01-16-19
“For if I tell you that this would be a disobedience to a divine command, and therefore that I cannot hold my tongue, you will not believe me serious; and if I say again that the greatest good of man is daily to converse about virtue, and all that concerning which you hear me examining myself and others, and the life which is unexamined is not worth living” -Socrates
This song has a similar feeling to the very first one we started with: The Klaxons “Magik.” The energy has always confused me—it’s not the sound of the songs themselves, but rather the energy they create within me.
This song was used as the opening title song for a BBC show called Misfits. Regarding the show itself, the song was perfect; the concept of echoes being aspects of ourselves but only a shade, it resonated with what the show was trying to produce. Even before the show, it was creating nearly identical sentiment within me already.
When preparing for this week, I would listen to this song, and I kept seeing the works of Jean Michael Basquiat. His neo-expressionist abstractionist pieces that redefined modern expressionism. If you know me, you may know that I’ve never been a massive fan of expressionism, or anything needing a myriad of modifiers; but just like many, I am always moved by Basquiat’s work. Truthfully, I had always been attracted to Basquiat because he would paint in suits that were thousands of dollars, doing so in the act of rebellion to the capitalist society that allowed him to do so. His works were focused on “suggestive dichotomies,” using social commentary to springboard to more profound truths about the individual… I would like to say this is the intent of every artist, but it’s likely not.
While listening to Echoes, and reliving my early education of neo-expressionism, I was struck with an overwhelming frustration with… well lots of things, but mainly the continued let down that are our leaders. This frustration is not limited to any single person or group, but at our culture as a collective. We have grown to a point where we need someone/something to victimize so that we can continue to feel superior. Unfortunately, in this pursuit, we have made a very complicated existence into a “black and white” situation.
I am tired of turning on the TV and hearing about another “black” person being shot, or how “black” lives matter, when there are more colors of the rainbow being impacted. I don’t believe for one second that any person of color is foolish enough to believe they are the only failed minority in this country, and at the same time the issue has been made into a two-sided debate while countless brown, yellow, red, or whatever another color person is made to choose between “white” and “black.” “Brown” children being put into cages has been the only thing to equally pique the media’s interest.
I am not saying that “white” people are bad, I’m not saying any single person is bad… People can be awful, and the power system that has been in place… well forever, that’s fucking awful. I have no suggestions, I have no solutions, I only have frustrations that I live in a country where headlines like “man with no outstanding warrants mistakenly shot in his own home,” are familiar. It’s no longer enough to be vigilant while out in the working world, but now we (read: people of color) have to be vigilant even in our own homes.
Lyrics:
The city breathing
The people churning
The conversating
The price is what?
The conversating
This place is heaven
I put on lipstick
The price is what?
Life makes echoes
If you see them
Life makes echoes
Come together
Come together
Come together
Come together
Saint