Totally respect and applaud your efforts, although framing issues in terms of "left and right" doesn't make sense to me, unless these are meant as generic terms, which could be replaced with something such as "View A and View B."
The whole "left / right" concept seems to break down when considering varied topics, as each of us may find ourselves on either "side" in any specific case.
Am not sure what the ideal solution would be, yet am personally identified with positions on both sides, depending on the topic.
Yeah, this is something that we're talking a lot about right now.
Left and right is a useful analytical paradigm, but it's pretty crude. We're thinking about using more pro/con splits instead. But on the other hand, most people think that there is a those people over there who are the problem, and so identifying and humanizing them seems worthwhile.
For example, if someone thinks "The left are evil anti-americas," I want to show them how "the left" can be a reasonable human.
Again, your efforts are wonderful and inspiring, attempting to create understanding between opposing views.
Yet, it's hard for me not to feel like our current situation is ultimately hopeless, with a well-established trend underway of complete disintegration of all social connections and bonds. It may not be long before this internet itself collapses.
We could create viable community again in future, yet all current dominant forces are pushing everyone apart, splitting up friends, relationships, families, cultures, countries, and even dividing us internally within ourselves.
Extremes always eventually flip to opposites, so once this "isolation wave" runs its full course, we may be able to reestablish human to human collaboration again, yet we may not be really "human" at all, by this point.
Was born in 1973 and grew up in the Redwoods of Northern California, near what would eventually become Silicon Valley.
In that place and time, the 80's were mostly a very fun and exciting bunch of years to be a child, with the crazy hippie 60's/70's mentality of the adults crossing over into a new "cleaner" era of exploding fresh technology and intelligent comic vision.
Records became cassettes. Being able to record our own sounds and listen to music on mobile devices for the very first time was totally amazing. The first personal computers arrived, which were equally incredible, although quite mysterious and complex.
Atari 2600 and the video game revolution hit, with all of us hooking up our new joystick machines to parents big Zenith televisions, while dumping quarters into arcades.
The arrival of the VCR was a breakthrough in being able to watch movies at home, GOOD movies such as Star Wars, Breakfast Club, Blade Runner, Dark Crystal and countless other great films from the time, many of which we saw in theater.
Really cool new music was coming out regularly, from bands like Depeche Mode and Oingo Boingo. MTV arrived and was extremely bizarre and brilliant, at first.
The environment was less toxic and people were far less paranoid in general. We spent endless sunny days riding bikes, swimming in rivers, climbing trees, building forts, go-carts, and causing silly mischief, without any threat of watching cameras. We could make prank phone calls in the middle of the night without any worry about "Caller ID." ;)
We were afraid of the "nuclear war" propaganda constantly pouring out of the 3 mainstream TV channels (PBS was relaxing) and some young friends committed suicide. Yet, the Space Shuttle launches were inspiring and we felt that America was genuinely dedicated to freedom, democracy, and justice. This illusion was eventually crushed, for me.
The 80's officially died in a wave of hip-hop, rap, awful "butt rock," bad films, and a sudden appreciation for general stupidity. The inspiring momentum of what felt like a positive movement seemed to fall apart suddenly with corporate consolidation of media, commercialization of everything, and a darker, harsher, lifeless cultural attitude.
>The environment was less toxic and people were far less paranoid in general.
The Satanic Panic or moral crusades about horror movies like Poltergiest had no bearing on your life?
>The 80's officially died in a wave of hip-hop, rap, awful "butt rock," bad films,
Why do you think those music genres killed the '80s?
>and a sudden appreciation for general stupidity.
Is this in reference to the Simpsons or something else?
>The inspiring momentum of what felt like a positive movement seemed to fall apart suddenly with corporate consolidation of media, commercialization of everything, and a darker, harsher, lifeless cultural attitude.
Wasn't the media already consolidated to begin with (i.e. 3 channels if you didn't have cable or satellite)?
Being a child at the time certainly biased my opinion and experience, as well as my particular living location. Probably didn't really notice or care about already established cultural trends until older. It's easy to grow attached to our specific "generation" and have a hard time accepting change.
Growing up in country towns with plenty of friends around was a blast and kept us away from screens much of the time. Wishing all children could experience a more natural youth with direct contact with plants and animals. It's some of the best education possible and provides a deeper perspective of all things human, technological, or political.
We are simply "smart monkeys" after all, aren't we?
My questions weren't rhetorical. I was not attempting to make any points. I'm genuinely curious as to what your answers are.
I wasn't born or raised during that era but it's something I take an interest in. I'm well aware everyone's lives are different. Your best days in country towns might likely have been someone's worst in the inner cities.
Well, my first experience of hip-hop and rap was very shocking. It seemed completely crude and disgusting to me, especially all of the gang violence expressed. I was deeply confused as to why so many people were enjoying this new "music" and my immediate thought is that there must be racist white media owners pushing aggressive propaganda to fuel fires of blacks fighting each other.
Later in life, I learned to appreciate rap slightly more with the sharp political expressions of Public Enemy, the heart of Arrested Development, and the sick hilariousness of Too $hort.
Intelligent, meaningful lyrics, complex melodies, and innovation in general seemed to take a back seat at this time. The same was reflected in films. The quality of all media just felt like it was in decline.
Quit watching television and most movies soon after and never looked back. My favorite "modern" movies are Ex Machina, I Am Mother, Children Of Men, and Sorry To Disturb You.
My favorite current bands are Ladytron, Marsheaux, Electric Youth, and Maps (the best!):
Indeed, my country town life was absolutely awesome, along with growing up with a young single "hippie" mom who loved me fully and set me free. It was a perfect balance of endless nature in sunny weather with tons of friends along with rapidly advancing technology that felt empowering.
We were no longer just being merely consumers of media, yet able to get inside those screens and speakers ourselves.
Wish more people these days would jump in with us:
From the Urban Dictionary: "The name "butt rock" has a few possible origins. First, in the 1980s, the musicians in many hair metal bands often dressed in a "glam" style, wearing tight pants that would accentuate their butts. (This may also be the origin of the term "cock rock," which has the same connotations, as the tight pants would also accentuate the musicians' crotches.) A less flattering origin for the name is that the lead singers of these bands sounded like they were singing out of their asses. Finally, the term can generally mean that the music sounds like ass."
The whole "left / right" concept seems to break down when considering varied topics, as each of us may find ourselves on either "side" in any specific case.
Am not sure what the ideal solution would be, yet am personally identified with positions on both sides, depending on the topic.