Last month I was fortunate enough to see a marvellously humble and modest little play, tackling one of the oldest societal issues of our collective human history.
A Musical, no less.
The story of a young Jewish guy from Jerusalem called Uri who moved to London was performed live at God’s House Tower in Southampton.
Please feel free to read my review or even hear from the man himself in an interview.
I am hearing this phrase more and more on social media. It is normally used as a rebuke of someone’s argument but what does it actually mean?
Well, in order to fully understand the context of the comment, you have to first understand what a ‘Baby Boomer’ is:
“Baby boomers” (also known as boomers) are the demographic cohort following the Silent Generation and preceding Generation X. The Baby Boom generation is most often defined as those individuals born between 1946 and 1964″.(Source Wiki)
So basically, a Boomer is someone from an early generation where it was possible to capitalise in an earlier socio-economic period of history. Presumably, such wealth was accrued from opportunities generated by unregulated markets and the vast wholesale of state-funded assets, or even infrastructure. Much like how British Thatcherism continuously promoted privatisation of areas in social infrastructure once nationalised, run by the state and funded by the taxpayer for free and easy use to all citizens. ( The same can arguably be said about the Regan governments in 1980s USA.)
Either way, in a social climate with an ongoing austerity agenda, the borderline resentment generated from Millenials and younger could be due to a lack of continuity in social opportunities from former times. Or what you might call not ‘passing down’ to the next generations.
This comedy sketch from Saturday Night Live explains the sentiment quite successfully (even if from a satirical stance):
The premise presented here is that the earlier generations of Baby Boomers had some form of privilege over younger generations accrued by a vastly richer financial landscape. I am sure this acclimation would be countered by Boomers with the argument that people of an earlier generation are successful because they ‘worked for it’. Yet there is an undeniable realisation that opportunities of previous years are no longer available. In this current time of western history, many former workers rights and protection are no longer acknowledged: The very nature of zero-hours testifies to this. With ongoing austerity cuts, state-funded opportunities are no longer present. There are parallels examples in both the USA, UK and probably other western regions.
This famous quote from Socrates makes a lot of sense here:
“The saying that the greatness of a society is achieved when old men plant trees whose shade they may not make use of… is indicative of the unselfish character of the society.
A society becomes great when the people become responsible and unselfish. “
(Source-EnglishforStudents)
For a less ‘ready’ explanation, the Ricky Gervais radio show provides the same sentiment about 1 minute 50 seconds into the opening conversation:
The metaphor of the tree planting in the OK Boomer scenario can almost represent the lack of future planning for future generations to reap the benefit of opportunities, be it financial or otherwise. Almost like how the Baby Boomers enjoyed the fruits of the trees of their time but failed to plant ‘financial trees’ in the form of states funded initiatives or bursaries, anything from student loans, weekly family allowance or even guaranteed secure jobs with wages that match inflation.
Conclusion
So in a sense, when someone writes ‘Ok Boomer’, it could quite possibly carry resentment towards the ‘greed’ or self-centred nature of former generations that still enjoy the privilege of wealth and luxury, while young people are denied the opportunity to work for similar achievement in their lifetime. More than likely the term is simply used as reactionary meaningless rhetoric: A trend in street slang, with any additional meaning, lost or unnoticed. However, the potential cultural implications of such use could very well carry a growing resentment of the wealth driven inequality that ongoing commodity fetishism generates. In time, for younger generations deprived of financial opportunities in the future, it could become a symbolic rebuke of former generations disregard for the very society Socrates talks of in the above clip.
My recent trip to New York for five days could not have been more action-packed.
To even entertain any hope of seeing all I wanted to see, meant staying on the island of Manhatten. A lot slipped through my fingers but visiting Van Gogh’s Starry Night’ was high up. I am glad to report that I made it.
I was even more pleasantly surprised from seeing what else the MoMA had to offer.
There was:
Salvador Dali
Frida Kahlo
Gustav Klimt
A whole room for Monet
Andy Warhol
Jackson Pollock
Picasso
These Russian wartime propaganda posters reminded me of the posters for the V for Vendetta film.
There were also amazing views of Manhatten avenues leading up to Times Square.
For those unfamiliar with the concept; memes are often some form of visual documents acting in a viral behaviour or style. They are often handmade and arrive in a random or spontaneous form, kind of like opinionated artwork that reacts to a major event or trend in pop-culture. It goes without saying that they can be considered a form of expression, perhaps to the extent of how Graffiti is created.
More importantly, they have been well documented as a means of social interaction that uses a narrative helping to carry with it a form of popular critique amongst those initiated within a certain social group or demographic. Sometimes these messages might have a discreet or coded form of communications similar to Basil Bernstein’s [1971] restricted or elaborated code.
Dependent on the subject matter, they can be an easy way to send an important message ( to the right audience).
The best way to answer this is to use an example of a successful ongoing Meme:
Drake’s Hotline Bling music video as seen above.
This meme has been around for a while now. Although the specific visual imagery is obviously taken from a Drake;s 2016 ‘Hotline Bling’ music video: The structure can be extrapolated and used as an external narrative with its own context.
For a further explanation hear the Director of the video explain further here.
The way Memes are constructed often using a familiar structure. In the example of the Drake Meme, certain images were used from a dance sequence in the video. Presumably, because the relevant stages of the sequence contained strong contrasting or opposing positions, they combined to make what is called in photography; a juxtaposition.
Creators of the meme have used this juxtaposition to carry others forms of narrative when taken out of context and provided with a new meaning. Images alone taken from the video cannot provide a context outside of the intended original purpose i.e. Drake dancing in a room. However, when combined with other factors, often carrying a subtext that helps form an external agenda; it changes the entire context of the sequence.
In the world of Semiotics, this action would be considering moving from a denotative to a connotative meaning. (Roland Barthes [1966 ]). The unfiltered Drake video was the denotative (original) meaning and the same sequences used in a meme with additional words is the connotative ( new) meaning. Barthes sometimes referred to a third stage, an entirely new area of visual suggestions that he called ‘Myth’. This was the combination of both denotative and connotative meaning but became something bigger.
A classic example of this is how a Red Rose flower has been used so much over the years in advertising and promotions by Florists, it has become a symbol of Valentines Day. Now, when you see a Red Rose, it carries a connotative meaning of Romance. Rather than the true denotative meaning – a literal flower. Now, when people see a Red Rose it can take people’s perception straight to the idea of romance ( or even more). This is what Barthes referred to as ‘Myth’ because a flower is not exactly love or sex. Neither is an image of one, it is just contained in our minds as an understanding.
This ‘understanding’ is an external context with its own agenda that eventually becomes synonymous with the image.
With so many Memes using images from Drake’s video, the actual images of Drake himself has now become understandable more popular as it is also well known. The more an image is used, the more recognised it becomes, carrying the additional meaning of the various memes. It gathers a new meaning and creates a myth that is carried along with the Meme. Thanks to Memes, Myth today is almost a form of speech.
Memes have been known to carry such a strong message that they can also be used to coordinate and rally political support and unity in certain. Whilst the true effect of influence is difficult to measure in ‘adult’ politics. Rather worryingly, they played a large part amongst the varied circumstances that led to the success of the 2016 Trump campaign. Politico magazine wrote an interesting article about the Meme Wars that supposedly went on in the 2016 presidential Trump campaign.
Hence why we, the people need to ‘Seize the memes of production’.
So last Sunday night in Orange Rooms was special. For those that don’t know it; Orange is the jewel of Southampton’s prestigious Bedford Place crown. When you head there, you expect the usual hustle, bustle and dancefloor antics but tonight really felt a little bit different.
Seeing a stage full of hip hop performers as you walk through the doors is not unique or unexpected in Orange Rooms or even Southampton. However, the live spectacle of creative energy on display tonight would likely be a first time experience for anyone. The interaction of Live art London painting a canvas to music in motion with seamstress Ieva Poriete sat at the sewing machine, plugging away, singing to the lyrics and dancing along to the music, is a very unique and entertaining tour de force. Musical accompaniment comes in the form of several upcoming local music artists like Shannon Baker and Daniel Eagle all contributing to the Riskology Karma album launch. It was this impromptu choreography that had me thinking I had walked into a music video being filmed live. Indeed, there were camera crew to support this theory.
However, on closer inspection after a conversation with the night’s promoter, Mr J Fashole the event operated on a deeper artistic level.
So the artist painting the canvas has the medical condition synesthesia, where the person can see noise in colours and thus reconstructs this sensation in a visual, artistic context. Then the seamstress takes the content of that canvas and expresses it in the form of clothing. The process resting as a backdrop amid the live music is entertaining enough but as the event goes on, the synchronicity of the varying mediums of art begins to combine into some sort of cathartic circus. At first seemingly chaotic and divided but coming together to work under one huge narrative of expression.
I would say this effort gives Orange Rooms an almost bohemian glow tonight, slowly acquiring their own Arthouse credentials that will put them up there with… well, the Arthouse.
Disclaimer: The soundtrack to the video above was not a live recording from the album launch and added from Riskology’s Soundcloud, due to technical difficulties recording live.
Recently I have noticed two separate incidents of mindless vandalism against public displays of art.
Both within a relatively short time.
Both within an even shorter distance.
The new ‘cultural quarter of Southampton‘ has been host to many examples of art and music and even increasingly more so since the completion of the million pound NST theatre complex.
Even before the arrival of homogeneous mainstream food franchises masquerading as symbolic multi-culturalism… There has always been a naturally occurring homegrown bohemia in the form of local businesses like Belgium & Blues and Mango. But none more dedicated to the truly artistic idiom than the Art House.
Somewhere along the story, the corporate franchises, local businesses, the council and the will of Southampton’s artistic community joined forces and made something wonderful.
The conclusion to this is that many good things now happen in Southampton, in the name of ‘art’.
Now, to my point: Over the last week or so, I have seen two incidents of seemingly mindless destruction of inoffensive artwork.
EXHIBIT A:
The panel painted on the wall outside the Art House seems to have incited unwarranted destruction from some angry philistine:
EXHIBIT B
These cheerful patrons were minding their own business.
Were they mouthing off?
Or were they looking at somebody the wrong way?
Years ago our multi-colourful rhino trail took a bit of a battering too.
I am not saying Southampton high street is without any history of drunken anti social behavior. That would just be ridiculous but in the rise of the new cultural dawn… here we see elements of philistine mentality.
It is far too early to say but at the risk of sounding dramatic, continued destruction of public artworks.. is perhaps an early warning sign of of the rising tide of fascism?
Or just the usual Friday night piss head taking out their frustrations on something they don’t understand?
OR…. (*Spoilers* -cliche ahead) .. BOTH!?
[*Photos courtesy of Dave Hubble and Cat Eliza T )
I have always been a huge fan of poetry; reading and writing from a young age. Eventually, I moved onto songwriting and the lyrics of Hendrix, Dylan or the Beatles replaced Larkin, Yeats and Allan Ahlberg for profound, metaphorical needs.
However, there are some classic poems out there that safely capture the wisdom of the ages on paper.
1.Pablo Neruda – ‘How long?’
I loved this poem since the first time I read it in my early 20s. It sums up the hypocrisy of society and pointless ritual of diplomacy that a young man challenges when first going out and learning how the world works. I wish I had listened to the pallbearers back in then though.
2. DH Lawrence – ‘Song of a man who is not loved’.
A perfectly succinct but dangerously truthful explanation of how it feels to be lonely and unloved, for those that really do feel like they are outside the realm of happiness.
Lawrence’s antidotal bookend poem ‘Song of a man who is loved’ makes an effort to show the other side but it is not nearly as powerful or haunting in my opinion.
3. W.B. Yeats – ‘He wishes for the cloths of heaven’
An absolute classic, short sweet and perfect prose in every way; semantics, linguistics, rhythm. The final verse brought to life by Sean Bean in Equilibrium:
4. Allen Ginsburg – ‘A Supermarket in California’
Arguably the first postmodern prose ( never argue about postmodernity, someone always has different ideas). The poem really captures that all day drinking, in your early 20s/ optimistically ‘follow the night and see where you end up’ vibe well.
If you aren’t familiar with Walt Whitman, you might know him as ‘Uncle Walt’ from the immortal ‘O’captain, my captain’ line in Dead Poets Society:
5. Philip Larkin – ‘This be the verse’
Agonistic teenage rebellion coated with Larkin’s own middle-aged lethargic nihilism. The lyrics are true to any family if only uttered under the breath of the subconscious. It was also one of his rare ‘upbeat’ poetic works, hidden amongst his a-typically passively descriptive back catalogue.
6. Dylan Thomas – ‘Do not go gentle’.
This poem to literature is likened to what Nietzsche’s ‘ Twilight of the Idols’ is to philosophy. The struggle of life and survival is laid out bare for all to see and understand. Every verse of this immortal poem reflects a stage in a lifetime, offering some contribution of comfort to it too.
‘Death shall have no dominion; is also a great effort from the man who managed to offer lyrics that are remarkably comforting around the balance of nature but yet remain consistently defiant of it.
So there you have it! My Two ( or Six ) cents in the matter of poetry,. I write my own too so feel fee to stop over on my other blog and have a read.
OK. So it’s been a few months since I’ve posted but now is good a time as any because I get to introduce the talented illustrations of Mike Brown, all thanks to his spanking new website ( available here).
Mike has been writing, performing and generally living music, art and culture for years. Browners has been running and playing live music events for nearly a decade now. He also does the illustrations for them, hence why he now has a website. The latest event is held weekly and you can attend here in Southampton.
Incidentally, if you are ever looking for free live music in Southampton then please feel free to join the local community group on Facebook.
SO went to the Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre to review ‘SPAMALOT’ [the new musical ‘lovingly ripped off’ of Monty Python and the Holy Grail ] yesterday .I took my dad as my plus one.
We both enjoyed it and I realised how long it has been since I went to the Mayflower ( 1995, i think).
I enjoyed the production , mainly for its dedicated Pythonesque elements as opposed to the musical parts but all in all a fun tine with, involuntary, unsolicited laughter.
I am not a huge fan of musicals, having attended and failed a Theatre Studies A-Level at Tauntons College almost twenty years ago but this one had a decent balance , may even consider heading back to Mayflower if something similar comes up.
I think I mainly enjoyed gong to see a show with my dad , actually.
Anyways, here said review . .http://onthescenemag.co.uk/spamalot-pythonesque-spirit-throughout-whole-production
The review even got a Retweet from cast member Richard Meek.
Rant &Rave 