This entry will be titiled:
"Slightly Hypocritical Thought’s On Blogging, and Why Were Are the Most Fearful and Vulnerable Generation Yet."
or
"When You Drive Alone, You Drive With Ghosty Hitler"
In modern times with digital pictures, audio recording, and other tools to document every little aspect of life (perhaps even blogging), our identity has become closely linked with how well we can document it. Modern thought has its influence on this: if you can’t prove it with a picture, you are apt to be doubted in your claim of catching anything bigger than a 5 lb fish. But I believe over-documentation, and the world of empirical proof have fostered a fear of forgetting. If we cannot produce the physical, literal evidence of our being somewhere, what’s to say we ever went? Technology, combined with the move from modern thought to postmodern thought has resulted in our fear of forgetting, or worse, being forgotten.
This fear extends into public art and policy. The general populations compulsion to memorialize anyone and erect monuments to everything come from a deep-seated belief that if they do not force people to remember, not one will. Particularly surrounding the war and our contemporary climate of terror, “Never Forget”, and “Remember the Sacrifice” seem to have replaced, “Loose Lips Sink Ships” “Food Is a Weapon, Don’t Waste It.” Instead of advice on how to do our part in the fight we are all fighting, contemporary slogans try and remind (or convince) is why we are fighting.
To be fair, I recall “Remember the Alamo,” but not what I am supposed to remember about it.
I’m not sure what this fear and compulsion say about us as an American people, but I’m saddened that we are afraid of our failing memories, and the inability to transmit real love and respect through oral tradition. Think back to all the sci-fi movies that warn about trusting too much knowledge that otherwise would be in our brains, to outside sources. Or even teen novel The Giver. Let’s not get lazy people. Remember “You Can’t Beat the Axis if You’ve Got VD.”
PS: I got into a group show at the Brooklyn Artist Gym called "Rockers and Posers". Sounds fun, right? Go me! More information to come. And yes, I am aware that I didn't post anything on here about the last show at NYCAMS," Who Lost This Piece of Paper?" Images forthcoming. Promise.
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