Director of the Qatsi Trilogy (Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi, and Naqoyqatsi) conveying a Jacques Ellul-inspired vision of technology as part of the Stock Exchange of Visions project:
You can obey the Word of God, tremble before the Hand of God, and bask in the Glory of God.
Now you can subscribe to the Tweet of God:
By Spectacle standards, God's keeping pretty good company up there with the likes of Oprah and Lance - although He does come in last in the list of notable twits. . .
John T. Elson, former religion editor of Time Magazine and author of the famous 1966 cover article "Is God Dead?", died on September 7th at the age of 78.
The controversial issue was introduced to a shocked public a couple of months before I was born. Here I am one year later after carefully reading the article and considering its momentous implications:
Kidding! I probably wouldn't have looked that happy after reading it. But the article was destined to resurface later in my life. The cover has been featured for many years at the end of our video The Madman, a treatment of Nietzsche's well-known parable by that name, in which he announced to his equally shocked 1880's contemporaries that "God is dead, and we have killed him."
It is, in my opinion, to Nietzsche's and Elson's credit that their musings on the loss of spiritual faith in our technologized, consumerist world continue to piss off some yet inspire others who share their lament and struggle to achieve a genuine experience of the sacred amidst the Spectacle's continuous assault on the conditions and sensibilities that make true spirituality possible.
Mike and I encounter this struggle and engage in this debate every time we perform The Madman, and are indebted to Nietzsche and people like Elson who seriously address what we consider to be one of the most important issues of our time.
For information on Elson and a link to his article, see his New York Times obituary notice. Special thanks to Dina Nadelhaft for bringing it to my attention.
How do you get to Lincoln Center? Practice, practice, practice...
How do you get to Fordham University, Lincoln Center? Get invited to perform at the International Conference of the Institute of General Semantics:
The performance will be part of a three-day event from September 11-13 exploring and celebrating the world of general semantics, a system/discipline created by Alfred Korzybski that sets its sights on the renewal of sanity within our society. Friday night September 11th will feature the 57th Annual Alfred Korzybski Memorial Lecture, presented by cultural anthropologist Mary Catherine Bateson. And following our show on Saturday the 12th will be a special performance by John Watts, formerly of the band Fischer-Z.
Registration for the conference is $25, but if you wish to attend only the performances on Saturday night send us an RSVP from the contact form on our home page and we'll put you on the guest list to get in free.
This show will cap off a string of Thus Spoke The Spectacle events including screenings and performances in Providence Rhode Island, St. Louis Missouri, Columbus Ohio, Denver Colorado, Clinton New York and Belfast Maine, as well as New York City events at Hunter College, Pratt University, Bluestockings Books and The Living Theatre. If you're around the New York area, we hope to see you at the conference and the show. If not, please pass the word along to friends you think may be interested, and check out our Facebook page for more information and updates.
TSTS rocked the Clinton Art and Music Festival in upstate New York on Saturday, August 29th:
Severe weather wasn't enough to dampen the atmosphere created by visionary music promoter Nick Katona and his wife Jennifer, who worked ceaselessly to make all the participating musicians and artists feel welcome in an environment of intense creative collaboration.
Our show at the Kirkland Art Center was well attended and well received, thanks in no small part to Nick and Jennifer's promotion and support of our work and meticulous attention to the technical logistics required for our performance. Many thanks to them, the KAC, and the good people of Clinton for making this upstate gig a memorable one. We hope to participate again in this excellent festival next year.
TSTS hit the Maine coast on Wednesday August 19th, in picturesque Belfast at a music and arts venue called Roots and Tendrils:
Local band Tree by Leaf began the night by rocking the house with a rousing set of previously released songs and new compositions from their upcoming album. Absolutely check out this Christian-based band led by singer-songwriter and lyricist extraordinaire Garrett Soucy. The band features beautiful and haunting vocals by Garrett's wife Siiri, and powerful and eclectic accompaniment by Cliff Young on keyboards and Eric Sanders on drums.
TREE BY LEAF
Mike and I then presented a 50-minute TSTS set to an enthusiastic response, followed by excellent and engaging conversation.
Thanks again to Garrett for inviting us to perform, Meg and Bub of Roots and Tendrils for hosting the show, Read Schuchardt for setting the wheels in motion, and the good people of Belfast for coming out on a sweltering night for some R&R societal critique. We're hoping to hook up with Tree by Leaf, Meg, and Bub again on our next trip to Maine, possibly next June in conjunction with the 11th annual Media Ecology Association convention in Orono, if not sooner.
On Wednesday August 19th we'll be playing in Belfast Maine at a music and arts venue called Roots and Tendrils:
We'll be sharing the night with popular local band Tree by Leaf, led by singer-songwriter Garrett Soucy and featuring Garrett's wife Siiri on vocals, Cliff Young on keyboards, and Eric Sanders on drums.
Thanks to Garrett for inviting us to perform, Meg and Bub for hosting the show, and Read Schuchardt for turning Garrett onto our project.
If you're going to write only one email in your life, you may as well make it good.
Neil Postman made the most of his one foray into cyberspace, a witty and brilliant send-up of online communication. If only he had lived to see texting and Twitter... But I suspect his message would be the same.
Neil co-founded the Media Ecology program at NYU. In 1997, he posted to the department's listserve the following tongue-in-cheek smackdown, channeling the ghost of his mentor and fellow media theorist Marshall McLuhan:
This is the Ghost of Marshall McLuhan speaking to you. I don't have to tell you from what world I come. I am using Chris Nystrom's facility in order to reach you. I will say what I have to say only once. You will not hear from me again unless you persist in your foolishness.
Does the word "books" mean anything to you? Do you have so much time on your hands that you can afford to waste yourselves on this infernal machine? Have you already accumulated so much wisdom that you no longer need to read the best that has been thought and written? Is this the way you honor the work and life of my great friend and disciple, Neil Postman? Do any of you actually know how to spell?
I have now read all of your idiotic messages. Hear, now, The Law:
EVERY MEDIUM TAKEN TO ITS FURTHEST EXTENT FLIPS TO ITS OPPOSITE
Thus the written word, which is the source of all the intellect we have, when used in this unholy fashion becomes a medium for the expression of all our stupidities. This, you have demonstrated amply. Enough, I say.
I must now return from whence I came. Remember what happened to the Hebrews when they did not follow the Law.
Ghost
On July 17th we played at Bluestockings Books in Manhattan's Lower East Side. Here's the ad posted by the venue:
And deliver we did. Whether we freed anyone from the clutches of the Spectacle is yet to be seen...
We really dig the vibe down there, having played downtown at The Kraine Theatre and The Living Theatre a number of times. The space is small but intimate, and Kimmi, Becca, and the the rest of the bookstore's volunteers were helpful and hospitable. Thanks to Malav Kanuga for setting the show up.
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