The Bespectacled Spectale, Ch. 1

Well, in France you have a society of "the Spectacle."   I think we all from around these hear parts are a bit too myopic to understand what is going on.  Maybe we should put on our glasses and watch a movie.

So lets start with the movie "Call it Sleep"

See its explained to little old me that "the Spectacle" refers to modern culture and the media.   Media culture is always trying to convince us that its problems represent the end of the world--as a way to further increase its powerful grip on us.

Here is what the narrator of "Call it Sleep" recounts.   Of course, this may not be entirely accurate.  See, in addition to myopic, I am a wee hard of hearing:

"Even as the Spectacle increasingly manifests the toxic basis of its own existence, it continues to create new conditions which further insult and assault the Spectator.  The Spectator is forced to speak of this sorry state of affairs which it attributes to various marginal factors.   For example:  criminals, unforeseeable environmental mishaps, the occasional incompetent official, assorted lunatic dictators.  And not surprisingly, the Spectacle has learned to exploit its own decomposition.

The Spectacle terrorizes whole populations with images of impending cataclysm, which it maintains will only be avoided by greater adherence to power.  

In all of this, the Spectator's approval is essential.   Today we find him busily acclimatizing himself to the horror that he finds all around.   Like slaves have always done, the spectator finds ways to rationalize his own punishment, he discovers commodities which insulate him from his own misery--even as he poisons world views which justify totalitarianism--even as they stupefy him.  Occupations which glory sacrifice--even as they mutilate his mind and body.   The more the Spectator acquiesces more abusive power is thrown on him.  New horrors are creating pointing the way to the ultimate yet unrealizable dream of power. 

The Spectacle is the direct heir of philosophy.   It seeks to rationalize all life to render it controllable by power.   It its struggle bureaucracy is the pragmatic organizational arm, and science its front.  The unification of these two aspects of science and information is total control."

In some ways I don't doubt the far reaching control of the Spectacle, of mass media, of images and ideas.  All you have to do is watch an evening of FOX News or MSNBC and you will hear on a nightly basis the prognosis of doom.   But its not like there is a great deal of social unrest in this county.   Most people would not even think about it--even all the Occupiers have all gone home.  Most have too much at stake, too much in play.   What other system is there?  What is the alternative?   What must be done?

A day in Hollywood/A night in the Ukraine.   The Uge goes to a retirement party and helps and old friend's relative maybe get a job.   The uge goes to a fundraiser for a dying woman and listens to music.  The uge rides a metric century.  The uge continues to drink too much wine, waiting for it all to run out.