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Crassmess

By Matt Loewen at Feb 20, 2009

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 Well, here is some art that I drew and photoshopped; Im still getting used to coloring my own artwork, but this one turned out pretty well I think. 

 

I know its not 'The Season To Be Jolly' anymore, but I figured I'd post this anyways. Im still unsure of the message in this picture. Ageism and sexism (feminism as a caricature) are never things that I espouse, but unfortunately these themes are present in this picture if one forgets that what is occurring is symbolic.

At any rate, Im happy with the rendering of the photo. I was hesitant of posting this on ZNet; for some reason I got the feeling that it wasn't intellectual enough. Its a feeling I get with the site, but as per the wishes of Mr.Albert, Im am reducing facebook to a means of organizing, and turning this into my online 'home'- hell, its been my homepage for long enough!

Also, here is a short piece of writing that I wrote at the time I drew this. Enjoy.

 A time; 

Capitalism streamlines- with help of a convenient set of unimaginative symbols, slogans, and songs, and tired stories with oft-ignored lessons, 1/6th of all yearly consumption (of cheap plastic crap, fossil fuel-guzzling gadgets, status symbols, and instruments of excess) occurs (also, please ignore the seasonal tramplings-to-death at your local super store);

the emancipatory potential of an entire religion is drowned out amongst the unconscious screams of millions as they unwittingly mummify themselves in reindeer-and-elf-emblazoned paper and scotch tape;

the landfills are that much deeper, the Carbon Dioxide that much thicker, and the forests that much smaller, the rich that much richer, and the poor that much poorer;

self-absolving and guilt-appeasing band-aid solutions are applied to deep institutional problems that plague the less fortunate;

also families come together;

people share;

some see through all the bullshit;

some mark the path that Jesus left;

some remember and glance furtively out at the world

and spend a few minutes measuring

how far these fucking sheep can stray.

Most would suffer from tables overturned were he here today.

 

While I'm not a Christian, I was by default as a kid, and so I thought I'd sort of work the things I know into what 'Christams' has become; a crass mess. Hence the post title. Anyways, hope you enjoyed.

Comment On This Blog Post  See All Comments (2)

The user who created this comment no longer exists.

Cat

By Cat, Tolstoys at Feb 22, 2009 17:58 PM

Hi Matt,

The sustainers have formed a new group to work together on site ideas, community building, and other stuff.

Z Consumer Council

Check out Jon's Blog for a project we're working on to build community. The project started on this blog and moved to the forum. There's a link you can follow.

Hope to see you there!

--Cat

P.S. Thanks for posting your drawing and poem. I have felt the same hesitation about posting things and "appropriateness". I'm getting over it. Due in part to taking small risks and seeing others doing the same. So, thanks again! It's empowering.

Cat

 

 

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By Loewen, Matt at Feb 23, 2009 09:35 AM
Yeah, I'm beginning to see Z more like the local Anarchist bookstore collective; so long as you aren't wrecking stuff, then who you are is who you are. Z is like that, but waaay bigger and more public. Plus there are all these high-powered scholars, which makes me always question the stuff I want to post. Anyways, just the way I'm starting to see it. Thanks for the link, too.

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