[A/H Index] [^^Terms MASTER Index]
Performance, Absurd
NOTE: After much consideration, i have moved
"path" "journey", "walked art",
etc to the DANSE page -{Path/Walk as danse}-
See also: -[Dada SurReal Sources/etc...]-
-[SurRealism]-
See also: [Text as art material]
[Coerced performance]
-[post post-modernism]-
[Dada]
[Dadaism] (an art "ism")
[The Performed Art Technology]
[frank as performance object]
[ "PARTS ONE, TWO, THREE" ]
[Performed Art] (start here?)
[The Performed Art Act]
-[Performance Ceremony]- (including ritual)
[The Performed Danse]
[Performed Art: Filmed]
-[Perfomred Mime]- (including Zanni, Harlequin, and tribal/mask refs, etc)
[The Performed Score]
-[Performance Space]-
[The Performed Text]
[Performed Theatre]
[The Performed UFO's] (and esp, etc)
[The Performed WEB (including programming)]
[Street Art]
[]
[Interventionist Art]
[Los Interioristas]
[T.A.Z.] (Association for Ontological Anarchy)
(Hakim Bey, chief janitor)
[(art) concepts]
[Art MovementsPerformance, Absurd
On this page: {Intro}
{What the absurd is NOT...}
{Stuff}
{Poly Sci Lecture #12}
{An analysis of Poly-Sci Lecture #12}
a few brief, post-notes on the implementation
and *intent* of an absurdist piece on the war.
{Assasins} (an absurdist history play)
{Professor Vowel's comments on "Assasins"}
{My notes on the above two works}
{Characters}
{Techniques}
{Techniques}
{Stream of Consciousness}
(examples from Manet and Python)
{Techniques}
{Techniques}
{Techniques}
{}
{}
{}
{}
{}
{}
{}
{}
{Refs}
{Links}
-^_6
Intro
In this section:
{What the absurd is NOT...}
The absurd is at once simple and complex. I think
that any child who has had to "wait" (for no
apparent reason) understands the absurdity of time.
I think as well (i do a bit o; the old thinking, wot?)
that at a FEW times even the most ordinary of people
find the absurd. And of course, being un-exploded
(as yet - ever?) they turn the absurd aside with
that quiet little "cough-like-laugh" that we all
know so well.
By the same token, most people are so imbedded in
the matrix and surrounded by such superficialities
that is is no wonder that our "leaders" find it so
easy to pass the same old 3-day-old oatmeal off for
a proper rice pudding -- all the while assuring us
that THEY have the situation well in hand.
This is part and parcel to the central work of
ANY absurdity. For example, in my own short
story "Hard Fall", when the "purple blob" leaves
and it turns out there was no actual "to blame"
- merely cause and effect reduced to their most
"horrible" form. And then there it is on the tube
-- all about our glorious triumph against the
SIRIAN REVOLT, and (to quote from P.K. Dick's
"Martian Time Slip" and the autistic child --
blurble, blorglle, gubble, grubble, gurglish,
gubbish.
So, what are the components or if we might be so
bold as to ASSUME that we can: What are the
aesthetics of the absurd?
To the point, we are reminded once again of the
quacking duck syndrome and how we tend to mis-judge
things based on the evidence. There will probably
be no end to the growing number "re-adjudications"
(read: re-evaluations). Oh. The DNA-retesting of
inmates accused of this or that and LO! They were
innocent all the time?
Having just completed my first reading of "Inside
the Third Reich" by Albert Speers (how by the chanses
of fate went he, rather than i). He hammers it out.
Just a sec, i'll go get the text (with attendent
notes)... Ah, yes here it it is:
BEGIN BLOCK QUOTE
[P. 610]
Hopping John of the Carolinas
Many lands as well as many sections of Ameica
have *special* "lucky" foods and pasteries
which are served on New Year's Day. In Holland,
for example, when a Dutch lad goes a-courting
[ie: a-courtin' ] on New Year's Day, he takes
his sweetheart a pastry made in the shape of
their initials. In Scotland, "Hogmaanany"
dumplings are customarily served on New Year's
Day, etc. Among the lucky recepies served in
various sections of the United States on New
Year's Day, is this pea (bean) dish from the
Carolinas. It is an old Southern custom to
seve it on Nw Year's Day at the noon dinner,
a ten cent piece being added to the big boal
of peaks just before it is brought to the
table. The person finding it his or her [or
nehr] plate will have good luck all year.
[But, obviously not if they swallow it and
choke to death].
END BLOCK QUOTE
-[That block quote here]- (perf-text CONTENT)
Sorry, wrong quote. Oh here it is:
BEGIN BLOCK QUOTE
[P. 700]
From the plunder of Peru came the first
potato [sic]. But no priest or pirate of
the conqust ever guessed that the tuber
he trod underfoot on the upland Peruvian
plain would spread to every corner of the
temperate zone and be worth more than the
all the mines of Potosi. No dream of Inca
gold, not the very Temple of the Sun itself,
would buy one year's potato [sic] crop
today.
END BLOCK
From The Gold Book.
START AGAIN
Speer, Albert. Inside the Third Reich.
BEGIN BLOCK QUOTE
[P. 603]
At this time [in Spandau Prison in Nuerberg,
awaiting final examination and sentencing]
the prison psychologist, G.M. Gilbert, was
going from cell to cell with a copy of the
[entire] indictment, asking the defendents
to write their comments on it. When i read
the partially evasive, partially disdainful
words of many of my fellow defendants, i
wrote to Gilbert's astonishment: "The trial
is necessary. There is a shared responsibility
for such horrible crimes even in an
authoritarian state."
I still regard it as my greatest feat
of psychic courage to have held to this
view throughout the ten months of the
trial.
END BLOCK QUOTE
He had taken it upon himself, that even
though he had not directly tortured people
- there was even a comment from the investigation
that the prisoners under his work projects
were treated far better than other - he
knew that by his (extraordinary) talents
the war had been prolonged a great deal.
Such "fessin' up" to responsibility seems
all the more alien these days when we are
all supposedly so-much more "evolved" (in
terms of both cultural, technological, and
personal views of superiority to "the past"),
the more so.
Of course, we don't expect this sort of
"assumption" of responsibility - unless it
is clearly "for the benefit of the system"
i mean i'm not *really* guilty of any thing
- other than being out to lunch without any
side-exploding boosters that should have been
stopped in the first place; this of course
caused the "small wall of exhaustion" to
be built. And in turn even the lost perspective
of a certain duck couldn't be un-confused
from the view of fractal cat.
What the absurd is NOT...
To see just how far the problems of defining and understanding
the abusrd are of is, I was once accused of "wanting the absurd
because i don't care about people" - or something like that!
The absurd has at its base the idea that life IS (for the most
part) short and brutish ??author?? (Johsn Stuart Mills or "Commonweal")
me thinks). And as such, the tragedy of life is omni-present.
Which is really such a shame, for as "Sherlock Holmes" in
the film "They Might Be Giants" puts it: They got it wrong,
we never left Eden. That is, the world would and could be
so nice (perhaps not the "best of all worlds" - but "good
enough") if it wasn't for petty things like greed, etc.
Stuff
So, what are the aesthetics of peformance art as opposed
to theatre? Do we need restrict our definition/usage of
theatre to "traditional theatre" -- whatever that is; ie,
elisabethian, classical greece, Mollier vs the 1800c ??
More directly:
What are the particular aesthetics that
select/differentiate between
performed text
and
performance;per se
?
(it is recommended to listen to the 1st movemetn of
Prokofiev's Symp #2 (yes; number 2, and NOT the classical)
(an old beige rain coat might help as well)
We take as read text as text as text as text
read as simple recitation and/or discussion, etc.
Even if i speak as non chalantly as possible the words
To be or not to be
(or their equivalents in Klingon)
there is almsot no way that i can do so without destroying
context at that moment.
Or, as certainly one of the most feared (or one assume so)
poets of Plato, has sed:
>>In ancient times, paintings we-
re given their finishing touches
in stages. Each day brought so-
mething new. A painting used
to be sume of actions. In my
case, a painting is the sum of
destructions. I paint a work, and
then I destroy it.<<
-- Pablo Ruiz Picasso
Thus, in the case of Hamlet's words (arguably the most famous words
in the Language English!), we can not escape their weight of
destruction. Imagine a clown of most comic proportions, who
suddenly "strikes a pose" and utters them, or a dictator
(eg, Hitler, Nero, Cardinal Jimenez, etc) - that is, the two
anti-podes of human existence (nilhilism vs obliteration).
In either case, their preceding remarks/actions/etc are
struck into another unvierse this sort of *ultimate* dividing
mark: "To be or not to be".
Of course, we cheat here, since the words would have little
meaning prior to the widespread knowledge of Hamlet, it's
performances, and the "soaking in" of the work as pure text.
Note that only the the case of Hitler and his time (the 1900c),
would his audience be aware of what the words meant - whether
spoken in English or not. We might well ask if there have
"always" been such words?
Thus, we might have found some equivalent in the time of
the the Roman or Catholic scourages of equal maginitude in
the denigration and derrogation of the human spirit. But,
we would find such words useful in any event.
In the modern context, uttering "Fire" in a theatre, or
the word "gun" in the presence of secret service agents
protecting a president, king, or other official would be
the only equivalent in destructive power. Here, quite
literally so.
And what of the words of a doctor concerning some critical
results of a test? For example, an "HIV" test? In my own
case, i had determined if indeed i was still "hiv free"
i would say a certain thing from a certain play - sort
of thanks to the mues for sparing my life (at least for
a little while, and in this major way). The lab tech
got my file, went back to the back of the office -
through which i could see him looking at my file. The
passage from the reception room, led past the desk that
served as the reception, down a darkish hall, and into
THE ROOM (that is, the room where people were counciled
when the news was not good). And the ages clicked by,
the tech (way "back there") continued, looking at the
sheets stapled to my file.
An infinity of time passed as inifnity does (as it does
at about 3 minutes into Satie's "Ballet Realiste").
Finally (as it turned out, i had had a liver cancer
test done as well, and of course, that was a bit
unusual).... oh, you're all right..... (sed he')
so out sprang these works,
Very well, then we shall have a new opera.
And Herr Mozart shall write it. And it shall
be in German; there 'tis, then.
Odd, how performance just "happens".
START AGAIN
An analysis of Poly-Sci Lecture #12
Political Science Lecture Series
#12: Anarchy and 9/11
Written: Dec 23, 2003.
NOTE: STRONG LANGUAGE, MATURE CONTENT -- PG14 (at least)
or at least a note from your Mum saying that
you are NOT a republican.
Anarchy is the concept of ruling a
planet by random, chaotic, and contradictory
methods. For example, instead of dispatching
a trained team of diplomats to the middle east
to listen (patiently) to the Palestinians and
Israelis whine on and on about how THEY are
the oppressed, and THEM THAR are the terrorists,
the ANARCHICAL approach would be to dispatch
a roving band of (professionally trained)
clowns and mimes. After a time (so goes
the theory of ANARCHICAL RESPONSE) that the
Jews and Arabs would actually unite (after
killing the first three or four dispatched
teams -- carefully making it look like
THE OTHER had done it).
Anarchy is based upon (in the 24th century,
and on most civilised planets) a firm mathematical
basis (and a soft fluffy pillow). The fundamental
precepts of CHAOS THEORY, INCOMPLETE-INFORMATION
THEORY, and FUZZY LOGIC are inherent in the proof
of the so-called Jazerstrebski-Orion theorem:
If you're backed into a corner,
either develop a corner-nullifier
or immediately break into your
stand-up comedy / song-and-dance
act.
A direct example is asked for at his point
(and if it isn't you may bring a note from
your Mum as to exactly how the dog
ate your homework.
9/11 -- Even in these more enlightened times,
those words still strike terror into
the hearts of millions. But, from an
anarchical point-of-view, one must ask the
question: Could it have been prevented?
(Or at least, do I really like mustard on
my turkey club sandwich (even if the bacon
is "supposedly" kosher)?
Let us review the facts as they are now understood.
1. Due to bickering (rivalry based upon the
alpha-male principle and the normal "pissing
contest" resulting from male-dominated species
-- refer to M. Mead: "Life among the Penises"
chapters 17, and 21 -- with especial attention
to the introduction and epilog), the CIA, FBI
and Justice Department each had (by itself)
sufficient information to at least be aware
of the distinct glimmering of the possibility
of an attack. Combined, this information would
(according to the HINDSIGHT GUESSING THEOREM)
have prevented 9/11 or at least minimized it.
2. Due to petty (again alpha-male based)
jealousies and rivalries, they did not "share"
this information with each other. For as
Shemp Howard (the famous "other" stooge)
once remarked: "The only constant in
government, is the need for relentless
control. One is almost struck by the 'flying
pie' of stupidity when one considers that the
very leaders who are elected or appointed to
protect us are in fact stepping on each other
in a vastly time-wasting effort for 'information
supremacy'". (This is commonly refered to as:
SHEMP'S PI DI-LEMMA).
D. The fact that this information would (in a
chaotic system or even in a completely anarchical
system) would have been in the hands of one,
E. R. Hadden (the power-crazed meglomaniac
multi-national billionare) and possibly even
acted upon (if only to prevent personal
business loss in the various international
business holding of Hadden Industries) -- is
diametrically opposed to the fact that even
despite the fact that the so-called "intelligence
agencies" possession of the FUNDAMENTAL FACTS
of the situation that they in point-of-fact
did NOTHING. When one considers that this
single fact (even in the light of the so-called
"SCHMOCK SCHMOCK THEOREM" of professor's Steve
Allen and Patrick Harrington), then one is
lead to the in-escapable CONCLUSION that we'd
all be better served if Bozo the Clown (and
"Butch") were running the whole show than the
current gang of idiots.
And, finally,
7. Wibble.
Historical Background
Although there have been (here-to-before) many
so-called Anarchical movements, these have
merely been scattered groups of more idiots
simply trading on the good name of TRUE
ANARCHY. For example, during the 1800's and
early 1900's, many so-called Anarchists went
around setting off bombs killing kings, wealthy
land owners, and the odd TC MITS (The Common
Man In The Street) -- in some sort of bizarre
attempt to either change society or to merely
get themselves thrown in jail if not-in-fact
executed for treason.
A much more rational (and their-fore-a-fore-foot
more purely anarchical approach), would to
have carefully planned such attacks
on such "supposedly important" personages and
(for example), staged an entire scene from
Hamlet using finger puppets and kippers. Or
even the more startling rendering of THE
ANARCHICAL RESPONSE using Gertrude Stein's
brilliant anarchical response: A three-hour
dissertation consisting of a single (but
properly punctuated) sentence that essentially
says: I really find life quite per-plexing.
Modern anarchists have derived much pleasure
(and even at times considerable social
progress) by breaking with tradition (usually
referred to as THE HEINSEBERG SCHOOL OF
ANARCHICAL REASONING; aka as "HA!") and dressing up as
Abraham Lincoln (with accompanying gentry
listeners) and performing "The Gettysburg
Address" -- most notably, at the potentially
quite violent skin-head anti skin-head
confrontation outside of Le Penn's political
head-quarters in 2017. The resulting "love-in"
that followed is a classic example of the
so-called BLINK-BLINK RESPONSE when non
anarchists are confronted with pure anarchy.
Although purists (often referred to as
THE JULIA CHILDS SCHOOL OF ANARCHICAL SQUARE
DANCING, aka "JC SAQ" - the "d" being silently
rendered in memory of Douglas Adams) are quick
to point out that in point of fact the incident
was IN FACT a "pure" example of Heisenberg Anarchy,
since the inclusion of the Vienna Boy's choir and
three Chinese dragons in the background,
softly rendering "My old Kentucky Home"
(by the great American song writer/connoisseur
Stephen Foster) rendered the entire effort
effective. But the HA's response is of course,
that a a "pure" HA! rendering, would have included
at least ONE toreador (even if only
parlaying with an imaginary bull).
There has been much debate in learned circles
upon this issue and it is likely not to be soon
resolved.
Regardless, the success of "modern"
anarachy can not be denied. Or if it is
denied, it comes back the following week
and instead of bringing a shot gun and
needlessly killing a bunch of TC MITS,
it hands out leaflets promising a "two
for one" deal at a local dry cleaning
establishment -- and the coupons are
honored by said establishment. (This
in addition of course, to a troop of
small children doing an entire rendering
of "Pain in the Pullman" by THE STOOGES.
Essential Anarchical Principles
As previously mentioned in another of
this author's finely reasoned (and
mildly seasoned) essays (Der Katz), one
only has to think of the "un-expected"
add a slight twist at the end, and one
is already half-way home (or at least on
the last leg of a cross-town bus trip
to home) in terms of anarchy.
For example, let us say that we have
two political factions -- any two will
do, since on some issue they
are sure to disagree. For example,
let us say that we have some Republicans
(yes, I know this is a theoretical
consideration, since they all became
extinct when the air conditioners in
their SUV's (SPORTS UTILITY VEHICLES)
stopped working, and they all sweated to
death when confronted with the results of
global warming; ie, the roving bands of
killer penguins that relentlessly sought
out all responsible for the melting of
Antarctica. None-the-less)....
Let us say that we have a group STAUNCH
UPRIGHT CITIZENS AGAINST ABORTION
(SUCAA). We now introduce what is
commonly referred to in Anarchical Science
as THE DIVIDING TERM. Now the value does
not have to be either ZERO or INFINITY,
let's set it at the arbitrary value of
TUESDAY WELD, and assign it's anarchical
index at "RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS".
Part of the SUCCA's will be abhorrent to the
idea of having a gun in their home, the
other half will defend to the death of
their children being killed by a gun in
their homes due to accident the right of
every GOD FEARING CITIZEN to not only
bear arms, but their constitutionally
mandated OBLIGATION to have a gun with
them at all times.
In it's most logical conclusion (carefully
removing TUESDAY WELD from the line of
fire -- not to be confused with FIRING LINE),
is that the group of "gun nuts" will "waste"
the group of "fetus-obsessed, non gun-nuts".
Now as much as one would like to intervene...
(I mean even if these are "only" republicans,
one does feel the natural kind of sympathy
for all living things -- even if said
republicans would gladly (after re-uniting
since the presence of a tree-hugging,
liberal hippy would negate (at least
temporarily) the DIVIDING TERM), kill or
at least spit on sed interventioneur),
but again this IS just a theoretical discussion.
Regardless, to intervein the traditional manner
(ie, to use logical, and well-reasoned statements
such as "90% of all pregnancies end in natural
abortion (mis-carriage) and in many cases without
the mother's knowledge that she was pregnant in
the first place" or "the second amendment was
meant to protect the right of private militia
defending the country against the British Red
Coats back in 1776, and not the right of gun
wackos that simply don't want to pay their
taxes from staging standoffs that force the
big bad government from completely over-reacting.
After all everyone must pay their taxes, well,
everyone that's ordinary and doesn't earn over
a hundred thousand a year") -- such "traditional
methods" are useless.
In fact it can be shown from the ORSON WELLES
PRINCIPLE OF ATTACKING WILLIAM RANDOLF HEARST
IN THE MOVIE CITIZEN KANE AN CONSEQUENTLY HAVING
YOUR LIFE RUINED BY A RICH AND POWERFUL MAN, that
any (repeat ANY) attempt to intervein
-- even using the Sydney Opera House as backdrop,
and the entire Gay Men's Gay Pride Chorus rendering
a danced version (completely in silence) of Beethoven's
Ninth Symphony, EVEN THAT -- would be futile. For
as the late, great philosopher and dry-cleaner,
Billious Papier once said, "Argument is pointless,
yew can not teach shit to an asshole".
(Strong words, perhaps, but still treu even in
these more en-lightened times).
I thank you for your attention.
(the author at this point, got off of his soap
box, and promptly, fell face-first into a
recently deposited load of horse hocky. Many
have debated whether this was intentional -- ie,
to offset the use of the word "shit" at the end
of such a distinguished lecture, or just the
fact that he's such a clumsy git to begin with)
Please note: This lecture was edited
by Miss Vera Similitude.
We appologise for the inconvenience.
An analysis of Poly-Sci Lecture #12
I have taken it upon myself to do a bit of
explanation (i never make excuses, only
explanations) of a work that i constructed
in an absurdist manner some time back. And
hope this will provide insigts and such.
Political Science Lecture Series
#12: Anarchy and 9/11
NOTE: STRONG LANGUAGE, MATURE CONTENT -- PG14 (at least)
or at least a note from your Mum saying that
you are NOT a republican.
EXPL: The idea of a note from your mother as
to why you couldn't do such and so has
its roots in schooling of children. It
also, can be tied to the idea of a
permission slip for field trips; ie,
visits to museums, etc during school
hours - usually via bus or other public
transportation.
Anarchy is the concept of ruling a
planet by random, chaotic, and contradictory
methods.
EXPL: Self reference and of course self-contradition
are part and parcel to the "internal truth"
bleeding out into the sur-reality of the
'presentation'. For example, in the skit
"Attack of the Killer Xmas Trees" on SNL
(Saturday Night Live) one of the people
was "stabbed" by a tree-frond and the one
of actors (who can see the CAMERA VIEW on
a monitor) said, "What about that guy
back there?" - indicating the prop-man
who was using the tree puppet-like to
"stab" the "victim". The other actor in
the sketch replied, quip-like, "Him? Naw,
he's just an innocent stunt man."
Depending on the degree of externalisation
that the work has (ie, externalising to
the "real" world), such references can be
used for humorous or other intense effect.
Another example occurs in an episode of
"Northern ExpOsure" when "Dr. Fleichman"
steps out of character to question the
absurdity of the scene pointing out that
in the "duel" what does the auience expect.
Clearly "Vladimir" isn't going to kill
"Maurice" (a re-occuring star of the show).
Text can be used in the manner of Brecht or
the drop down signs as in "Our Town" (Wilder).
Props/persons can be brought in to tie one
element to another. For example, in the
spoof-show "Science Mystery 3000", the film
"The Killer Bees" has at the start of the
film a man with a suit and derby walking
along the road - this is just used as a
scene element to break up the F/G and B/G.
He doesn't appear again. However, in the
spoof-show, two of the characters start
to argue about some "thing" and up comes
the squaky music and one of the live
actors comes up from no where, tips his
derby and walks off stage. The two live
action characters (Crow T. Robot and
Tom Servo as i recall) are "stopped in
their tracks") - the thing first observed
becomes THE distracting element - and hence
like a CARTOON or a SONG is the "saving"
(and of course quasi-absurdist INTER-VEINING
element) in much of the Pythons' works.
For example, instead of dispatching
a trained team of diplomats to the middle east
to listen (patiently) to the Palestinians and
Israelis whine on and on about how THEY are
the oppressed, and THEM THAR are the terrorists,
EXPL: Err, ahm. Being from The Republic of Texas
(see map), we tend to use "Southern Slang"
to interrupt the flow of "The King's English"
Note the over-use of this to good effect in
"Blazing Saddles" by Mel Brooks, et al.
Similarly, well know changes to "other"
accents and/or vocabulary, delivery style
can be used to good effect. For example,
in the "Captain Spalding" episode of the
Marx Borthers, Groucho steps out of the
scene and renders a monolog - which was the
style in theatre at the time; viz, "Long
Days Journey into Night, O'Neil", etc. Thus,
a "familiar element" can be used to almost
un-interruptedly interrupt a scene, etc.
Product placments done overtly, quoted
phrases as if in a formal speech, or even
Oliver Hardy's habit of looking directly
into the camera when Stan Laurel had said
something especially "stupid" - saying in
in effect: "You see. You see what i have
to put up with?"
the ANARCHICAL approach would be to dispatch
a roving band of (professionally trained)
clowns and mimes. After a time (so goes
the theory of ANARCHICAL RESPONSE) that the
Jews and Arabs would actually unite (after
killing the first three or four dispatched
teams -- carefully making it look like
THE OTHER had done it).
EXPL: The stronger the "base situation" is - as
here with the almost innumerable and daily
episodes of "an eye for an eye" that we
the tit-for-tat behaviour of ultra Israeli
zionists and ultra Palesteinian Jihadists
-- this allows us two options: A very
strong response or a very self-mocking one.
The strong response is "normal" theatre.
Two memembers of the same family are fighting
and another of the family shouts: JUST STOP IT.
The self-mocking one is to draw a circle of
absurdity around the participants as clearly
as one can. Harpo's "leg in the hand" was
the clearest of these: No one could continue a
serious speech, when he would keep taking their
hand and putting his leg in it. Of course in
almost all cases, then a "break" with that was
to call in a cop or such; ie, an un-distractable
source of AUTHORITY - reading as "normal"
continuity, behaviour, etc.
This self-mock can be (of course) in the manner
of clowning around, or the imposition of a set
of actors acting as "observers" outside of the
entire play. The most common of these is death
itself in the early German Expressionist drama
as well as of course Bergman's work, or the
"troop of circus performers" in Felini's work.
Note that this same elment was used in good
effect to offset the serious nature of "Q" in
the inquisition segment of "Star Trek: TNG" of
the final episode "All Good Things...". This
element of course finds one of its strongest
sources in the "chorus" in ancient Greek Drama.
Anarchy is based upon (in the 24th century,
and on most civilised planets) a firm mathematical
basis (and a soft fluffy pillow). The fundamental
precepts of CHAOS THEORY, INCOMPLETE-INFORMATION
THEORY, and FUZZY LOGIC are inherent in the proof
of the so-called Jazerstrebski-Orion theorem:
If you're backed into a corner,
either develop a corner-nullifier
or immediately break into your
stand-up comedy / song-and-dance
act.
A direct example is asked for at his point
(and if it isn't you may bring a note from
your Mum as to exactly how the dog
ate your homework.
EXPL: The non-explanation "explanation" is
course constructed from "normal" behaviours
imbedded into absurd constructs. Also,
note the "note from your Mum" repetition.
Also, note the "appeal to academic authority"
of either existent or non existant scientific
theories. Another example, would be to use
phrases like, "What else would expect with
an inverse square-wave law??" or "Exactly
what Maslov's Hierarchy of Needs predicted.
Except here, the attempt is to overthow
the Japanese JIT "Theory Z" worker as
memember of company-family postulate".
And of course, these can be from an intruding
"commentator" - as in the "history prof"
in the Pythons' "Holy Grail".
9/11 -- Even in these more enlightened times,
those words still strike terror into
the hearts of millions. But, from an
anarchical point-of-view, one must ask the
question: Could it have been prevented?
(Or at least, do I really like mustard on
my turkey club sandwich (even if the bacon
is "supposedly" kosher)?
EXPL: Again the more serious the situation,
the further the absurdist can go in
contrast. Also, note the "police
station bathroom scene" in the film
"The Paper". Three men in a bathroom
and the ACTUAL truth teetering in the
balance. And Michael Keton allows his
character to LOSE IT - to push the
absurdity in the forefront. And of
course in doing so, actually building
the clearly visible "model" of reality.
And the "cop" being a reasonable and
compassionate (angst times three) person
is pushed to break through into the
realm of the ideal.
Let us review the facts as they are now understood.
1. Due to bickering (rivalry based upon the
alpha-male principle and the normal "pissing
contest" resulting from male-dominated species
-- refer to M. Mead: "Life among the Penises"
chapters 17, and 21 -- with especial attention
to the introduction and epilog), the CIA, FBI
and Justice Department each had (by itself)
sufficient information to at least be aware
of the distinct glimmering of the possibility
of an attack. Combined, this information would
(according to the HINDSIGHT GUESSING THEOREM)
have prevented 9/11 or at least minimized it.
EXPL: When i wrote the above, these were the
(apparent) details of the news itself.
Note that to "politically balance" the
scene the mention of "hindsight" idea
is introduced. This is in the manner
of "Monday Morning Quarterbacks" saying
how they would have fixed last Sunday's
Football game. Sports metaphors are of
course only a very slighly disguised
form of war truths.
EXPL: The following just continues the previous
stream of diatribic blurble.
2. Due to petty (again alpha-male based)
jealousies and rivalries, they did not "share"
this information with each other. For as
Shemp Howard (the famous "other" stooge)
once remarked: "The only constant in
government, is the need for relentless
control. One is almost struck by the 'flying
pie' of stupidity when one considers that the
very leaders who are elected or appointed to
protect us are in fact stepping on each other
in a vastly time-wasting effort for 'information
supremacy'". (This is commonly refered to as:
SHEMP'S PI DI-LEMMA).
D. The fact that this information would (in a
chaotic system or even in a completely anarchical
system) would have been in the hands of one,
E. R. Hadden (the power-crazed meglomaniac
multi-national billionare) and possibly even
acted upon (if only to prevent personal
business loss in the various international
business holding of Hadden Industries) -- is
diametrically opposed to the fact that even
despite the fact that the so-called "intelligence
agencies" possession of the FUNDAMENTAL FACTS
of the situation that they in point-of-fact
did NOTHING. When one considers that this
single fact (even in the light of the so-called
"SCHMOCK SCHMOCK THEOREM" of professor's Steve
Allen and Patrick Harrington), then one is
lead to the in-escapable CONCLUSION that we'd
all be better served if Bozo the Clown (and
"Butch") were running the whole show than the
current gang of idiots.
And, finally,
7. Wibble.
EXPL: A ref to the "Black Adder" series, Part IV.
A non-sense word.
Historical Background
Although there have been (here-to-before) many
so-called Anarchical movements, these have
merely been scattered groups of more idiots
simply trading on the good name of TRUE
ANARCHY. For example, during the 1800's and
early 1900's, many so-called Anarchists went
around setting off bombs killing kings, wealthy
land owners, and the odd TC MITS (The Common
Man In The Street) -- in some sort of bizarre
attempt to either change society or to merely
get themselves thrown in jail if not-in-fact
executed for treason.
EXPL: Again, this defaults to a "psuedo-academic"
discourse - in keeping with the over-all
structure of the text.
A much more rational (and their-fore-a-fore-foot
more purely anarchical approach), would to
have carefully planned such attacks
on such "supposedly important" personages and
(for example), staged an entire scene from
Hamlet using finger puppets and kippers. Or
even the more startling rendering of THE
ANARCHICAL RESPONSE using Gertrude Stein's
brilliant anarchical response: A three-hour
dissertation consisting of a single (but
properly punctuated) sentence that essentially
says: I really find life quite per-plexing.
EXPL: More of the same. But, here the "push" is
towards confusing which is the reality and
which is the acted response. Note that if
any part of the perf seems a bit "too far".
The response is to take it to the most
emotional limit based on the truth. In
this case, to simply state in all seriousness
"They were holding hands as they jumped out
of the buildings." - and repeat it until
an "objection" ceases. Of course, un-reasonable
appologists for the authorities/terrorists
in this case won't listen and are too far
"into" the matrix to make it to any LEVEL
(as in game play) of rationality, humanity,
etc.
Modern anarchists have derived much pleasure
(and even at times considerable social
progress) by breaking with tradition (usually
referred to as THE HEINSEBERG SCHOOL OF
ANARCHICAL REASONING; aka as "HAR!") and
dressing up as Abraham Lincoln (with
accompanying gentry listeners) and performing
"The Gettysburg Address" -- most notably, at
the potentially quite violent skin-head anti
skin-head confrontation outside of Le Penn's
political head-quarters in 2017. The resulting
"love-in" that followed is a classic example
of the so-called BLINK-BLINK RESPONSE when non
anarchists are confronted with pure anarchy.
EXPL: Now pushing the "text" of the work
into a direct confrontation with "appolgist"
rationalising - use of (then) current
events. Of course, the text should be
adapted to "local" interests, etc.
Although purists (often referred to as
THE JULIA CHILDS SCHOOL OF ANARCHICAL SQUARE
DANCING, aka "JC SAQ" - the "d" being silently
rendered in memory of Douglas Adams) are quick
to point out that in point of fact the incident
was IN FACT a "pure" example of Heisenberg Anarchy,
since the inclusion of the Vienna Boy's choir and
three Chinese dragons in the background,
softly rendering "My old Kentucky Home"
(by the great American song writer/connoisseur
Stephen Foster) rendered the entire effort
effective. But the HAR's response is of course,
that a a "pure" HAR! rendering, would have included
at least ONE toreador (even if only
parlaying with an imaginary bull).
EXPL: Note the use of two contrasting "schools"
of anarchy. One could argue that QM
(Quantum Mechanics) IS a form of anarchy.
But, how one jumps to the "opposite"
POV (point of view) that COOKING is
a contrasting theory to QM -- ? Just
more absurdity.
There has been much debate in learned circles
upon this issue and it is likely not to be soon
resolved.
EXPL: This "encases" the two "camps" in a sort
of verasimilitude as though there are
actually universities studying such things,
international symposiums, etc. Publication
names would be nice as well; eg, and as
Professor Adolph H. Marx has written in the
literary journal "Silence the Horn", ...
(and then a quote).
Regardless, the success of "modern"
anarachy can not be denied. Or if it is
denied, it comes back the following week
and instead of bringing a shot gun and
needlessly killing a bunch of TC MITS,
it hands out leaflets promising a "two
for one" deal at a local dry cleaning
establishment -- and the coupons are
honored by said establishment. (This
in addition of course, to a troop of
small children doing an entire rendering
of "Pain in the Pullman" by THE STOOGES.
EXPL: TC MITS - the celebrated man in the street.
It would prob have been better to use
"poor saps" or "John/Jane Doe's", etc.
here. Involving children brings a
sort of innocence and yet (in the
context of the work pertaining to
such attrocities) brings silently
and only slightly acknowledge idea of
"worst" vicitms of terrorism, being
children.
EXPL: The following are simply more of the
same drivel.
Essential Anarchical Principles
As previously mentioned in another of
this author's finely reasoned (and
mildly seasoned) essays (Der Katz), one
only has to think of the "un-expected"
add a slight twist at the end, and one
is already half-way home (or at least on
the last leg of a cross-town bus trip
to home) in terms of anarchy.
For example, let us say that we have
two political factions -- any two will
do, since on some issue they
are sure to disagree. For example,
let us say that we have some Republicans
(yes, I know this is a theoretical
consideration, since they all became
extinct when the air conditioners in
their SUV's (SPORTS UTILITY VEHICLES)
stopped working, and they all sweated to
death when confronted with the results of
global warming; ie, the roving bands of
killer penguins that relentlessly sought
out all responsible for the melting of
Antarctica. None-the-less)....
Let us say that we have a group STAUNCH
UPRIGHT CITIZENS AGAINST ABORTION
(SUCAA). We now introduce what is
commonly referred to in Anarchical Science
as THE DIVIDING TERM. Now the value does
not have to be either ZERO or INFINITY,
let's set it at the arbitrary value of
TUESDAY WELD, and assign it's anarchical
index at "RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS".
Part of the SUCCA's will be abhorrent to the
idea of having a gun in their home, the
other half will defend to the death of
their children being killed by a gun in
their homes due to accident the right of
every GOD FEARING CITIZEN to not only
bear arms, but their constitutionally
mandated OBLIGATION to have a gun with
them at all times.
In it's most logical conclusion (carefully
removing TUESDAY WELD from the line of
fire -- not to be confused with FIRING LINE),
is that the group of "gun nuts" will "waste"
the group of "fetus-obsessed, non gun-nuts".
EXPL: The use of Tuesday Weld (a young and
promising actress; see, "Lord Love a
Duck" and "If this is Wednesday, then
this must be Belgium" - when she declined
to be fawned over like Marylyn Monroe,
etc. The American press essentially
burried her - almost never reporting
her at all; essentially ruining her
life. She also appears in "Zippy the
Pinhead" by Griffith.
Now as much as one would like to intervene...
(I mean even if these are "only" republicans,
one does feel the natural kind of sympathy
for all living things -- even if said
republicans would gladly (after re-uniting
since the presence of a tree-hugging,
liberal hippy would negate (at least
temporarily) the DIVIDING TERM), kill or
at least spit on sed interventioneur),
but again this IS just a theoretical discussion.
Regardless, to intervein the traditional manner
(ie, to use logical, and well-reasoned statements
such as "90% of all pregnancies end in natural
abortion (mis-carriage) and in many cases without
the mother's knowledge that she was pregnant in
the first place" or "the second amendment was
meant to protect the right of private militia
defending the country against the British Red
Coats back in 1776, and not the right of gun
wackos that simply don't want to pay their
taxes from staging standoffs that force the
big bad government from completely over-reacting.
After all everyone must pay their taxes, well,
everyone that's ordinary and doesn't earn over
a hundred thousand a year") -- such "traditional
methods" are useless.
In fact it can be shown from the ORSON WELLES
PRINCIPLE OF ATTACKING WILLIAM RANDOLF HEARST
IN THE MOVIE CITIZEN KANE AN CONSEQUENTLY HAVING
YOUR LIFE RUINED BY A RICH AND POWERFUL MAN, that
any (repeat ANY) attempt to intervein
-- even using the Sydney Opera House as backdrop,
and the entire Gay Men's Gay Pride Chorus rendering
a danced version (completely in silence) of Beethoven's
Ninth Symphony, EVEN THAT -- would be futile.
EXPL: Part of the reason for this inclusion is
the several "million man march" types of
events. And of course, the *continued*
(even then 2002/2003) NON-actions concerning
AIDS - which had just begun to gain attn in
Africa - as well as the war and the possibility
of the draft. And of course my gay friends
being (some of them) "gung ho" to join into
the fray. This of course reminding me of
theselians ?? and the spartans as a sort
of "assasins guild" of fighters in ancient
Greece and esp in the time of Alexander the
Great. Thus, after a particularly disturbing
report i transformed this into one of my
long standing "pie-in-the-face" eps from
the now some-what lost/defunct "Cartoonia"
nation. The idea of silently acted danse
which portrays music.
For as the late, great philosopher and dry-cleaner,
Billious Papier once said, "Argument is pointless,
yew can not teach shit to an asshole".
EXPL: In the various "rightous" debates about
how the ONE TRUE way is the Republican
way, almost anyone that doesn't fit in
is attacked as being anti-American; in
keeping with George W. Bush's assertion
"If you're not with us, then you're with
terrorists". Despite such a begged question
and logicl falacy - IT WORKS. Remember that
most "normal" people can't work their way
out of a riddle, let alone a logical
or il-logical sylogism. Thus, "America
Love it or leave it" once again rears its
ugly head. Of course, when the surgeon
tells you that you have cancer and need
an operation, the reactionary mind simply
takes its check book out and buys a
different KIND of hat. (Ref to Barbara
Kruger: "Whenever i hear the word culture,
i take out my checkbook."
EXPL: The phrase "You can't explain shit to
an asshole" occured several years back.
In an effort to "explain" in no un-certain
terms and to PROVE that the green-house
and ozone-depletion problems were real.
I began to undertake to model these in
a simulation that i would "write" in
Pascal as well as in my "PDML" (Public
Domain Mark-up Language) - which was
the "state of the art" in the late
1980's. I had started to undertake the
creation of a "action script" operating
system called Dolphin. Would be a sort
of slide-show with fading and possibly
even juxtaposition of images and sound
Although at the time, i hadn't really
begun to even "notice" sound or music
since they were in my mind at that time
simply "static" in both the sense of
noise and in terms of un-changeable
"inserts" - at most.
Finally, as i got into it, i realised
how many assumptions (carefully noted)
that i was having to make - thus coming
(not un-reasonably now in "hind site")
that no matter what i did, the "proof"
even via the most beautiful display of
partial differential equations, and
simulations would NOT convince anyone
who was anything other than reasonable.
Oddly enough, at this same time Stephen
J. Gould had undertaken his beautiful
work in the area of his "sporadic" ??term??
evolution theory. Unfortunately, both
are now quite beyond me. C'est la matimatika.
(Strong words, perhaps, but still treu even in
these more en-lightened times).
I thank you for your attention.
(the author at this point, got off of his soap
box, and promptly, fell face-first into a
recently deposited load of horse hocky. Many
have debated whether this was intentional -- ie,
to offset the use of the word "shit" at the end
of such a distinguished lecture, or just the
fact that he's such a clumsy git to begin with)
Please note: This lecture was edited
by Miss Vera Similitude.
We appologise for the inconvenience.
EXPL: Ending blurble - based on "normal" forms, etc.
Assasins
(an absurdist history play)
After viewing one of the two latest entries
at the MOMAFW - ??title?? by ??artist??
this has spurd a re-assessment of how we
as artists view/portray war and such. Clearly
her work is meant to reflect on the civil war
and it would appear (since many of the silohettes
are of soldiers) that there might be at least
some *intent* of commentry upon the present
war. And as happenstance might have it in
my own studies (of the WW I and its influence
on the dadaists, etc) as well as my first
reading of Albert Speer's "Inside the Third
Reich" - and him as "royal artist/architect"
and the seduction to power there-by of. Has
led me upon the "bargain table" to find a
copy of Professor Vowel's latest work on
her so-called "Assasination Vacation". Her
mein reminds me of the "Enid" character
(or at least her nazi conterpart) in the
film, "Ghost World" - these characters do
not appear in the same way in the novel by
Clowes but only (apparently) in the film
version by Clowes and Zweigov.
Regardless, without out further delay or
feathering a-fore-foot,...
"Assasins"
Professor Vowel's comments on "Assasins"
My notes on the above two works
-^_6
Characters
-[The List of finger puppets available]-
A de-constructed list (with + additions suggested)
Dickinson, Emily
http://www.philosophersguild.com/index.lasso?page_mode=Product_Detail&cat=Magnetic&skip=12&item=0544#
Dostoevsky, Fyodor
http://www.philosophersguild.com/index.lasso?page_mode=Product_Detail&cat=Magnetic&skip=13&item=0513
Douglass, Frederick
Edison, Thomas
Einstein, Albert
Elisabeth I, Queen
Erikssson, Leif
Fizgerald, F. Scott
Foucault, Michel
Franklin, Benjamin
Ganesh
Geronimo
-[]-
-[]-
-[]-
-^_6
The Usual Suspects
-^_6
The Usual Suspects
-^_6
The Usual Suspects
-^_6
The Usual Suspects
-^_6
The Usual Suspects
Jacques Derrida
Techniques
In this section:
Techniques
Techniques
Stream of Consciousness
(examples from Manet and Python)
Python as TRANSLATION to film/story VIA Manet.
Manett's drawing style is line-to-line-to-line.
For example,
Esquisse de L'exécution de Maximilien
But, this is NOT the case for his "finished" drawings or studies
for paintings - well, for the most part.
eg: L'Olympia épreuve-originale
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%C3%89douard_Manet_L%27Olympia_%C3%A9preuve-originale.jpg
Thus, (in the Python) a scene/sketch starts and then goes to where
the punch line would be inserted (or at least the resolution) and
then either jumpts with NO connection to something else, to a song
put in to tie the work up (often the song is absurd itself), or
leads "logically" into the next bit. For example, references to
film directions and such are inserted into the sketch to make it
look as if a character in the sketch is actually reading their
lines as an amateur actor. These lines can then be made the
basis for a re-occuring bit.
Also for example in "Strangers in Good Company", the further and more
completely the "normalcy" of the scne is bulit up (even if the
normalcy is absurdist) - then the further from it, the more
"shocking" the jump to otherness. Note that if the absurdity
is built up as the normal -- a return to the normal, mundane
will be disconcerting to the viewer/participant/player.
This is also the basis for the ending of "The Boss of it All"
Refs
(This section only)
Scott, Cynthia (DIR) (1990). Strangers in Good Company.
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102993/
Trier, Lars von (DIR) (2006). Direktøren for det hele.
"The Boss of it all"; Danish w/English subtitles.
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0469754/
Techniques
Refs
Eslin, Martin (1991; 3rd edn). The Theatre of the Absurd
DD: 809.204-E7T
Eslin, Martin (). Mediaations - Essays on Brech, Beckett, and the Media.
DD: 809.204-E78M
ISBN: 9=0.8071.0771.9
Palmer, John (1969; reprint of 1927 edn). Studies in the Contemporary
Theatre. [Esp, Pp. 45 & ff: M. Luifgi Pirandello and the
enigma of personality].
DD: 792.09-P174S
Links