The aesthetics of ideology

sadmanbarty

Well-known member
when sizzle and capleton are violent (sonically and lyrically) it’s more compelling than other dancehall violence because it’s emanating from the searing radiance of ideology
 

sadmanbarty

Well-known member
Before Iraq, I’m sure the left’s main grievance against Blair was an aesthetic one. He was doing lots of wealth redistribution and government spending, but he wasn’t wearing an anorak singing keep the red flag flying with a bunch of miners
 

sadmanbarty

Well-known member
Politics acts as a surrogate transcendent framing. fans of the clash or Bob Dylan or John Lennon are too squeamish about religion or the spiritual, but obviously art needs to have some degree of reaching to Sonething higher.

Notions of revolution or socialism or whatever become that higher plane or more accurately unsuccessfully attempt to.
 

luka

Well-known member
doesn't this rely on the conflation of religion and ideology? Is that a permissible move?
 

luka

Well-known member
My feeling is that it is not. As for Blair, you might be underestimating how ambitious the Left's project is/was. Whether you consider that project to be realistic or not is another issue. The aesthetics of Blairism are very interesting though and were picked over in detail at the time. The slight creep of estuarine English. The "call me Tony." The electric guitar. The shirt sleeves. The chinos.

I'm sure Craner can tell you all about it. He would have been paying closer attention.
 

luka

Well-known member
I think Babylon is a hugely potent word, the idea that this reign of tyranny will end, the forces of oppression will be overcome and routed, and Jerusalem will be built again. This is hugely rousing and speaks to something eternal in the, ah, 'human breast.'

The affirmation of hope. The refusal to allow injustice and oppression to be naturalised and normalised. To keep saying, to keep reminding ourselves, that this is violence and can only maintain itself by violence, is entirely dependent upon violence. All this stuff is essential if we are to remain human. Which is why that '70s roots reggae is so powerful. It keeps the heart-coal burning.
 
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luka

Well-known member
And by using the word Babylon you don't make the mistake of identifying the enemy with capitalism alone but link it back to every other structure of oppression founded and sustained by violence from now back into the mists of time.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
Before Iraq, I’m sure the left’s main grievance against Blair was an aesthetic one. He was doing lots of wealth redistribution and government spending, but he wasn’t wearing an anorak singing keep the red flag flying with a bunch of miners

Yeah, a very common criticism was that he was "slick" - the implication that being media-savvy and presentable was indicative of moral and ideological deficiency in itself.

And now we've got this:

twat.jpg

who is, if anything, an even more expert media manipulator than Blair, because his "bumbling" persona has fooled an awful lot of people into thinking he's fundamentally trustworthy, despite being egregiously dishonest even as politicians go.

Corbyn's scruffiness can be seen similarly, as a sort of badge of authenticity.
 

luka

Well-known member
What was that thread where I didn't call Craner a white supremacist? Can anyone remember?
 

luka

Well-known member
Barty you don't spend nearly enough time on Twitter so you're probably unfamiliar with the young and youngish people, often American, posting pictures of things like the great European cathedrals, or late rennassaince sculpture. As a (crude, kitsch) way to avow the superiority of Western culture.
 

luka

Well-known member
This is tied in with young people like sabissky(?) who pretend to be trad Catholics or orthodox in whatever way. Pretend that such a stance is possible let alone desirable
 

sadmanbarty

Well-known member
Barty you don't spend nearly enough time on Twitter so you're probably unfamiliar with the young and youngish people, often American, posting pictures of things like the great European cathedrals, or late rennassaince sculpture. As a (crude, kitsch) way to avow the superiority of Western culture.

there's a whole neo-classicism in reactionary politics.

bannon wanted to set up gladiator schools. apparently 'sparta' was his computer password once.

also have the spartans in the erg.

then you've got isis' dabiq eschatology calling the americans romans.
 

luka

Well-known member
That's right. I was alluding to it on the killer sneeze thread with my brilliant visual essay.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
Barty you don't spend nearly enough time on Twitter so you're probably unfamiliar with the young and youngish people, often American, posting pictures of things like the great European cathedrals, or late rennassaince sculpture. As a (crude, kitsch) way to avow the superiority of Western culture.

Not to mention the fetish for all things knightly, chivalrous and Crusade-y. Deus vult, thou infidel dog!
 
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