social level as balance or is there always a factor of wrongness, a crack? Better yet must there be some kind of imbalance and sense of danger for us to find happiness? Which danger and wrong we need to reach out to feel alive. Secure steady life is an ideal for many, but there are contradictions that fail me, such as unhappiness and amount of depression. We want to avoid being scared and situations of not knowing what will happen next. To go further, to reach something unknown is to test one’s limits, what can one do, where do one’s limits go. Wouldn’t we all like to know. Unknown can be found pretty close, you don’t have to travel to space to find the unknown and scary. There is still much to study within humans and animals since we do not know all, we are not complete. We just like to assume we do know and are perfect. Human psyche and emotional side is much an unknown and avoided topic in general. One reason why we are scared of the tricky mind of ours is we find something out of the normal. To be mentally ill gives opportunity to test our limits what can a person tolerate and what it is to survive situation of no control. This is what bullies do, test us. Dangers like whether one comes back from psychosis, whether one sees light of day feeling good and light in front instead of pain and hell. How long will it take for one to mentally break is a sadistic game. Meeting someone behaving disoriented and irrationally or beginning to behave like that yourself how do you react? It is one thing we are afraid; the irrational and what mind can do to us. To say we do not understand it, the unknown subconscious, the irrational, is a good place to start. Reason why artists are seen as a bit scary, out of the ordinary and abnormal is we test the limits of ours. What to talk with someone like that who possibly tests you? Why not talk with someone like that and test him or her instead. There is the concept of normal again to face, idea of me structured and what me should be, normal needs a clarification since it is one term very much used and controlling what we do and how we do, how we react and what we should tolerate. I have an idea of normal, but it is not what I should be. It is outside the norm, normality and I conflict with it constantly. Why should there be normal? Am I irrational, the idea of me? There are things that are normal for me to do daily: brushing my teeth twice a day, going to bed and sleep the night, dream. Normal people drive their cars.
Setting the normal, deciding what is strangeness, that is difficult to face and understand, accept, have a qwerty battle in our everyday, between us, there is constant conflict which makes us interesting. We go through thinking what we do is normal and acceptable and try to find ways to preferably stay in that frame of normal and acceptable and feel shame if we don’t. In this picture art is very much welcomed as mixing the pack and moving barriers of thinking patterns and ways of seeing. Therefore, artists are seen as dangerous hazardous and suspicious individuals. At best they like to think for themselves and do as they please, at least some of them, since art scene is a very much regulated and appropriated by rules of proper as it is a business and market where appearances matter as does wealth. Insanity is much of a taboo, but fully with us as we daily face it, like it or not, acknowledge it or not, see it or not. We define insanity outside of ourselves, what is mad for us, what is a crazy
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thing to do equals to something you would not do and you disapprove. Insanity entails danger in any social scene, art is no exception. Danger of losing face, one’s reputation. As it seems prejudices go stronger the smaller and isolated the group is. Contemporary art scene has isolated itself very effectively. To say artists are like that, has been common enough for me to hear in the arts and outside of it. One problematic issue being the ideas of inside and outside of it. What are they like exactly? There is a stereotype of an artist which creates partly the whole scene of arts. The assumption of a person who makes art, assumption of the art scene that it is arrogant and distant, fine, too fine to understand and get involved with. To make art is still thought to be almost an occult and due to divine inspiration, you can pull out from craziness but don’t be crazy. It is bad for business. Stories of golden ages in art stay alive and are in focus. Strict divisions of good and bad, low and high, which are dictated by taste, knowledge of the arts, expertise and social status given with confidence regulate the arts. How does that got to do with illness of mental kind is probably about the divine inspiration? All this we can observe in the light of classes and social status, habitus, meaning one who is seen adequate to create art and leading to how that person creating art is treated. What motivates a person to create, what does s/he create, how are creations of hers/his put-on display and will they be put on display and seen. What is it to put on display and to be on display? What are we displaying? Average Joe is one term used to describe the normal on social level. It gives hint that Average Joe is not the most open-minded person there is and what about art, open-mindedness must obviously be dug out as it is lost. Normality is horror for those who are repulsed by banality. In the frame of social changes arts have been strongly involved and horror is there in important role, irrationality breaking the codes of proper. It is an art to make society and minds change when they rather stayed the same liking complacency and safety. Whether on the side of those who have power to establish and strengthen power of one’s own. Is it art, not to want change, it is bizarrely common in the art scene not wanting change, talking about progress is again on the surface of things without structures changing at all because it is lucrative. Arts reflect perfectly the whole of society. Then there are those who need to be heard for the sake of everybody, those in the marginal, for liberation’s sake. They do what they can to disturb the power elite: protesting, singing, satireing, provoking, to test the limits of society and power people by scandalous art, provoking the tender spots, making nonsense and unmeasureable craziness, the unexpected shock is very much needed to make change.
Personal ideas deemed appropriate or not. How an individual can be original and powerful in the same time? What is personality and how restricted it is? Am I assumed to be of certain kind? Isn’t it so we, even if not religious, are bound to religious traditions and doctrines, like self-evidently falling into them, with them, colliding and struggling. There is beauty, wisdom, truth, guidance, hope, but also very slow tendency to seek change within religions. We know them since they are taught to us and lived by throughout the year. There is no escape. Religion is here and there like a living thing.
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Our Finnish society for instance lies on Christian values, festivities, terminology, history and names even though we are a secular state. Schooling system is built on Lutheran/Protestant schooling system which system made by church was in use before in history, meaning preachers were the educators of people up to the beginning of 1900’s. Even though church schools were separated from state schools at the end of 1800’s influence of church is immense. To teach religion at school still meant in 1980’s and 90’s serious deep studying of Christianity. This is slowly changing, very slowly or not at all? The compulsory part of studying faith is odd but it is to know our culture. How many of those schooled really have had faith in their hearts since to have faith and say it out loud has been seen publicly as weakness. Here it is a private matter but all over, weird. Believer is stereotyped often as Holy Roller and a zealot trying to convert those who have doubt, different opinions and society wanted to be stuck obeying religious leaders is what it seems to be oddly enough. There are strong bias what comes to believing in God or not and to which God to believe in, not that there are many options offered. Essential questions in life for everyone. Do I believe that there is someone or something guiding us, making us, judging and watching? Being part of Lutheran faith by birth, schooling and living in a Lutheran/Protestant/secular country is somewhat a norm and everyday unquestionable practice here, a bedrock. Loud objections aren’t that common, but you can choose to believe or not and still it is compulsory to live by it. Religion raises its head when LGBTQ+ rights or are women fit to be priests (still) are talked about and church personnel and politicians with true belief have objections. Right to abortion is still in debate. Killing of fetuses cannot be tolerated and men need to have a say how women deal with their bodies. Religion is a serious business, how about war? Kids understand what is being said and they listen obediently as studying God’s word begins quite early. For children God is mysteriously intriguing, frightening and puzzling, all the same we are brainwashed into believing at school. We have a silent agreement and illusion of freedom in seemingly secular state which is not that free and tolerant. Yet comes the question what can I as a person do to be free? Hypocrisy is a safety net, a mask to look better than you actually are. It is denial of facts, to do otherwise than you tell you do. What should be done, would be good to do and you are told to do and what really happens: are you part of the world and how much what you say weighs. It is more again a normality than obscurity to act hypocritically. We live staged lives. It is telling there is much fear to let you be yourself, to admit your true opinions, your true face, to disagree. Fear of loss is great.
4.3 She is fucking mad!!
I wanted to disturb, I wanted to be annoying. I was hoping someone would understand why. Yes, I had a little hope for being understood, just a little, but the thing that I think about hoping, the most important thing
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is what you do yourself, how do you understand what you are doing. And why you do what you do. Why do I think by disturbing I could make my statement or make something positive happen?
I whistled through a shopping mall. Invented my whistling tunes while I walked. Everybody watched surprised, some annoyed. I would have glanced someone whistling loudly in the shop. I think I was loud, yeah. I also whistled biking home from the city. That was hard work. I had to stop to take a breath.
Censorship is a way to do the world and stomp it to stay the same. It is a common practice of everyday on personal and public level. We do it to ourselves and to others by looks, talk of all kinds of subtle and not so subtle ways of letting know what is good to do. It is a mind control, behavior control, strategy control and multilevel control of society. Reasons for control often are not letting upset and hate show, fear, any kind of sensation, sexuality, personality, difference show in order to maintain discipline, order, conformity, hegemony, to maintain power or just to oppress to maintain power position. It is a forceful tool to be able to censor and make it a mental behavioral state and automation as well. People who censor themselves in fear are easy to control. Forces of those who wish things to stay the same. And what things are those and who are the forces who have such a wish? State of eternal growth, state of holy image, state of pedestals. To push the envelope is to say of searching for new expression. Expression defined by the one who is expressing, artist who lives expresses, everyone has expression of their own. Who sells the expressed, what is new in this picture of making money, of expressing to be a product? Nothing. Do artists express to make money? And what is valid expression, and what is art. When does expression become art? It is expecting the unknown to be found, expecting originality to be found, expecting the unknown to exist and we be prepared for it. It is a state of trust to express. Then make it a vendible product in a certain frame.
Music world is an interesting scene when talking about censoring, finding originality and freedom of expression. Pop artists pushing some envelope of theirs and possible the establishment’s as far as the record companies allow them to push. To push the envelope against those who actually have power can for a recording artist be suicidal end of a career kind of scenario. Someone has put something in the way to be pushed and one has to push hard to be seen and make change. Usually it is artists themselves who have boundaries to be changed. That is not a surprise in a world of wanting
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to make it. Controversies, scandals, provocations are marketable items nowadays like ever. Controversy is to rub your ass against male crotch and stick your tongue out, show nipple, have huge body parts, revaling clothing. Huge is only the amount of press. To use sex appeal in making money is not news, but it continuously is. It as such is not incredibly pushing the envelope what comes to originality. To actually stop obeying pop cultural idiosyncrasies would be. It is interesting to analyze cultural scenes since there are people who seriously have power over what we see and use as culture and as art. The power of expertise is a given status. It is a world of relations, golden handshakes, hearsay and again talk over what is proper and good at the same time, but it is a business. The amount of money is huge which circulates in movies, music and in any art, which platforms function as product manufacturing businesses. What kind of revolution would be desired here? These industries talk about being revolutionary, progressive, artists being revolutionaries, as well art forming itself is a revolutionary act.
4.4.revolutionizing something – the ways of making money.
At war. Revolution is lucrative business. in art. very much so.
Danger of it, danger in living, danger of getting killed, tortured, humiliated, abandoned or injured, of I don’t know what some people like to defy it, death, what else, loneliness. Can we defy life? The uncomfortable effort of pushing against all odds, all minds, that are against difference and progress, the unbearable situation of finding strength when there is none left.
It is to change methods of interaction, patterns of thinking and gaining wealth and therefore revolution to actually making it would mean a complete altering of way of thinking. (Skeptical thought cannot be avoided.) To change how we gain, what we want to gain, if we gain and what there is to gain. Are we doing things to have it all? Despair is one bottom of the end and it is happening right now. Governments are desperate, so are people. Desperate people do anything they can to survive. State of ready to be insane, do hurtful irrational acts, ease the pain to hurt someone else, to get whatever there is to get is the tone of today. To make a change to one’s situation by learning to be wiser and more selfless is the wisdom everyone should personally follow. Revolution is not a sane situation. It is chaos and disorder, why would we need that. We, citizens of Earth obviously are not in enough desperate situation, destruction continues. I claim that what is interesting and temptingly revolutionizing anything is still the happening, despite my skepticism, event itself, unity and effort to maintain the thrill of complete turnover and it is making its way. Radicalism and outlaw qualities appeal but so does better future. What is forbidden allures, to be
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against all what is set, letting aggression rule is an easy way. Revolution is an expression and learning how to be wise with rage one has. Using rage as a creative force is a new beginning, to create new is to destroy something.
Declaration of instant
Power within: Origin of need for power and search for recognition. What is political radicalism today?
3.1 die Macht
3.3 What makes revolution needed
3.3 Not to trust help of others but one’s own is empowerment.
3.4 Bad example: what makes a totalitarian nation to exist. Bullying tactics tangled and exposed.
What makes us powerful and makes us think we are powerful? Is it always in comparison to someone? Who thinks is powerful all mighty, better than and why: what is the definition and act of power? We take and give power which is basic strategy of being a living person making schemes. We play games of granting and taking, using and possessing power, processing power, how are we in terms of power someone has. Is it over us? It is empowering to create and consider one’s makings worthy personal creations, that you can is one thing needed to feel powerful. Do we need other people to witness and congratulate for it? We eat to get energy and feel powerful, listen to music to be inspired by and belong, live empowerment of different elements like sounds, electricity and sunbeams and we become powerful because we observe, think, make, learn, interact and move. Power is in a moment, physical and mental, knowing and playing, a way to rule a moment, take over, master, share and compare. How is power in time and how are power and time individually used is what one allows oneself, which can be taken away from you and denied from you. It is in taking liberties and how afraid are we in doing so, characterizing ourselves to be individual, labelling to stand for something, manners of talking give power, looking, choosing how to look, conflicting or choosing not to, liking and not, pausing, speeding, feeling power of self, enjoyment of doing or choosing not to.
Power has to be taken as it is also granted within society by society, power appropriated and stated: what we can do with our power. In this way thinking everything is power and we are power animals. When we do not have power it feels like death. The sun and nature are our energy sources, the all-powerful God and Goddess. Power is something to fight for and protect as it can be lost, the power position and source of light and warmth, leadership and recognition, comfort and safety. It has to be known, gained and earned. There is either too little or too much of it which makes it problematic, a question of how much and what to do with it, what do others do with their power, what do they do to me. I am attempting to explain the self-evident and yet it is one of the most difficult issue for us, the most profound and complex issue there is. Light, radiation, push, movement, figures, numbers, scales, tubes, papers, news, text, an image, flame, a bomb. Is it about particles working together, one star, one individual and how he got made, and about millions and millions of other particles and individuals, selfs, selfless, egos, maniacs, reasoning, greed, jealousy, envy, love, hate, chemistry, physics, making of chain reactions. Everyone has a personal relationship to and with power, one has to be aware of it, yearn for it and know what to do with it. Child has power over his/her parents and power of the parents remain with us the rest of our lives. The emotional bond between is the very basic power relationship in our lives: you came out of me, I made you, you are therefore mine or why didn’t you protect me, in your power you hurt me because you could, I trusted you. I have a say over you but how long?
But as it goes your children are not yours. To own something or think owning someone is a destructive power feeling, feeling of absolute overcoming and knowing what is right and wrong. Possessions are extensions to our ego and we like to expand, clear the way. When people have in their hands solid all-conquering power it is a matter of evaluation, judgment and freedom of choosing what doings can be left not to do and what desires tell one wants to do desperately something. In this scenario we are not so compassionate rational beings in control of ourselves knowing what is best and our desires are very selfish. Ultimate power does something to one’s character, to compassion for those who do not have one’s position, too much empathy is not good for disciplinary reasons and making results, reaching goals, keeping one’s position.
3.1 die Macht
Signe Larssen writes in the blog Critical Legal Thinking http://criticallegalthinking.com Notes on the thought of Walter Benjamin: Critique of Violence is about the difficulty of translating the word Gewalt (so difficulty of understanding violence the concept the same) ”which in German carries the multiple meanings of (public) force, (legitimate) power, domination, authority and violence – with the word in English violence carries few of these senses (particularly, institutional relations of power, force and domination or even nonphysical or symbolic violence).” [1.] To translate a text into another tongue and culture of thought is a violent act itself is my thought but so is also not trying: is it possible to understand the meanings in other language and the culture as something will self-evidently be left out or misunderstood, which is the violent part? Am I overreacting here (but on the other hand feelings are there and here very sensitive) and saying violent act, is so close, that it is almost impossible to avoid hurt, when according to Jainism just walking over ants is unforgivable that one must look down constantly and walk carefully wiping one’s way, as there may be our ancestors in new form all over. Just like in everything, a step must be taken towards the unknown to open new paths risking offending and comprehend which is always a place of contemplating, place of high risk and possibilities to go wrong. Mistakes will be made against sensibilities, grammar, ways of thinking, work put in to understanding and respecting but hurt is unavoidable and hurt is what violence is all about. Tricky and triggering as it is to speak, our language and use of it is for many reasons and finding power is one of those reason. Where does it lie and how; to be an expert and know nuances is one good way to power: what kind of gestures people appreciate.
Interpretation of violence, to say it is a concept, makes us see the violence done where there should not be aggression but still is or what is understood as an everyday routine and not a wrongdoing, can be viewed from the perspective of the one who is acted upon but cannot act against, is not allowed to and should take all hits because of the underdog position. To be able to verbalise nonverbal action, a hit, is to fight against violence and create defence. An attack, an act, a play and game where there are interests which are being protected by violence, aggression, seen as a core part of life, which is from where I study the subject violence, as I think it is impossible for us to live separate from and not be affected by it, difficult to be safe from and find justice. We watch violence, brutal murdering for enjoyment, as viewers and players to which theater we do not take part in real-life and are not responsible and somehow we are at least those who can watch, judge the content and by thinking what does watching do, the killing seen do to our minds and morals, how are we affected by it. How we decide how and when we are violent, when we think it is time to be aggressive, against whom, forms of violence there are so many. A judgment call is made all the time and we grow into culture that is brutal against animals and humans all over and somewhere else far away even more than here.
Basic part of us that cannot be completely eliminated away with, with which we struggle a great deal, often not understanding the consequences or ourselves why we are the way we are, and hurt caused or not caring. It is very individual and oftentimes minimized experience. Shouting angrily is too much for many to take, it takes a certain kind of attitude not allow it to happen as such and answer back. The physical violence is the one we tend to register and feel empathy for the victim. It lingers in how we say what happened. What we say and to whom we speak aggressively and about aggression. Speaking past someone is microaggression, ignoring, rude.
To multiply and make progress we invade, as cells, bodies, societies, cultures, corporations and as Peoples. It is the very essence of being alive, wanting more, expanding, producing life and staying alive, securing existence, to know and understand power of oneself is to make it visible, a showcase. Yet it is hard to accept the violent nature of life and nature, of any act that even hints to hurting physically and mentally is disturbing to normal people. To translate is to change something unique into a totally different form trying to preserve the way of thinking and saying and make it understandable in a new place and culture. Culturally bound ideas how something is done and thought in real every day life is how something was thought in a particular place and time before. Learning to think and do otherwise is translating oneself, peeling layers within. To change language of time before is learning a different tongue. It is for example studying religious texts which are full of violence and bigotry but in practice today as word of God. Painfully task of understanding takes a lot of work and effort. Clearly not done by many religious groups as religion is the one primal reason to attack, abuse and oppress. To learn and evolve we have to go through self-torture and achy experiences, demand discipline and have wisdom of the heart.
3.3 What makes revolution needed
Authority and leadership are basic functions and tasks in society to occupy and have for society to work properly. It is part of someone’s personality to lead, show the way. One has to be aggressive to succeed in the task of leading and making decisions. We like to practice freedom of choice under built beliefs of what is right and true, we need something solid as religion to guide. Something which is believed to be right and must have also appeared to be so for many. Something that is right (true, real) does something good for most of us, benefitting, makes feel good, proud, hopeful and satisfied. It has got to do with learned common sense, structures of society that keep our balance and order, righteousness, justice, what is proper to do and what is not. The concrete idea of right is the believed right, true to that particular reality, what is seen fit and in interests of profiting the community. Right and good to have, what is known to be right in general, good to do and is that the good for one or many, we must choose. [3.]
Who makes reality of ours in the end to be reality of mine and how do realities of people meet? Have I learned to see reality through my culture’s eyes or my subjective experience and understanding, which part of my culture is me? My roots and society empower me. There is like and dislike and warmth and cold, all is not well always. There are cracks, unhappiness, malfunction. Culture works as manipulator which is easy to dislike and I am very much a product of my culture. Where one is born works as a powerful emotional and intellectual molder of mind. One is born into the hands of the powerful who promise to take care of you but society’s part is large in this regard. First reality issues we face are bodily needs that need to be fulfilled. To grow is to move away from situation where body rules the ways we need and act. Control of mind over body to realize ideas is a big step which now is and has been helped by machines and inventions to keep us satisfied and our basic needs filled and to create new needs. For us to be more conscious and be able to educate ourselves, have spare time to actually know ourselves instead of thinking how to manage daily.
What is expected of civil servants such as politicians? Do people who have power over economics have moral responsibility for how they handle money flow, stock exchange, banking, buying and selling and how they influence on lives of people all over the globe?
Matter of evolving as humans concerns educating children which nowadays is much softer way than before. Results are a much-discussed topic. What can be asked of a child, how far can education go in demanding and disciplining? It feels bad and uncomfortable to demand a cute innocent child to do anything. What violence, use of power and domination mean and how to find balance of not hurting. Philosophy of unhurt is to think and know what is good for the child, what is their best interest, demanded of them to do for themselves and think about the results of one’s actions without causing pain and ill. It is one of the core issues of mankind, the relationship between adult and child, adults’ relationship to childhoods of their own, assuming what life should be, what one should become and how to reach the ideal. [2.] For some bombing is freedom and just an act of just rebellion. In a culture where aggression, emotions and violence are openly showed and every day happenings, minor mishaps and injuries do not count. Difference is how things are measured, faced, experienced, dealt with, what is life worth and who is to decide, where violence leads, what can be achieved with it. Is power essentially about knowing, invading, taking and receiving or is it just living? Power is about not one but about everyone in the area of an impact. Power is an effect, influence. It requires our limbs to grab and desire to want to grab. What comes to thinking aggression often comes to play without analytical calculation what happens after. Truth has power but is truth overcoming or voice of
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reason? It is inevitable within human and animal relations to look for order and through desired constructions and rules make structures to live by and evolve. Some kind of dictating of order is necessary, manners of interacting need to have commonly accepted rules and ways of happening to be successful. Order and usage of power is a livelihood necessity which is either gained or lost based on history, needs, situations, abilities, rivalries, politic making and favoring. Power is in details of doing. It is often forgotten notion that everybody has power to move to act, to speak, to live. Energy is in us and is therefore us. Every act and word are individual power used and passed forward to make an impact, make part of one’s own count, play the part, be part, be active participant even though one may feel passive and not having a voice to be heard. What must one do? One has to believe that power is there in everything one does and we like to use it to benefit ourselves and people close to us. Which characteristics of ours make us leaders, persecutors, rulers, dictators, traitors, tyrants, obedient, unlawful, unfaithful. How we decide for ourselves and for others is a scheme of multiple issues and things to consider that play their roles in anyone being powerful or not and to which extent. Whose power is the most trustworthy?
One part is to succeed in making decisions, to know what to do and executing ideas, dealing with the results and to move forward. To know where to go and what is to be done. Nature of power can be to halt an individual from knowing. It can be punishment of having done something wrong, how we are controlled to do as we are desired by whom ever. Dynamics of human power is bound to what is thought to be intellectual and intelligent, right and wrong, calculating options and what-ifs. It is also evident that self- confidence, ability to solve problems, quick decision-making and convincing ways of persuasion and presentation of oneself and ideas of what should be done have an important role in power play. To look powerful is to have a certain kind of posture, habitus and strong view to organizing things in life.
3.3 Not to trust help of others but one’s own is empowerment.
To become is a learning and living experience. In order to be powerful, one has to empower oneself with knowledge. Power has become to mean something of considerable size, knowledge of to which direction to bow and show loyalty, whether to lie or speak the truth. Power associates with arms, hands and men having power by physical force, making war, taking life. Fear is an ultimate power tool. Those who have finance have been and still are the most powerful people whose grace is wanted. Power is an
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extension but still one whole block that either raises respect and fright or both. To be powerful on one’s own is to know what one is capable of, to be able to live without constant assistance, to be master of one’s own, without someone telling what to do and be one has to know oneself. Possibilities to make one’s own life requires survival skills not only a knife and knowledge of what can be eaten, but ideas. To be able to trust one’s own views, abilities and thoughts is something people should learn to do more. Few of us can live battling against every odd, authority and jurisdiction though it happens constantly and requires a lot of energy. Such people who question authority and have doubt are very much-needed for democracy to work best. It is also one characteristics of democracy that it can be criticized and battled without losing life and be terminated.
One way of showing power is to create architecture which states where power lies. Power wants to manifest and impress, show off and be bigger than. It is to reach the skies with high towers, go fast with vehicles. It is an awkward moment when there are hierarchical credits to consider in a room, to talk to someone one has to be introduced, with whom can I shake hands with, when not to say anything but listen respectfully, where to stand, what are the right words to say, who will understand my humor and who will find it distasteful and what to wear to make a right impression. Impressions are power. Power is in details as much as it is with large constructions, appearance, bureaucracy and protocol. It is clever and it can be horribly stupid. Knowing how a staged performance works is to know and accept staged performances which keep power together, continuing and ruling. To accept realities of basic protocol is thought self-evident and manageable. To move forward in a modern society is to accept rules of play, rules that have a certain meaning of places of people, where one stands and what can one ask for and do. It is usual to hear there are things one cannot do especially when one has ideas of one’s own and wants to try them out. Power is a question of life and death. It is work to live and to have life on earth. Nature of power on social level between people works as natural selective force which is part of survival. We have to fit in. We try to avoid social Darwinism, but survival of the fittest is a ruling element in the world today between people. Our basic ideology is to either live or perish. It is part of a cunning game which one must be able to play and understand. Power is usually something one grows into but how? It is taught empowerment of class, gender and origin, lack or virtue within social classes or dictated virtues. Power as possession grows the older one gets. Children are the least powerful. It follows life experience, respect, relationships, profession, class, money, networks, occupations, education and
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knowledge how power around works.
Authority and leadership are basic functions and tasks in society to occupy and have for society to work properly. It is part of someone’s personality to lead, show the way. We like to practice freedom of choice under built beliefs of what is right and true. Something which is believed to be right and has also appeared to be so for some. Something that is right (true, real) does something good for some of us, benefits, makes feel good, proud and satisfied. It has got to do with learned common sense, structures of society, righteousness, justice, what is proper to do and what is not. The concrete idea of right is the believed right, true to that particular reality, what is seen fit and in someone’s interests. Right, what is known to be right in general, good to do and is that the good of one or many. [3.]
Who makes reality of ours in the end to be reality of mine? Have I learned to see reality through my culture’s eyes or mine, which part of my culture is me? My roots empower me, there is dislike and warmth. Culture works as manipulator which is easy to dislike. In where one is born works as powerful emotional molder of mind. One is born into the hands of the powerful who promise to take care of you. First reality issues we face are bodily needs that need to be fulfilled. To grow is to move away from situation where body rules the ways we act. Control of mind over body to realize ideas is a big step which now is and has been helped by machines and inventions to keep us satisfied and our basic needs filled and to create new needs. For us to be more conscious and be able to educate ourselves, have spare time to actually know ourselves instead of thinking how to manage daily.
What is expected of civil servants such as politicians? Do people who have power over economics have moral responsibility for how they handle money flow, stock exchange, banking, buying and selling and how they influence on lives of people all over the globe?
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How sentimental does power make us or is it just business and self- interest? It is every citizens’ duty to vote and choose representatives to parliament of the state and EU. Many choose not to use that vote. Who is to blame for economic crisis we are having to deal with at the moment? We look for guilty ones but aren’t we all guilty of not using our personal power enough to make things better? One voter does not have power? That is a lot to ask, to ask people to be more aware and less selfish, see the effort of finding out and be interested. To actually read the texts on products is what is it that you eat. Politics being made of and where it is made, by whom and in what kind of circumstances. Expecting honesty and integrity though having been disappointed several times one begins to doubt the whole idea of giving power to strangers over issues that concern every individual personally. What is it to have mandate of that kind? Isn’t it a huge obligation, freedom and duty to do as well as one possibly can to serve citizens’ rights and well-being. Politicians work for people not the other way around. Even that does not seem self-evident. To do politics is a sign of strength and message of doing well, getting ahead in life. Unfortunately, there is an awful lot of distrust and things aren’t as transparent as they should be. True power is invisible and unreachable as long as we don’t understand how it works and feel powerless. Power has many characteristics and is negatively associated and toned with ruling over and making of politics of war. It stands outside though it is inside of us. It is given, taken, a prized winning. Power poses and has a meaning of putting people on pedestals to be looked up to, obeyed, worshipped, idolized. There is violence there, domination, hidden or bare, appreciated and not. To be a leader of a country something good is expected of that person. To be a father figure or a mother of a nation, nurturing and smiling kindly is a bit kinky position of trust and holds an obligation to do good. To take the lead and guide after being given mandate, but something that has been gained deceitfully can be taken away deceitfully. Position must be jealously guarded, fought for to keep it. Politics the power game, which is a paradox as politics is mainly supposed to function as field of common general issues and of doing common good not placing individual nor corporal interests first. Repeatedly politics show to be a crooked battle field of interests, gaining position, and status.
3.4 Bad example, what makes a totalitarian nation to exist. Bullying tactics tangled and exposed.
Power is a shield and a weapon. Tool of individual strength and ability. Totalitarian nation uses power in a nondemocratic way and is a good
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example of how power should not be used. In the world there are several countries which can be called totalitarian and which praise their way of handling state affairs. Dealing with cruelty, injustice, persecutions, death sentences, propaganda, censorship, restrictions of freedom of speech and expression. Poverty and organized crime flourish such as Russian Mafia etc. [5.] Notorious example of totalitarian nation and plots is Russia using its power to eliminate opposition in and outside the country. Critics of wars in Chechnya and of Vladimir Putin have been heavily silenced, imprisoned or killed like journalist Anna Politkovskaya (1958-2006) who was shot in the head near her home. Assassins were and are never to be found but the killed are examples and warning signs. Ways of killing, rumors and doubts are strong evidence themselves of deep corruption. Aleksander Litvinenko who had escaped Russia to Great Britain was poisoned 2006 in London. He was an officer of the Russian secret service who criticized heavily wars in Chechnya and publicly accused (1998) his superiors of ordering assassination of Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, who also had fled Russia and applied for asylum in Britain 2003. 2013 he committed suicide by hanging. Death also was suspicious but evidence for anything else but suicide was never found.
Investigations started again this year 2013 to find reasons for death of Jasser Arafat (1929-2004) and were concluded by Russians [7.] that he was not poisoned with the same radioactive substance as Aleksander Litvinenko (1962-2006). [6.] It is sad history of Russia and international politics of today and it is clear Russia is not a modern democracy and not even trying to be one. How to negotiate with such a nation? State of democracy worldwide is fragile. It has reach a point of capitalist totalitarianism after fall of Soviet Union 1991 when Soviet integrated into fifteen separate countries [3.] still without freedom of speech and its politics is just as brutal and macho as ever. Question is what makes Russia practice militant politics? Is it incapable of doing otherwise? Why does it assume it wins by acting the way it does and what does it win other than horrid scalps?
Cultural difference between Finland and Russia is wide therefore my comprehension does not find logical reasons to abolishing political criticism, marginalizing and criminalizing difference such as LGBTQ lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Church has traditionally had strong stand in Russia and its influence on how sexual minorities or any other ‘oddities’ distracting social order are treated is immense. Whether leader of the country wishes to be friends with the church he has to have an opinion about LGBTQ people and keep it very traditional. It is a relationship of give and take between the church and the state. Neither is to be trusted (as horrible as it sounds and is).
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Divinity in service of leadership. God who is the ultimate authority working through and with those who dare to speak his words. Words of God which cannot and must not be questioned but are interpreted and decoded (translations of translation, faith at work in multiproduction of men with power and production of political meaning and desires). What comes to Christianity and power it holds in the world of religion and politics it is clearly said thou shallt not kill and the same goes for judging. It is not up to people to make the ultimate decisions over anyone. This I understand is against death penalty, ill-treatment of homosexuals, disabled, dissidents and of anybody who happens to disagree or live differently than you. One who is truly having faith should know this. Especially Russia is an interesting case of hypocrisy and macho-made divine culture. Such is the case in many sizable and powerful nations exploiting faith. Faith is power, God is power-ful. Staying and gaining power, to justify and make ill human action have God’s blessing. One side to tyranny is to build a legend and myth over one person and make him second largest in the known world. Who could be bigger than God who is a man himself. Totalitarian power is based on underestimation and anti-intellectual forceful superiority of chosen ideology and chosen humanity which steps on diversity and difference, which usually are seen as threats. There is a strict pure way to rule and think, which wishes to eliminate all other ways of expression, knowing, living and believing. This is how capitalism functions at the moment with the help of surveillance and the very orthodox goals of only expanding its power and wealth of those who serve this particular God. There is a group of people who stand for power, who seek it, who search for power and those who use that power in a chosen way to benefit from it in a chosen manner. Traditional and concrete way is to use power as a weapon as is the case in many authoritarian countries. Weapon of choice is to keep vast mass of people quiet and oppressed. It is a weird and familiar theater. Power is to secure and make sure things are smooth and stay that way. Power elite has defined what is a good state of things for that particular nation and its people or a particular group in that state which may not be all the people of that state. Power elite made with money has also defined what meanings do inhabitants of that state have for people of power, why people live in that state, what is purpose of a state to those citizens and globally. It has a body and amount of aggression which must be taken into consideration. Power raises emotions. No one wants to be a button to be moved and be pushed, so one has to seek to obtain power in order not to be disadvantaged. Learning to be cunning and deceitful is part of totalitarianism. In this way we are part of nature’s survival of the fittest circle socially, politically and organically. Society’s supposed task is to reduce, soften and possibly remove circumstances that make cruelty and favoring of the ‘fittest’ encouragable, self-evident, lucrative and possible. This happens by
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making society tolerant and open for multiple choices to appear and occur. Power is a position where someone is placed because that someone has specific qualities for that position. What kind of specific qualification and means do people like Aleksander Lukashenko or Vladimir Putin have for them to stay in power and have countries of theirs continuously ruled in authoritarian way? Position which requires abilities, leadership, trust of a nation and loyalty, clearly wealth and friends. Foucault says there is truth in power. Something that has proved false has lost its power. What if all why a nation functions is false and false has become truth and there is no one to trust. Situation where everyone is corrupt the one who has the most power is the most corrupt. To have power is to have responsibility but to whom are Aleksander Lukashenko president of Belarus (1994) and Vladimir Putin current president of Russia (2012) responsible for? Power of a dictator is given and taken and it is a force to make others do organized work for that someone who has the power. [8.][9.]
1.http://criticallegalthinking.com/2013/10/11/notes-thought-walter-benjamin-critique-violence/ (3.12.2013) by Signe Larssen, Difficulty of translating the word power, Macht, Gewald, authority, how do we understand power.
2.https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/08/magazine/the-wedding-fix-is-in.html
(8.12.2013), article about detailed organizing of a wedding and creating bourgeois life through buying a theatrical ceremony. Price transparency, the cost of happiness. by Catherine Rampell
3.https://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2013/dec/03/economic-revolution-environmental-plans (3.12.2013) article by Andrew Simms, what kind of revolution is at hand after financial crisis in Europe, how do we alter power relations in financial world to serve societies instead only the rich and how do we keep the environment unpolluted. 4.http://www.coldwar.org/articles/90s/fall_of_the_soviet_union.asp (4.12.2013) Archive with basic info on Cold War and Soviet Union.
5.https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2013/12/ukraine-victims-euro-russian-divide-2013122132119927878.html (3.12.2013) by Rosa Balfour analyzing situation in Ukraine after wave of demonstrations and an ongoing revolution for Ukraine to become member of EU.
6.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/06/polonium-210-poison-alexander-litvinenko
(3.12.2013) An assassination by Russian secret police? Nobody knows.
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7.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/palestinianauthority/10538010/Yasser-Arafat-died-of-natural-causes-Russia-says.html (27.12.2013) by Inna Lazareva 8.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality_in_Russia (4.12.2013)
9.http://carnegieendowment.org/2013/12/04/egyptsdraftconstitutionrewardsmilitaryandjudiciary/gvc8
(4.12.2013) by Nathan J. Brown, Michelle Dunn, Carnagie endowment for international peace, article about difficulties of making a democratic constitution after Revolution 2013, the problematical Muslim Brotherhood, military rule and making Egypt a democracy.
9. https://chomsky.info/20131208-2/ (8.12.2013) neoliberalism is some misleading concept doctrines of which are not either new nor liberal. Sunday, 08 December 2013 By CJ Polychroniou and Anastasia Giamali, Truthout | Interview, it is working for the rich, the world.
Feminism an ideology and movement, a striving force and necessity in making global revolution of equality (or it used to be, what is it now?). My philosophical, ethical and ideological ground. Perspectives into making wise revolution: what does it mean.
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Division, separation, segregation, mutilation, denial, hate, abundance, abandonment.
2.3 Movement, theory and action.
2.4 Unity what could it be?
2.1 Introduction
We, fundamentally biological beings (I’m trying not to be hugely banal about the characterisation of us and biology, us as a species, genders etc., characteristics of what comes to being human as biologically determined form and shape, organic and changing. As we know it, us and nature, which we know, is what often happens, we think we now), are dictated by random events that happen (welfare state is to make the impact of randomness of life less hurtful and cruel, right? Nations are for humans to survive and thrive, not the opposite.) Our lives are up to a point very random still, not to mention the environment and hormones (funny combination but essential); our chemistry and what it makes us feel and do, is a big part of us and our world as is our anatomy, our biological functions, thoughts and needs etc. There are lots of things that dictate us, we just don’t like to admit it as we are not in control, we can be prepared to that hard fact. We like it to look like we are in control and build the structure of control, to control others and have control, things organised, having things done and having made it, give us the power feeling. We know what we are doing. I’m interested in how much power is an illusion and what is power in terms of self-discovery, living and doing in relation to others. Denying biology is the ‘new’ way of empowerment and it is the you can be what you want-ideology, which is a wild thought, thought that we have the ultimate control or want to have control on every aspect there is to being human because we so desire. This issue has come up with transgenderism and in bringing up children, sculpting one’s body to match the inner feelings and desires completely or images seen: this is what I want for me. How it seems to me is this, where we are headed to, towards the utopia of complete control of our bodies and our destiny especially thinking what makes one happy and what we are in the eyes of those who look at us. Feminism has a lot to say about this, lot to say about competition, competing and how opportunities stay open for all that we can make an effort to make it.
Meaning of biology for us is the inseparable and something to dive into constantly which has interested me as an artist: as it does not end, how much part of nature are we and dependable of it, as bodies and minds, to speak of this sounds naive, how come? Without nature there is no us but we like to move away from nature like we were standing on it, as we have no control over it we make shields. Nature is far away as it is the unknown eventful place, in part and for many for most parts we like to be unconnected to this beast we profit from. Nature does not connect with us in suitable, comfortable manner but affects and looks like as a disaster area with which we are ill-prepared to cope which always is a big mistake as we do not know what is ahead of us. Some survive, some don’t. Biology is the unacceptable as it does not do what we want, it eats us. Does this mean we are being alienated from nature completely because it is the easy solution to staying young and good-looking forever and that is what we should want to be powerful? In the making of us there is something I have been wondering what is it all about, what is the making. The very foundation of feminism is that we are equal and we should have equal opportunities as humans but what this means in action and every day is the interesting part and how feminism puts the case of equality forward today in terms of class, ethnicity, origin, looks, wealth, status, work, occupation, education, opinions, in terms of all things that make us different form each other and what does equal mean as we all want and desire to make something of ourselves which brings in the power relation aspect. Equality is a massive task, how it is implemented and understood, it sounds good. Equality, just to say the word is a weird thing and many think as such it is a naive one. What kind of relationship we have with this biology we are born in to, how does biology shape our chances equality-wise is a major issue and can it be altered is the hard question. How we accept ourselves and others, what is the route to acceptance and what we must accept and what not.
Nature has made it we differ much from each other, but we bleed when we hurt. What is equality required and possible in our differences? Living beings share vivid emotional and sensual world which lead us to thinking what separates and unites us. Gender and sex do not dictate intellect, abilities, character nor worth is the feminist idea and good human sense; what do they dictate? Feminism the ideology is to benefit all on grass root level and having choices not to be dictated, monitored and policed. We are more or less feminine, we all have a mother, we all have a relationship to femininity through bodily features still the feminine is under constant attack. Women are the foundation of any society. When women are well taken care of all society is likely to do the same, be and do well. When it is acceptable for a man to walk like a woman, talk like a woman and wear a dress without it being strange we have come closer to gender equality. When a woman can define her femininity, rule her body, sexuality, decide for her life, we are closer to justice and truth. Feminism is diminished down by many men and women as not needed and dead old-fashioned movement, laughable and unnecessary. If women are not able to have a say over how society should work, as is the case in many countries, then society is not working for all of its members. If women are laughed at because of their sex and because it is seen weak, if they have to be ashamed of their sexuality, if they have to be afraid because they are women, it is a sorry world. If men have to be afraid of female qualities in them we live by macho dream not what is true. What is feminism now is the first and acute question. Who can be and is a feminist? What are the results of feminism and how can it accomplish needed social and cultural changes? Impact of feminism is already all over and pretty fundamental but not yet enough. It is important in this issue at hand to know whether to take a side or not, and on which one side violent gender division exists and is held tightly upon us. Decisions on what to think, how to react, how to judge and whether to judge at all. Gender is by rule problematic, always current and touchy topic where assumptions and given orders apply like an ancient legislation. Society where anything differing from mainstream is an oddity that should be covered up, silenced and removed as indecent and infernal is not living
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the 21st century nor being on the nerve of things nor wanting equality at all. Sex, gender and sexuality are the most used tools of control. Identity and division are structured and ordered by our traditions. We seek to be accepted, desirable, wake attention, maybe make provocation to make ourselves and be seen. Sexuality is denied as damaging, corrupt, perverted, animal, uncontrollable, destructive force which women hold and use to destroy men, society and themselves. There are tight rules how to be a sexual human being and how to be a good human being. Sex is a taboo to be dealt with not out in the open although it is all over and nothing like ordinary. Still when one glances ads anywhere, music videos and movies anything entertainment industry produces for us to hear and see sexuality is there in the main role and in the very much learned way. It is a way to look, make statement, do business hypnotizing us and our thinking. It is way of selling using our basic needs, fears and prohibitions. We live with sex industry (like it or not) and by which rules business provides guessing what it is people desire and want and it is simple. What do we dream about in high-tech information society consuming, being entertained, sexuality making life a psychological sadistic game at worst. Disapproval and talk make controversy, breaking moral codes make headlines. What is it now, nipples, butt crack breaking the internet, look at the size of it, oh tits. The more we disapprove morals of someone the more controversial the issue gets the more fuel there is to be poured, bigger and bigger when nothing is enough. Press disapproving a racy pop artist’s performance giving her performance lots of space and media coverage, good for her and her manager. Is it disapproving or advertising and also good for the media company? What happens to journalism or us? Middle-aged women disapproving how young girls walk and dress. Is it regret or concern? What are we concerned about, what do we regret and what do we make of the idea of a young girl and her sexuality, is it a possession and an asset for that girl?
What is behind disapproval is a moral behavior code, gender assumptions, traditions, what is good to do in life and why and who gets to decide. Intolerance, ignorance, religion, narrowmindedness, worry over corruption of morals, desire to hinder change, fear what one is and showing it and plain fear for the unknown. For many sexuality is the great fright and truly an unknown island. It also makes me wonder why continuously so? Why the big mystery, fear, ridicule, shame and hiding? We desire to be sexually interesting. Most everybody thinks about sex and hopefully has sex. The most controlled sexual being is woman, her pleasure is dangerous. She cannot have it, because it is sinful, impure and evil.
2.2 Division, separation, segregation, mutilation, denial, hate, abundance, abandonment.
World as a whole is very much divided into ideological camps and bunkers which fight each other. People do not either wish to comprehend each other or simply don’t comprehend due to many often irrational reasons dividing us. How that other is thinking and feeling can
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be a huge task to take into consideration and have interest over. There has to be a strong ideology and movement to defend those who are repeatedly beaten down. Something to call mine because it is personal, political and repetitious. Behavior and patterns which are not stopping until they are stopped. It is a demand and fight for human rights to happen for women, children and men, for indigenous people and other beings. Those who are persecuted because of their gender, ethnicity, background, religion, sexual orientation, disability, difference of any kind and to defend those who cannot defend themselves. In this regard feminism is not a cause for women only ideology and movement with strong barriers around although it is accused of this, rightly so. Camps fighting within feminism is the norm. Women contribute much in welfare in all society starting from home and neighborhoods. Feminism is a necessity and vital opposition against tyranny of corporations and traditions which are creating illusions of perfection and what is right. Feminism is opposition to tyranny of man, tyranny of people as products, against objectification, against one-sided views on color, size, ideologies, values, against tyranny and castles of finance and irrational despotic decision-making. Women are and have been enslaved to the illusion of perfection, an image in our brain of what woman is, is manipulative, created to eliminate difference, clone personalities, pleasure giving machines and thinking security is found through being desirable. In addition to that women are caretakers, providers, producers of new people biologically, socially, culturally and traditionally. In this sense manipulation is harsh practice, cruel and unjust. Educating girls in to their roles as females, girls, future women, persons and people begin from very young age. We are taught to know, what is our part via our sex. Somebody else knowing what anybody’s place is and meaning in this life is the root of inequality and injustice.
A practice of likable personality is a kind of survivalist plan within patriarchal society. Practices of girliness, manhood and womanhood are to set roles, find security, a heterosexual practice of servitude, obedience and slavery. Woman is foremost a sexual being whose sexuality must be controlled, whose body is a possession and is either holy or cursed, disrespected and impure. Holy only when she does what is expected of her, is agreeable and nice. Situation is such for millions and millions of women. The way out is a hard struggle. Women who do not have a choice but to breed, feed and protect their honor which is also honor of man and family. There are tasks in society given to women on grounds of natural and on grounds of how things have been done before. How women should look like, what are feminine features and things to do. The whole gender issue should be addressed in technological language as women are much seen as objects and machines who are less than. Place of woman falls on her systematically and orderly without much questioning and without many wanting to change that pattern as it is suitable. This is how a factory functions, orderly producing brainwashed products where workers do not have a say. Case in many countries is that women have the part of reproduction and serving, which is fine if it is voluntarily chosen path in someone’s
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life. Why such control over women is still possible? How the kind of social factory has place anymore? Why woman needs to be put into a position of a dog and why women stay in that given place and when situation changes new problems emerge as men don’t keep up with women? Choices provided by society play a big part in how women manage to solve their lives. Fear of violence, death and abandonment are reasons enough to settle to what other people want. Women who want to decide for themselves to provide for themselves can end up alone. For an uneducated woman it can be a challenge and scary situation to find oneself struggling in a dead-end. What options are there, how strong are we in this kind of situation or prepared? Religions are dictating position and tasks of women and do not give women power in their lives and let them have bodies of theirs. Women cannot have themselves, especially not themselves. What is the soul of women? By denial and placing fear of punishment religions acknowledge female power within her proving of being afraid of her power. Keeping women uneducated and unaware of their power is a way to rule, but it is also way to keep society from evolving and stopping all people from finding what they could do and express. What she can do with her body and mind is too much to handle. Question is who is not able to control oneself? Maybe chaos and disorder will follow, maybe something no one else hasn’t thought and done before. Interesting is how the feminine and feminine desire realize themselves in this negative, because they are there. Prohibition of expression, suppressed individuality and contempt for the natural sex, incontrollable. Human life and body molded by God’s word, God’s word put in praxis, God’s judgment put in action by people. Dividing good and bad, holy and evil, placing burdens on people because of which sex they happen to be born. Deciding what is what, maybe not knowing the truth but thinking one knows being scared of change. Diminishing and minimising something that is very complex makes complexity even stronger. There are such contradictions in what is said, what happens and what is believed to be true it is no wonder there are conflicts. Contradictions via interpretation, to comprehend and put in order life and the representation of humans, we continue fighting in everyday life because we have free will, visibly. Paradoxes which are difficult to manage, to change and unjust to live by. An overall religious view is to see body and bodily functions as impure especially female ones and the world as such where spirit and soul matter and wander in search of perfection and harmony. It could be as if life is somewhere else all the time, is for someone else, in some other time and we in despair.
2.3 Movement, theory and action.
The word Feminism originates from French Utopian Socialist and Philosopher Charles Fourier 1837, the year of his death. [1.] Words Feminism and Feminist first appeared in public in France and the Netherlands 1872. Claims for women’s rights started to happen at large in action at the end of 19th century and beginning of the 20th century by Suffrage movement in Britain, New Zealand, Australia and in the
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United States claiming women’s right to vote and stand for parliamentary office. It is still knowing how religions dictate place of women difficult to understand the opposition feminists have faced and face today. The amount of bitter hate and disdain against feminists, women claiming their citizenship and human rights that for some are less than that of men which is God’s punishment and judgment for all women. Feminists have been treated as lunatics and criminals lacking decency. Feminism as something that will pass. Those unattractive misfits, bald angry lesbians who hate men and behave like prostitutes, unattractively angry. Those who fear say anything to put shame on dissidents. Women who don’t and did not fit nor accept the society’s mold of proper, place of woman, continuity of males as kings nor rules of hypocrisy have been self-evidently painted malaise, harmful, insane, ridiculous, hysterical, marginal and difficult. Women who didn’t accept their part as underdogs began a feisty battle which became violent towards feminists. They began peacefully demanding their rights which did not work and they began to break windows. Feminism is first a movement, demonstration and fierce action demanding and fighting for equal rights and opportunities for all. It is a fight for possibilities to choose how to live as an individual with will and mind of one’s own and as a capable decision-making thinking person. Prejudice and historical echoes have made it so that feminism is not mainstream ideology even we are bound to it as a thoroughly society changing and questioning political ideology. It is not all that common to be working class feminist even labor movement is very much women’s and children’s rights movement. Common is to hear celebrities say of not being feminists but. Desire of theirs is to pose as strong women of the business and live as sellable products earning money that being an illusion of having control over their image and being strong is a facade. Powerful yes but how? How scared can one be and how manipulation is strength? It is too common to hear the denial and keeping distance to that odd and hateful religion-like ideology that want women to be ugly, hating men or something. Ignorance is once again biggest prejudice creator around. Woman is desired as a body that brings joy for someone else but her and to concentrate on staying pretty and desirable as long as you can is one kind of power but is it strength?
After having put action out with positive results groundbreaking feminist theory started to develop and wonder position of women in society thoroughly. Feminist theory is a complex set of ideas on how genders function, are supposed to function, genders and sexes as social and cultural beings and constructions. Feminist theory is much as any academic work working and looking from the middle class points of view but is seen as radical movement still. Working class and middle class stay separately still and suspicious of each other; can they mix and work together without suspicion and prejudices and why the division is there in the first place, what is the class divide all about? What happens to equality in this picture? It is a vital issue for feminism how classes function and change, how work is seen and defined, paid and appreciated. Which classes will perish, shall there be new ones, what is the meaning of discourse over the class question all together, whom does class system serve and
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what would world do without distinct separations. Colossal structures of research, work and education are there to be shaken. Working class (which still exists) is too scared to get radical, at least in Finland. Every society has working class of its own kind. Curious is how do they appreciate themselves, are appreciated and what kind of groups get made within. Education and work cultures reflect directly to position of women and rights of labor concern all of women. Feminist theory tends to float inside an academic bubble, thick walls round academies which may scare the common man. Feminist research does not address everyone as doesn’t science as a whole even though it is the meaning of science to be for everyone, serve welfare and the evolving of every man. Elitist academic towers can be isolating and again gaining position can be luring power element in academic competition. Academic position is much respected place to have. To talk only to certain kind of people about social change is an intriguing subject itself, matters of writing and talking but it is not enough to make that change happen at grass root level and be understood that the struggle is the same. Question is how and what message of change is put out, by whom and why? And how a change could be pursued if groups of people do not communicate with each other? It is clear change required does not happen within middleclass, in academies nor in theory. Question is what kind of groups of people globally are the ones who are oppressed enough and tired enough to act? Who don’t want empty promises, unemployment, dead-end future prospects, poor welfare and poor quality of education? Middle class and working class do not respect each other enough, know each other, speak the same language or desire to understand each other. There is mutual contempt there which stops multilevel interaction, compassion, understanding and collaboration. How could there be found mutual language and patterns for action which lack oppressive and biased hierarchical structures?
2.4 Unity what could it be?
Communist Manifesto published in 1848 demanded abolishing of child labor, education for all workers including women and children. The demand list of the Manifesto was modern, fresh and ahead of its time demanding equality, dignity and human rights for all. Importantly Manifesto stated abolishment of bourgeois individualism, changes to inherited position in society and right to property, which meant abolishment of slavery and exploitation of people, need to stop abuse of workers’ effort and time. It demanded progressively everyone’s right to work without fear, more time to schooling oneself and one’s family. Free development for each is the condition of development for all. [2.] [3.] [4.] Developed way of looking society and its people on idea level which was to be reality and revolutionary vision to be made come true, a utopia of a better world
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within reach to applying all hopefully bringing welfare, wellbeing and prosperity. Demand for abolishment of bourgeois family could have meant a beginning for women to stand on their own and have multiple paths to choose from than only having one or two. Michel Foucault states in Foucault Reader, Rabinow, 1984 that bourgeois society before Freud’s inventions repressed sexuality and especially infantile sexuality to a point where society refused to speak of it or acknowledge existence of sexuality in children and women. Crusade against masturbation is a typical example of this as is giving diagnoses for women who in any way acted differently than what was the general ‘better’ judgment. Crusade is to the point essential word to use in contexts of bourgeois society and its determination concerning use of power over women and children and in general anyone who stands on the ‘weak’ side. Weaknesses strictly categorized, the weak labeled and stigmatized. Infantilizing women in terms of sex was the norm, female sexuality was beauty in statues, very fragile but obviously too powerful to let roam free.
As Communism firstly concentrates on abolishment of the bourgeois way of life and class and gaining global labor rights, feminism concentrates on ending sexism and slavery of women, standing for girls’ rights for education and rights of those in the marginal and under threat because of their gender and sexual orientation. Feminism is against persecution, against mental and physical torture. Questions about difference and what is the difference between and why should it be pointed out are the core issues. [4.] Both ideologies, Feminism and Communism have interesting similarities in being hated, bigotedly stigmatized and activists persecuted for demanding basic human rights and equality. Focus and determination of ending dictatorship is admirable, needed and springs out from harsh reality and experience. It is good to bear in mind that slavery was ended by law 1723 in Russia where poverty has been more of a rule to this day for the large part of the population. Position of women is questionable in a macho culture self-evidently. [3.] [4.] Worldwide slavery has not ended nor extreme poverty and injustice nor exploitation of work nor abuse of women and children nor of those who do not fit in tight gender boxes. Strong political global movement and revolution is much required not as a local act but as global aggressive action (aggression here does not mean physical and violent warfare and question remains how to address anger that is boiling). People are more globally active and maybe even more aware than ever therefore it is appalling problems as extreme poverty and crimes against humanity such as human trafficking and slavery of maids exist. It is intolerable there is resistance against the demand for human rights. [5.] Feminism is at the moment making strong, new and active movement especially in Europe. Taking stand nonviolently and loud as hell.
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Feminist movement Femen is fighting on the streets facing fascists, ordinary street men, politicians as well as the police, who continually arrest bare breasted women shouting Fuck your morals, God is a woman, Ukraine is not a brothel, in gay we trust, Nudity is freedom! Strength and visibility of such fearless action and devotion to the important cause is impressive, appreciated and joyfully effective. Feminism should be exactly that and in there, on the streets, in demonstrations, during world cups which lure prostitution to flourish, in places where world leaders meet to make people in suits face anger, attacking fashion shows to let them who exploit hear out those who really have an important message: Listen to those whom you abuse and manipulate! We are many and we force you to listen. Feminism is activism, sextremism, distraction, interruption, disturbance of status quo and destruction of seemingly comfortable balance breaking that clean surface. It is an unforgiving demand in itself and notion that women have to take their place to be heard, fearlessly speak out standing tall. Feminism is demanding abolishment of sex trade, acknowledgement of the problems which women globally face, abolishment of sexism and punishment for it, concrete demand for separation of the church and state, legalization for access to free and safe abortion, women to have decision over their bodies and work, punishments for rapists to be heavier than they are. It is demand for respect, justice and dignity. Feminism is demanding human rights and lasting social change to all human beings, environment and animals. It is one of the most important global movements at the moment and the importance of change shows in the way Feminists are treated. Importance of attitude change is immediate. Importance of finding conformity a repulsive tool of oppression and fascism. Importance of learning how fascism works today and manifests itself daily in ways of monitoring, dictating, suppressing and manipulating. Place of women is displayed by showing hate against women, against Feminism, stigmatizing those who dare to speak up and act against oppression. It is one of the most important issues globally to make concrete change to better lives and rights of women, minorities and children. [6.] Situation is angering and change is slow. Hierarchy, power and position of church is immense dictating places of genders, how people should live, what is right and wrong. Religions and dictators are obstructing development of human rights for people to achieve better quality of life, better treatment and appreciation of women and children as individuals and people. [7.] I see divisions very clearly anywhere, personally and generally and I refuse to be what I should be by my sex and gender traditionally, ordered by someone who is to be above me because he or she can. I can do nothing but go against. Change is coming and there is no other way.
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Links to the books read and which are to be read over and over again. Communist Manifesto is a recommended reading for those to whom the word communist is a curse word, to whom everyone who is on the left is a communist and communism equals to mass murder and oppression. People use philosophies and ideologies to force their personal interests forward in the world, this has been true before and is true today. It is not necessarily fault of the philosophers and dissidents.
https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/communist-manifesto-ebook/
https://monoskop.org/images/f/f6/Rabinow_Paul_ed_The_Foucault_Reader_1984.pdf
“Chomsky answers by returning to other dimensions of universal human nature and reason. In his opinion, there is a universal human need for creative work and free inquiry. The possibility of satisfying this need is stifled in our society. Given modern technology and science, Chomsky argues, the means are currently available to overcome the alienation and drudgery of labor. If this has not been accomplished, the fault lies not in science but in the social and political organization of our society.”
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Fourier
www.wikipedia.org/Feminism 18.12.2013
2. http://www.marx-seura.kaapeli.fi uusi linkki 12.8.2018
3. https://www.skp.fi/asiakirjagalleria/kommunistisen-puolueen-manifesti 18.12.2013, 30.10.2013 Kommunistisen puolueen manifesti pdf.
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_Russia 30.10.2013
5.http://www.tulva.fi/blogi2.php?aid=116088 by Lauri Punamäki ja Emmi Vähäpassi 22.11.2013 Naisunionin pohdintaa miksi miesten pitäisi sallia liittyä feministiseen järjestöön 6.https://www.facebook.com/FEMEN.International 18.12.2013 Feminist organization fighting for human rights worldwide! Their breasts are their weapons. Originating from Ukraine making fierce action against patriarchy rule and exploitation of women.
7. https://www.bitchmedia.org/post/on-our-radar-feminist-news-roundup-82 21.11.2013News post by Arielle Yarwood fight is far from over, fight for women to have right to their bodies, right for abortion
8. https://womanstats.wordpress.com/?s=state+feminism 21.11.2013 woman stats project, Feminist blog/ column about state feminism in political use during Cultural Revolution in China
9.https://www.salon.com/2013/05/07/how_to_fold_a_thong_a_straight_man_working_at_victorias_secret/21.11.2013 article by Christopher Pilny for Salon
10. https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/05/topless-jihad-why-femen-is-right/275471/20.12.2013 by Jeffrey Taylor article of Femen demonstration in Belarus, demonstrators were kidnapped, tortured by secret police. 11.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirdwave_feminism 14.3.2014
Monument of revolution MANIFESTo.
Monument of revolution MANIFESTo.
1.1 Drawing a picture of a hammer.
1.2 DIY
1.3 Research method, diving in.
1.4. When facing death, it is difficult to dare.
1.5. GET RADICAL!
1.6. Self-evidently.
1.1 Drawing a picture of a hammer.
Picture of a burning car on a video in YouTube, burning flags and puppets are basic imagery of revolt, a riot on the street, people taking over streets. People holding images of arrested, jailed or dead activists and journalists, bankrolls with slogans, tape on someone’s mouth, posters, prints, spraying walls, events, interventions, fights, people throwing stones, destroying shops, banks, coffee houses, public spaces, spray cans on the roads, tear gas in the air, police wearing riot gear opposing rioters, masks, shields of the police, people holding hands in fists in anger shouting. It is thrilling taking up a space without permission becoming suspicious and dangerous to the status quo. Rioting is in a weird way normalised, idolised and expected in certain parts of the world where death is part of rioting and demonstrating. There is the criminality, class, politics, blame, us vs. them, hurt, death, demand and cry, feelings of powerlessness are obvious and needs are not met or will never be unless this unexpected happens and we show that we also have power. Power is there to be taken because it is not given like a birth right, power is to destroy this rule with what one has, the what one cannot have, possessions, statuses and places of ownership, power the show, money and what is the normal and destructive: the cars, shops, ordinary indifference and privileges which belong to the few. Something has caused a problem too big to tolerate and nothing is changing. The same circle of suffering and rot just goes on and on as does the riot and anger and news cameras are there. We are looking at this spectacle. Something must be done to provoke a move, a change, as we like to call it out, the inevitable change, a moving change, something else, something better and there is no alternative as alternatives tend to be scarce or beautiful ideas. There is the absolute of change that something happens all the time, will happen but what, and there is hope as long there is life a perfumed dream and strength to think for oneself, what is that.
Break a window to empower, burn a car, harass someone but who and what are the options for the change? How does one choose the targets, causes and whom to harass and in the name of what? Throwing a shoe can be effective in a way. What rebels we are and our opposition has weapons we don’t. To destroy, make a point, demonstrate, shout, be on a street, show anger, choose a side, make disturbance, create disaster and noise, a personal joyride when everything is possible for a moment or it is just out of necessity and fatigue. You are as powerful as you feel, you just have to think you are. Guidebook for becoming narcissist: you are what you want to be. Where does that lead, where does it come from, power and powerlessness or thinking there are no limits to what we can achieve and be? Revolution is also these personal barriers to be broken and be found in the first place; doing the unthinkable, causing loss and trouble for personal gain. The mayhem and its tools, grabbing them, feeling what you can do with them, thinking what you can do with them and what is a right thing to do. Means and methods that are available, possible, dangerous and forbidden to use wrongly (for right cause), causing stir and turmoil and spark to create new, something new but the same as always maybe. Revolutions tend to fall because of power-hungry hierarchical structuring of the palette. Could we give wisdom and communal togetherness to have a go? It may come afterwards but when and how, how does it work.. What is the smallest violent act, if there is such a thing, as we will be called haters if we disagree or raise our voices, troublemakers, gangsters, a mob, rioters..
Life without violence seems utopian in the light and dark entrepreneurial effort of man. We gain things by doing ill. The easiness is tempting. With killing we have made our civilisation and continue to do so. That is where prosperity lies and comes from. It is also one reason to make war: warring and destruction are lucrative. There is always hurt caused to someone by someone for something to gain and something to lose for someone, because we obviously cannot live without wanting and needing power over someone, without need of winning and feeling good for being powerful in comparison. Someone has to take leadership in hate and tyranny and very many like to be led by those who know what they are doing, at least look like they do know. What is true leadership then? Leading with fear? It is effective. Importance is everything, position and wealth. At the moment human rights issues and environmental problems are the basic, fundamental and colossal problems worldwide. To solve these complex problems lots have been done, but lots is yet to be done. It makes me feel inadequate, enraged and cynical, the image of leadership and what we are facing. Humbleness is not helping nor timidness. Evidence is clear and have been proved many times over people are exploiting this planet, animals and other people for few to live prosperously and leaving the most in poverty. It is intolerable, frustrating and angering. We cannot set long-term timetables to wait and see what happens. It would be a diplomatic way and has been so, to negotiate to solve major issues of ours
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like global warming, pollution, hunger, debt, wars, drug problem and mass misery and hopelessness. Treaties, punishments, raising awareness, diplomacy, settlements, soft measures are not working fast enough. Maybe most people don’t see the wall yet in to which we are driving or the wall is also for the least powerful.
1.2. DIY
I raise my hand and dare to speak my mind without fear of disapproval because I believe in what I have to say. My body doesn’t. It is sweating. Hesitated for a while, afraid to speak up (it is about things you have already heard many times and are probably tired of hearing again and again but I am for equal rights, human rights). Anxious feelings go through me, hands get sweaty, I try to be loud. Waiting to be brutally murdered by looks and counter arguments, disapproving snorts and cynicism or maybe silence. Oh, shut up. Afraid of failure. Yes, one can think but what can one say? As I see us living in democracy, enjoying it, embracing it, being proud of it for a good reason of course but yet again democracy is under serious threat and it was fought over. Democracy or what is left of it now is being molded by corporations. Proof of this is on papers (what is told, what is not, what interests people in mass scale and what not) and in landscapes what is being built for our eyes and amusement and for consuming purposes to serve one cause, making money. Permissions and legislations are made by politicians and public servants, who dictate what is allowed and what is not, what is lucrative and makes money fast is clearly number one option. In this regard we are totally under power of those who produce the world of goods and services and the idea of what we want to be and what we want. Markets are everything, marketing is all we must preserve do to survive and we must brand ourselves. That is what we are told to practice because we must do as the market tells us to: how to make money, how to be a success. But we are the market! We must live the business, know it, be the show and the presentation as we are dictated and shown how. How does powerlessness and unawareness manifest themself in everyday life is exactly this and how does it become to show is how we act or don’t act and why, what we like and like to imitate and consume: we are scared to be left out.
To some extent and in some situations, riots do have their place in making social change in a positive way. They are wake up calls and release of aggression, cause for action for the authorities. How do authorities calm things down and what happens afterwards?. All change should be considered change as we speak of change. When we speak of change it is for the positive. The word change has a positive tone, idealist which is to make the world a better place, as it already is much better than a hundred years ago what comes to poverty and inequality. It wouldn’t be this way without rioting. Turbulent riots make dramatic visual material for the news and for social media but they also test authorities and force change to happen. They are a show as well. For some riots are fun maybe depending where it happens as if they were part of culture, street culture. In Israel it is different from in London, but firstly they are desperate situations where alternatives to act otherwise are few or nonexistent. Cases when obedience is not functioning we must disobey. To understand birth mechanisms of rioting we have to understand situations of individuals, nations, emotions, lack of options and mental states and landscapes of people, different groups of people who trigger anger, action and counter action, setting to a full-scale violence and chaos is a total let-down and betrayal. Question is can revolution/social reform in most dire places come with unrest and by that way make needed positive change and peace? Can peace be achieved without violence? How far do we have to go to defend what is valuable and worth while preserving and achieving? It has been shown that life-threatening situations are effective, Greenpeace has proved it. Media focuses on such events.
Those in power like to keep their position any way possible which is one way to rule and is traditional, an old heavy manner of ruling with fear. What kind of situation it is to not have power at all and when does it boil over? Are we there yet? To be powerless without energy, unable to move, to think for oneself, not being allowed to be oneself, to express one’s ideas and have independence and autonomy over one’s own life? Society can be a monitoring and policing tool where no one is free. To what extent power is an illusion and what leads to having power? What would help people notice strengths they have politically? How do those who are underdogs and servants, those who are marginalized to position of having nothing but their hands, bodies and thoughts could
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make themselves be heard? Intuitive reaction in a situation of testing and proving power could be to bite and attack or humble oneself and take the given place, it is playing chess, a mind-game of manipulation. The one who mistreats you over and over again how does he get his power? Is ultimately thirst for absolute power a weakness?
We consuming citizens of the world led by economics, citizens of Finland and Europe living under economy and politics which fail us are also scared. We are afraid of losing what we have. Democracy probably is working part-time and partly not at all if corporations with more wealth than nations dictate the rules in the end? Isn’t that why economical downfalls affect us crushingly, we place all the bets on one entity in which we have all our faith and devotion, energy and trust. We think we know what is power and we get impressed by owning sizeable shiny things. We follow what corporations do, how they do, we imitate and adore them, how corporations profit and give credit, estimations, jobs, firings, graphs, calculations and let corporal CEOs give political advice, dictate what kind of images we see, how we must live and look like to succeed. We should be like monuments ourselves and if we are not we are losers. Media assists corporations in ruling the world very effectively, medias which are and are owned by large multinational corporations and billionaires. To make the most winnings and biggest numbers impress the most and make the headlines. This image begins to show what power is and where it lies.
To seek social change in the means of art, feminism, environmentalism and pacifism is a demanding task to take up, what does it mean art-wise? What kind of position artists take in the system one is supposed to work in? All those ideologies, feminism, environmentalism and pacifism are terribly hated. They threaten an order. It is a battle against patriarchal conservative biased greedy stagnant thoughts and needs. The opposition are bigoted power of money and circles of buddies. One is persistent to find nonviolent methods and understand meaning, tools and essence of nonviolence, difference between hurt and unhurt, can and should offence be avoided (hardly), what kind of behaviour is hurtful and try to avoid it but is it possible? It takes creativity, faith and character to fight nonviolently and believe it will be effective. To act violently is very direct and simple in comparison but it takes a cause as well. It requires psychological tools to evaluate violent behavior in oneself and others and act otherwise. It requires planning, knowing of the soft places to strike, self-criticism, self-reflection, knowing of the system and ways of thinking and will to change entire belief system of western civilisation, strike the illogical, hypocritical, unjust and relic which is held on to. To change is hard work and it demands one to know what is wrong. Violence verbally, mentally, socially, physically, environmentally, culturally happens like a rule, a pattern, and is very much a learned behaviour pattern and repetitive. Violence is credible. It is an everyday practice and very much approved survival game which we play to not get hurt ourselves. We are afraid of pain and ruled by mental violence and constant threat which guide us. Modern threats are displayed for us daily in media such as unemployment, homelessness, poverty, terrorism, pollution and immigration. Future is made to look like an unknown scary place, as it is, to which we go scared and probably unprepared. With this way of living it will be a scary place, no doubt. How do we confront the other, what is the difficulty in confronting oneself, deeds of ours, effects, consequences and the mighty unknown? What is the social platform where we can interact at, what is the game we must play, make, behave and like to call ours, what is life worth living and giving. What is the violent deed there is the assumption how people should live, image and expectation given by society, media, advertising, movies, cultural heritage and celebrity culture. Nonviolence means prohibiting and rejecting physical and mental hurt, torture and bullying. To make active living revolution is to act against tyranny and dictatorship.
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Write about it explosively, radically making inspirational working and lasting mental riot!
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1.3. Research method, diving in.
To seek information, I follow paths that are already there to learn what kinds of paths there are and what is possible, what is seen as impossible. What do I make of paths and thick bushes? What do I make of possibilities and the opposition? Answer is very clear that I search for a lot of things, originality and the new. I seek to find reasons why revolt happens and why it does not happen in a way that could reach the goals society and people need to find and more importantly what is stopping humanity of finding peace. I question why destitution still exists, which is the basic reason for turmoil, suffering and terror in the world. Poverty is wasting human resources. It is in the news every day. We here in Scandinavia live it through in images, in a different way but still, wars, disasters and miseries of the world continue. World of images shows itself before our eyes and it makes me feel powerless, angry, compassion and sadness come and go, to be indifferent might be the easiest way. Is there an end to all this wasting and what is the meaning of it? War in Syria for example. My current work leans much on information from articles and other sources I have found on the net. Internet is again an important key in making the world democratic and more equal and us hopefully more aware. It brings knowledge democratically and education within reach for millions of people in a way never before. This technological revolution which is ongoing and expanding is important in making people understand each other and understand our differences, similarities and possibilities, at least it is the hope. Why things happen as they do and what can be done differently is the biggest issue at hand.
Learnings about revolution, the idea and the history of revolutions made is a beginning for me to explore the subject as a present acute phenomenon. I am not forgetting the heavy past as it is impossible and too impressive not to learn from. I am grown into the idea of revolution and it being important as news and in this world as advertising. Ads do not let go of the word as it is exiting and always new. I lightly refer to some past revolutionary events in this collection and results of those several different attempts of changing static and unmoving state of things and minds: we are one result. An effort to understand the body of revolution as a whole, as a cultural and social phenomenon in time, I am interested in the individual experiences of making revolution, being part of it, being affected by it near and far, witnessing movements through media and living moments and images every day via cameras, the historical baggage there and what happens in social media and because of social media. Is that the event revolution, the beginning of social reform or just a show where participants are heroes? What happens there, what is the happening, what does it do in the end? Revolution is not something that is distant like it often shows to be, we choose it to be distant. We don’t necessarily want to be part of revolution, we like watching it. Revolution can be a garment to wear, a piece of clothing which makes the visual aspect of revolution owned and within reach. I am interested in revolution as an emotional happening, a sudden but continuous part of life, organic. It is a task and material which I do not want to limit nor border definitely. Revolution is a process as is this writing. What is the most important thing there to understand in change is the question and change within us all. What do we contribute? If I would concentrate on one particular revolution I would miss something which is not in this moment in this time my interest. Civil disobedience, breaking, hitting, hating, making a mess, expressing and finding new ways of looking, thinking and writing, what all that makes visually and what the visual makes of the world. Me
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using text in anarchic (what is the anarchy in it? the poems), experimental and unconventional ways in academic context is at the limits of approval. Is there anything new in revolution, the word and the event now? What does one think when hearing the word? Is it to find something new? Do revolutions all end up in fires, with bloodshed and disappointment? I resent making traditional report of results of having researched and found answers. The further I proceed the messier revolution the puzzle gets. I’m expecting it to expand and explode also in real life. Revolution, the concept and event can be used as a crown, which I personally am not fond of, What else can one do but hope and do the best one can. What is the best one can do? Is that what we are doing? Most importantly to whom is that best for? In order to achieve a profound and lasting change one needs to know what needs to be changed, what are the methods to put into action in everyday life, in one’s own life to improve oneself and life of others? How do I do my study of a change with the means I have got? How do I do revolution? Leaderless without cash, without resources? Measuring what is happening now, how to study the moment of now? Means which we have are many to know what change is all about, is there change at all can be analyzed in detail. We never live in stable world, change is emphasized and celebrated. We are seeking balance and calm, prosperity and security, comfort, ease and success. The failure of revolution is that the goal set remain as dreams and revolution a utopia.
Revolution is ecstasy and thrill, but it is also heavy work and duty. It is idealist and has a load of romanticism. When is revolution asks, when is a total turnover and end of the exploitative living going to be and happen, we talk about it. When is kindness of man going to happen at large-scale, unity of man, utopia of man and what is stopping understanding from happening, we imagine it and hold candles. To make an independent body of work which agitates, questions, demands and hopefully lights up creative forces of many is itself a romantic task. To set a revolution is a bold idea, unrealistic maybe, heroic kind of act, unforgiving, exhausting in its uncertainty. There are always people who say it won’t succeed but it is a sport. We don’t know unless we give it a try. It takes every cell of mine and lots of other people’s cells, brain cells, muscles to make. I do not wish revolution to become set of idols, icons and bold ideas turned into burned pictures, memories, sadness and ashes. Revolution (political) as a subject to study and an object is exactly that, ashes, blood and flesh. Revolutions tend to fall because of their need to place heroes on pedestals, make grand history and people’s need for power. There is the need to find powerful leaders to save honor, image and GDP. People seek to be saved and to be given promises to maintain hope for the future. What hope is in saving honor, setting statues and status? When will people save themselves and start the process of saving the earth? This equation I do not understand and yet it is plain obvious, the narcissism of man, hate of men and women. Why do we feel powerless and is the task of finding cure impossible?
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Feeling powerless? Revolution is monumental and gigantic ongoing desire for change and a burst of outrage and emotion which has been held back far too long. Monument is to honor something that has been lived, monument is to lift up someone heroic for us to worship, look up to. Monuments are static and posing up in the air, pompous and grande. Monument is dead and dark in the park, a hero made it. Revolution should never be carved in stone or cast in bronze, but still they very often are because leaders have to be remembered as something heroic who did good for the nation and its people. Party is over and it was a good party? What people choose to do with this moving political body and its heroes, with possibility of change, how well people see their possibilities and how does future open for them, with possibility of them in front of all the threats. Revolution is hopeful and hopefully sincere. Monuments and statues are for cities to look grander, history to look outstanding. Still I don’t wish monuments to be turned over and destroyed. Now more than ever in this world we need nonviolent radicalism, extremism and activism which are connected instantly to violence and unexpected results, results gained via hurt. It is possible to light up the whole globe with internet. -isms, ideologies which supposedly function for social and cultural change are of many kinds of wishes and needs which are to be stated what they are and whom they serve. Dangerous sounding, describing the dissidents as defiant, addressing forcefully dissenting opposition, promise of fearless action and never-give-up-the-battle-mentality and revolution dies under tribalism.
We need people to understand meanings and results of every action they make and what can be and should be stated, said and done. Biggest polluters and violators are ignorance, hatred, indifference, cruelty and greed, pure vanity, narcissism and selfishness. Best ways to make revolution is everybody to join and actually give a damn for others and this planet. People around the world take action, risk their lives for better future for issues they believe in. They are not criminals, they are our saviours. I demand revolution the event to move forward, us to realize and make revolution of minds and consciousness, on every social level globally. Revolution cannot be tomorrow, it is constant but how is it today since repetition is over? It cannot be just a celebration to remember, a party which happened yesterday and turned sour. It has to be now, everyday and for everybody, in every present moment, it has to be happening in a manner of never stopping and firstly it is about individual understanding of what one can do and must do. We have to breathe clean air of revolution and bright light of equal rights to keep us moving, daring, doing and living. I encourage people to think for themselves, not to be afraid of taking action to change the world of people and save the world of nature. Revolution which the whole world needs is attitude change and patterns of thinking kind of change. It is a learning process of equality and compassion. Could people be equal is an absurd question which humanity-wise should not be asked at all, but it turns out to be the foremost important goal to achieve since poverty is the biggest problem creator. We strive for inequality as we are not the same. My meaning is for the equal opportunities. There are many ways to be poor, some people don’t see their opportunities. Richest people seem to lack compassion, creativity and knowledge of what is possible and goes on in the world. What would rich people give up for revolution of equal opportunities? How rich can one be or should be? Do the wealthy feel themselves threatened by
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the poor wanting their share? Because of poverty people are enslaved, abused, exploited, kept uneducated and killed. Poverty is keeping rich enormously rich and counting their earnings. Poverty is serving those who have the most wealth as poor are desperate. To keep most people needy, unaware and begging can be a profitable situation. Most reasons for poverty to are corruption, poor education, lack of information, lack of possibilities, insufficient health care and welfare, traditions, class system, lack of options and means to rise above being poor.
How to end extreme poverty and why it has not ended already?
How to end poverty of mind and emotions?
How to give compassion room?
When is collective love going to happen? Why is it an illusion? Why is it naive?
What could collective love, caring and sharing be globally and locally? How could compassion be taught and kindness be appreciated?
1.4. When facing death, it is difficult to dare.
Being nothing in the eyes of the establishment, facing constant abuse, contempt, brutality and violence, oppression, hatred which goes on and on. A long list of things that have happened are evil. Civil wars, uprisings, ethnical problematic and conflicts, intolerance, prejudices, ignorance, indifference like a fast train. Tactics of a small individual are many, small and/or great. When will they dare, when will we, when will I? Crimes against that small individual are too many, I see it. To explore imagery especially of protests of today, there are violent clashes with police, fences and barriers built, surroundings in concrete, pressuring environment which is made for mass consumption is our jail. Then there is no protest, there is no mass awakening when there is comfort. There is paralysis, acceptance and indifference for what goes on around as long as it does not touch your door. Suffering and injustices which make news near and far hit my door. How can I think a revolution which would make something drastic happen, a collective lasting awakening? What kind of viewpoints would I take if any other than practicing kindness (but kindness is a weakness and a soft measure). Resulting kindness? Are there better points of views to see this? Stubborn intuitive attempt, going round in circles trying to find answers and words, experimenting and learning what are the things keeping our world from working and functioning as it should, for one as dividing us and for second making our place of paradise something else.
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Why revolution is necessary, what needs to be done individually.
Could billions of individuals work together and when they do, what do they do together? Meaning of information, mass gatherings, intensity of feelings and work which can lead to constructive restructuring results in terms of benefitting human rights and caring for the environment reaching everyone on this earth, to tell that we cannot continue living as we do. It is always what to do? It means everybody gets the same information, has the same goal, know what they are doing, what are the consequences, what happens now and in the future.
I practice creative writing to send message through. My study is unscientific in a hard way because I try to innovate although everything is hanging on to the old and what has been said many times over. I write how I have experienced things happen. My experiences and interpretations are evidence which can be argued as my idealism. I bang the walls of those who are deaf and blind or just ignorant. As an artist I create meaningful imagery. I very much dislike to speak with someone else’s mouth, so it is mostly mine. It can be called artistic research which is what artist does every living moment. I do research to search for meaningfulness, understanding and the unknown, understanding of how, why and what. Research does not stop at some point, it does not necessarily lean on already existing research, results and evidence. I have made conscious decision not to analyze any of those obvious choices, philosophers who have contributed much and have been analyzed over and over. It is not my intention to step over but to find alternative paths. How valid artistic research is, how much lies on imagination and faith and how much of useful knowledge can be found and for what use. We change the world now in a tough way via obvious mistakes, many already done, me asking why this lack of wisdom exists, even though the evidence is there that things are going wrong. Why practices of greed prevail? Are there soft ways to make revolution? It requires sacrifices and dedication and still I think we are going to crash. Attitude changes take an immense amount of learning, energy and time. How much time do we have? Changing thinking patterns which spring out from education, religions, superstitions, traditions, group dynamics, grouping, money-making machinery, social structures and assumptions are biggest challenges of mankind. How do we beat nature of ours? Learning to think differently, appreciate difference; How do we do that? Who is leading us and why?
1.5. GET RADICAL!
Foucault writes in his text What is Enlightenment [1.] about dangers of radicalism. He writes: All projects that claim to be global and radical must be turned away from. This strange sentence caught my eye and I understand it springs out from the deeds of Hitler, Mao, Stalin, Cold War, atom bombs, the time during and after World Wars 1 and 2, Vietnam War, horrors in Kampuchea and Pol Pot et cetera et cetera. It
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is a terrible list of hellish radical terrors within short period of time in human history. I become to exist and think through and out from images of that list. Atrocities that have happened in history anywhere far and close are also history of mine as they are in my mind. Foucault continues thinking about concept of Humanism and usage of the idea of Humanism in many contexts as broadly as Humanism is vast, complicated and wide. National Socialists called themselves Humanists as well as Stalinists. Humanism is a set of themes, ideas, frames, things opposing too diverse to be set to serve one ideology, to serve ideas of one belief system. Humanism should not be thought as a readymade as it has been misused to glorify needs to rule as certain kind of human, specific, superior, to put those who differ in tight leash and place them below or that in the name of humanism bad things do not happen. One question is, is their rejection of Humanism in denying difference. Don’t we end up rejecting ourselves by setting strict frames Humanity-wise? Humanism, which sounds good, is good, embracing and smiling used by political and religious ideologies to make narrow perspectives to Humanity reigning social system is against the idea of peaceful, thoughtful, diverse Humanism, human. Idea of Humanism is an ideal, but what is the right answer. Humanism can be philosophical and empathetic way to do good, pass good, put good on our ways, decent and desirable deeds and thoughts into the world. It is also a utopia of a perfect being and part of Humanism is evidently the ill people do, which must not be denied nor forgotten. Therefore to say someone is a Humanist (Humanitarian) and mean only the good of it like glory, taking only the defined good of being human is to think of human good on level of material possession and in a way something is missing of the human. To have Humanism the concept in use for one’s own good is very common, hypocritical, cruel, selfish and denying the facts of our nature, but yet it is very humane to seek one’s own benefit. Desire of Humanism to serve only one entity has similarities with idea of polishing the silver and gazing at one’s reflection on that bright surface. To deny animal in us, ape that has not got place in us because we are full humans. To understand human is partly to understand the instinct level of an ape.
To get radical, a call for global revolution and movement and Foucault’s puzzling request for abstention from getting globally radical are clashes of times, genders, needs, fears and conceptions. Foucault’s philosophy comes from altogether different time that we live now and yet from continuation of same Western heritage which we share. It is intriguing to think through how radicalism should be executed, it has to be carefully thought even I cherish anarchist action in its vitality,
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impulsiveness and chaotic rioting. I personally think radical is something we must be, invent, live and practice. Radicalism is global already with help of internet and devises which make spreading information and activism happen quickly and efficiently. To be radical does not mean physical and mental violence though it is to provoke and act beyond limits. What could radical mean for any individual is very personal issue and question. In this conformity and weirdness we live and like to have to be radical is easy and yet not. We like to keep our seeming comfort and look radical, edgy. There are plenty of examples of nonviolent radical activism which has made drastic difference during this decade. Feminist action organization Femen is one example, radical feminism and Suffrage movement as well. They inspire me. There is always an absolute necessity for attitude change to happen and it possibly takes generations to happen since our attitudes are rooted into us.
1.6. Self-evidently.
To make a change means putting oneself in service of mankind, there also has to be that personal aspect to make a lasting change and desire for change. To give my all to a cause because the cause is mine. It is a sacrifice and a gift, a dead-end or suicide at least it may feel like so. It is not to lose life but have a new beginning and it is living in a wise and unwise way. To play it safe is what happens now throughout all society. To experiment taking risks is not always wise but it can be necessary. It does not mean there would not be mistakes. There essentially has to be errors, learning, giving up something, stopping, understanding and never giving up. Pain and emotions one cannot endure result rage. Radicalism is fiercely emotional and intellectual effort to comprehend life and bring understanding, it is thinking through options. Radicalism happens after comprehending it is the only way. It is enlightenment. Body and mind of profound understanding and making life, not taking it.
- Paul, Rabinow, Foucault Reader, Pantheon Books, New York, 1984
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Random list of revolutionary acts
Gandhi led non-cooperation movement 1920 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-cooperation_movement
Sioux uprising in Minnesota 1862 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_War_of_1862
Kronstadt rebellion 1921 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kronstadt_rebellion
Battle of Blair Mountain 1921 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Blair_Mountain
Suffragette movement 1903 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffragette
Feminist revolution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_feminism
Love Revolution
July Revolution, French Revolution of 1830 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_Revolution
Velvet Revolution 1989 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velvet_Revolution
Orange Revolution 2004-05 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Revolution
Mexican Revolution 1910-20 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Revolution
Great October Socialist Revolution 1917 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_Revolution
Consumer Revolution
High Tech Revolution
Walking Revolution https://vimeo.com/65986201
Uprising 8888 Revolution 1988 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8888_Uprising
Green Forest Rebellion, Red Eyebrow Army https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lulin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Eyebrows
Nicaraguan Revolution 1962-90 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaraguan_Revolution
Saffron Revolution 2007 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saffron_Revolution
Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian Singing revolution 1987-91 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_Revolution
Syrian Coup d’état 1954, -61, -63, -66 and 1970 Syrian Corrective Revolution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_coup_d%27état
White Revolution 1963- 78 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Revolution
Carnation Revolution 1974 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnation_Revolution
Tulip Revolution 2005 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip_Revolution
Rose Revolution 2003 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Revolution
Yellow Revolution 1986 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_Power_Revolution
Gender Revolution
Sexual Revolution
The First Intifada 1987-91 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Intifada
fall of the Berlin wall 1989 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Wall
Moldavian Revolution 1848 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moldavian_Revolution_of_1848
French Revolution 1789-99 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolution
Satsuma Revolution 1868 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_Restoration
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_revolutions_and_rebellions