The ancient Wal Mart of Tenochtitlan (where you'll find greed, brownies, and blue velvet...)
Karissa brought it to my attention that I was not very clear when referring to this other kid (his name is Chris) in my class is opinionated and pissed off the teacher. I think people got the impression that I didn't like him, but he's one of the few in the field that I respect for his outspokenness.
Case in Point: one of the teachers (the cultural anthropologist hippie in fact) was complaining about how a Wal-Mart is going up in Mexico City. She said, "imagine the beautiful landscape, including the ruins of temples and pyramids, being obscured by this giant Wal-Mart. What is that saying about our consumer culture?" I was thinking it says we're getting on with our lives and learning from the past instead of living in it. Chris then chimed in with, "well, imagine how some of the indigenous tribes might have felt when these huge pyramids obscured their view of the natural landscape." I wanted to point my finger at the hippie teacher rudely and shout "HA!" but I restrained myself.
Anyway, the money-loving son-of-a-bitch was referring to me. I love money. Anytime I refer to someone as that, it will always be a term of respect. If people can admit to me that they love money, even if (especially if) they don't consider it the be-all end-all of life, that sits well with me. Don't ever tell me that money is the root of all evil, or that it means power, because I've always been an Anthropologist at heart, and I'll tell you it has NOTHING to do with the money. The "almighty" dollar is an inanimate piece of paper or metal. It has no capabilities of good or evil, or power. That lies all within the minds of the people wielding it. Thomas Aquinas said, "Nothing is intrinsically good or evil, our manner of usage makes it so." Sure he was a saint, but I'll forgive him. He made a good point.
No, the brownies didn't have any nuts. They were girl-brownies. I don't like nuts either, so I had like two of them. By two, I mean two little 2x2 inch cubes, but a 2/3 of the pan like Karissa and I eat them.
We watched Blue Velvet the other day in my film class. I've seen it before, but it gets so fucked up that I could stand seeing it again. For some reason, it kept reminding me of Donnie Darko. Maybe because that movie took place in the 1980's, while Blue Velvet was actually made in the 1980's. I don't know. I love when someone would shut the lights out, and Dennis Hopper would say, "...and now it's dark." Plus I loved how they managed to fit in a Roy Orbison song. The whole movie has this theme about surface beauty and how ugly the ugliness hiding under it really is. If you actually saw Roy Orbison, you know how ugly that guy is compared to how pure his voice sounds. But what gets you is his content. The guy sings these love songs that are actually kind of twisted or depressing, but they sound so Billy Holiday-ish that the whole result mood of the song kinda fucks with you. Listen to Pretty Woman, In Dreams, or Life Fades Away, and you'll catch it.
Watch Quest For Fire!
Case in Point: one of the teachers (the cultural anthropologist hippie in fact) was complaining about how a Wal-Mart is going up in Mexico City. She said, "imagine the beautiful landscape, including the ruins of temples and pyramids, being obscured by this giant Wal-Mart. What is that saying about our consumer culture?" I was thinking it says we're getting on with our lives and learning from the past instead of living in it. Chris then chimed in with, "well, imagine how some of the indigenous tribes might have felt when these huge pyramids obscured their view of the natural landscape." I wanted to point my finger at the hippie teacher rudely and shout "HA!" but I restrained myself.
Anyway, the money-loving son-of-a-bitch was referring to me. I love money. Anytime I refer to someone as that, it will always be a term of respect. If people can admit to me that they love money, even if (especially if) they don't consider it the be-all end-all of life, that sits well with me. Don't ever tell me that money is the root of all evil, or that it means power, because I've always been an Anthropologist at heart, and I'll tell you it has NOTHING to do with the money. The "almighty" dollar is an inanimate piece of paper or metal. It has no capabilities of good or evil, or power. That lies all within the minds of the people wielding it. Thomas Aquinas said, "Nothing is intrinsically good or evil, our manner of usage makes it so." Sure he was a saint, but I'll forgive him. He made a good point.
No, the brownies didn't have any nuts. They were girl-brownies. I don't like nuts either, so I had like two of them. By two, I mean two little 2x2 inch cubes, but a 2/3 of the pan like Karissa and I eat them.
We watched Blue Velvet the other day in my film class. I've seen it before, but it gets so fucked up that I could stand seeing it again. For some reason, it kept reminding me of Donnie Darko. Maybe because that movie took place in the 1980's, while Blue Velvet was actually made in the 1980's. I don't know. I love when someone would shut the lights out, and Dennis Hopper would say, "...and now it's dark." Plus I loved how they managed to fit in a Roy Orbison song. The whole movie has this theme about surface beauty and how ugly the ugliness hiding under it really is. If you actually saw Roy Orbison, you know how ugly that guy is compared to how pure his voice sounds. But what gets you is his content. The guy sings these love songs that are actually kind of twisted or depressing, but they sound so Billy Holiday-ish that the whole result mood of the song kinda fucks with you. Listen to Pretty Woman, In Dreams, or Life Fades Away, and you'll catch it.
Watch Quest For Fire!
posted by BoneDaddy at 1:46 AM
2 Comments:
I can see a little of both points. I agree with yours but I also know it would be sad to have Walmarts cover every natural beauty the earth has to offer. I think there has to be a bit of a middle ground.
My little money hungry man. I love it! Money, money, money, money, money!!! I do agree about the whole Walmart thing. The only time I would be bothered by a new Walmart or something is if it was going up right by my house. Then again it'd make for a short trip to Walmart. I don't remember much of Blue Velevet, but I rememeber that I like it. Dennis Hopper really creeped me out too, but it all works. Whenever I see him today I still get creeped out by him.
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