Dispersal (or, images bind/offend)

If human beings tend to become dominated by powerful, emotionally charged images, then anyone who developed a comprehensive, scientific understanding of the mechanics by which such images work could become a master manipulator. It should be possible to develop techniques for "binding" and influencing other's minds: for instance, by fixing certain emotionally charged images in their heads, or even little bits of music (jingles, basically) that could be designed in such a way that could keep coming back into people's minds despite themselves, and pull them in one direction or another. David Graeber on Romanian historian Ioan Couliano's work.

It's been a week of 40 plus degree days, so with Graeber, juicy comments and a week of cancelled work I wrote and recorded this little hip-hop-punk mutation. 

Dispersal - patrick jones

Did you pick the mind-washing jingles? Yes, they're very subtle. More Peej here.

Yesterday I read about how atheists were knocked back from advertising on Australian buses, following the highly successful campaign in Britain. So I wrote this letter to the editor of The Age, which was published today.

Ad nauseam
"ANY advertisement that might offend the community is not permitted on public buses" (The Age, 29/1) Great! Then can we see the immediate removal of all advertising courting young people to buy junk food and any other products that are packaged, transported and unnecessary?

and this one, by Wayne Llewellyn of Hampton, followed.

Pity free speech
ATHEISTS denied a voice on the buses. Aborigines denied debate over Australia Day. Government censorship of the internet. Are these not direct attacks on the way of life we so stridently fought for? Equality and freedom of speech are cornerstones of Western culture, protected in the US, practised in Britain and pilloried in Australia.

Sensibilities are meant to be challenged so why are we suppressing opinion, homogenising perspectives and becoming so fearful of change?

DISCLAIMER: I'm an atheist who doesn't doubt the existence of God - God is a three lettered word that also exists as an idea, a law, or a joke in our minds. And I'm an anarchist who fantasises about top down government for the sole purpose of dissolving the states, returning to social collectives who define their lands in terms of food/water bowls and their relationship to these ecologies.