A lot of
people go through their lives reading, never searching for the meaning behind
the written words, without realizing that the words are merely rocks set there
for us to cross the river, and the reason the rock is set there, is so that we could
cross to the other shore…the other shore is what matters.
Pop
culture gives us the illusion of two separated worlds with different cultures.
The first one is ‘’high quality culture’’, made of popular trends amongst self
proclaimed intellectuals and artists. The other one is shallow mainstream pop
culture. Both are opened to everyone, and they coexist, keep each other alive. Without the day, there
would be no night; it is the same sky above us, after all. And the system works perfectly.
We would understand much more about life’s complexities if we applied ourselves to an assiduous study of its contradictions, instead of wasting time on identities and coherences, seeing as these have a duty to provide their own explanations.
― José Saramago, The Cave
The
high quality pop culture form of the intellectual and artistic elitism and it is
open 24/7 to everyone. To be part of it you don’t have to understand it. This
culture offers an ideal world to the, let's call them, idea seekers. The ideas have been sold to
young people since forever, and they are revolving around personal
style and self marketing. And they have never been more
transparent and available as today, because they can sell a complete lifestyle revolving
around what is acceptable and what is not. And lifestyle means status.
All stories are like those about the creation of the universe, no one was there, no one witnessed anything, yet everyone knows what happened.
― José Saramago, Blindness
These idea seekers are people
who are desperately trying to fill their inner void and boredom with these acceptable rules
of the ''high pop culture''. For example, every idea seeker would list Frida Kahlo, Tom
Waits, Jim Jarmuch, Kubrick, David Bowie, Bukowski as part of their own identity inspiration.
Bukowski would probably send them to hell, while Frida might be disgusted that
her red lipstick, brows and cigarette have become more famous than her passionate
work. The heroes of the idea seekers are everything these people are not. They
sell their heroes for social approval and devalue them in that way. The idea
seekers are great internet consumers; they feed on every newsfeed searching for
the new ideas all the time, without ever digging deeper into the core of it.
Their satisfaction is shallow, and it is their ticket to the entrance of the illusionary intellectual
and artistic elite circle, without saying or doing anything interesting for
real.
The minds of human beings are not always entirely at one with the world in which they live, some people have trouble adjusting to reality, basically they're just weak, confused spirits who use words, sometimes very skillfully, to justify their cowardice.
― José Saramago
How
to differ these idea seekers from the real thing diggers? The real thing diggers
are loyal to their tastes and people, and are not concerned with actual
trends, while always upgrading their knowledge and curiosity with something new. The real thing diggers seek for the inner sentiment and are not concerned
with the need to prove themselves to others. They will share their interests as
long as they feel connected with others that way, not to patronize others. They are not concerned with
putting stuff in boxes and tagging names on it. They don’t have to make
propaganda of their inner world, because they really have one. They want to create. They also seek the ideas, but to dig deeper, to get to the others, not to feed their ego. And
they are not afraid of the emotions they might find there. They are consistent because
they know they've existed in the same way, long before virtually recreating themselves.
You know the name you were given, you do not know the name that you have.
― José Saramago
The
modern universal man is virtual, satisfied, super confident, knows-it-all, has immense faith in himself and deserves the best of the best. The popular culture is
inviting everyone to put on their crowns on. It is the idea of kingdom,
not the real one of course. The art, music, literature, these things are real and will
never disappear. The idea seekers are aware of that, but what they really don’t know is what to
do with these ideas that can actually serve humanity and change everyday people's lives. The
inner frustration and natural sadness are not being tolerated anymore. You have to act worthy enough to put on the crown.
Just as the habit does not make the monk, the sceptre does not make the king.
― José Saramago, Blindness
The
outsiders, sentimental warriors, undocumented hearts and minds, quiet meaning seekers,
fools for simple life, love and truth and all the other freaks, we salute you. To seek the life above ideas, photographs and words. This is not your culture
anymore, this world of black and white, good and bad, worthy and unworthy. The grey works only for those who are playing by the rules of
the game. The game itself is to be tolerated in everything except in tolerating
others; to preach and to be heard, without offering anything positive to
another human being. To sell music, art and literature and not to live them.
Perhaps only in
a world of the blind will things be what they truly are.
― José
Saramago, Blindness
A.B.
Love, Invitation to Inspiration
