The Shepherds to our Sheeple

An angry rant of mine, against some conservatives, on a Facebook page, October 15th, 2012

"Haha @ Democrats raising more money than republicans. Even if it were true all across the board, I'd assume some conservative media outlet had probably misquoted something or took some numbers out of context, as they love to do. Actually, I'd put money on it actually turning out that Democrats actually just have more NORMAL PEOPLE donors than Republicans do.. since they don't need regular people to help them take over the government and fuck things up for the rest of us. They've got the Koch brothers, Monsanto, All the oil-rich companies.. ummm.. big-pharma.. well, the list could go on and on.
But I digress. Those corporations are all people, anyway, right? Psychotic, sociopathic people, who's only goal in their (possibly) immortal lives is to consume MORE PROFIT, and to CUT expenditures, until they're only paying for what they THINK they NEED in order to MAKE MORE PROFITS. And THEY are the "people" who the Republicans represent, my fellow Americans. Those fictitious, immortal, ever-consuming "people" have MOST of the REPRESENTATION in government, not most of US. Nope.
Oh, and unless my memory is soo screwed up because of all the "Marxist" schooling I've had, weren't our founding fathers against TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION? They most certainly weren't against taxes, and the redistribution of said funds. So.. how are any of you still supporting the Republicans? Why do you think they represent you? They most certainly do not, and the most certainly do not go by what the founding fathers had in mind...."

Corporations as people.

How is this.. how did this even happen? This "consideration" of corporations, where we end up considering them as people? I need to look that up, unless someone replies to this with LINKz.

But okay, so how are they different than people?
They consume, and they produce, and they expel waste, like we do, but.. Money. A corporation consumes things to continue running, like.. raw materials, etc.(this would have to be "food"), and they produce things, like whatever they sell to actual people, but what would be the equivalent to this from a real person? Perhaps in part it would be what they are able to create, or what they're able to get out of consuming, while surviving.  They expel things in much the same way we do.

This reminds me of an analogy/idea Kris told me once. If aliens visited Earth, would they visit us? Well, that may depend on how closely they look at our planet. They might see large rectangular things moving back and forth, from place to place, consuming other creatures (us) and expelling them later (shit, smog, etc.), so perhaps the aliens might see cars as the dominant species, and they may not think to visit us if they don't think we're worth talking to. Us big, living hunks of metal, dirty, polluting, and worse still, boring.

But, what if they didn't even zoom in that close? What if they zoomed in and just saw our big, cancerous metal and concrete MONSTER-PEOPLE, Corporations. As they get bigger, they multiply and infest other parts of our planet, turning the green, lush, life-filled areas of our planet in to concrete jungles, populated by tiny ant-like drones, that seem to feed these cancers, like defective cells.

I believe as these "people", or should we say "animals" (since people are animals..), take more and more power away from us drones, the more slave-like we become, in order to keep the cancers growing, LARGE AND LARGER, CONSUMING MORE AND MORE.. all so that they can get what they soooo enjoy, as well as thrive on.. MONEY. And, what better way to control us slave-drones, than to fool/convince us in to thinking we need more and more money as well? Wouldn't it be in the interest of these cancer-people to keep us at each others' throats? Wouldn't corporations, as the cancer-people, naturally evolve by figuring out the "divide and conquer" strategy, if that kept us being better slave-drones?

I'm starting to think of corporations as enormous, money-addicted, conscience-less  IMMORTAL*, cancers upon an otherwise beautifully balanced natural world, and we as their creators, as well their slaves. Maybe this analogy isn't as strong as I'm thinking, I dunno. Feel free to discuss this with me in comments or whatever. (*not that they actually are immortal, I'm just speaking in relation to humans, since, like any cancer, once all the raw-materials are used up, the cancer will die.. or spread to other planets, and in that case.. wouldn't there be a chance that aliens would consider us a horrible threat to life and existence?)

We fear a zombie or, more relevantly  a robot Apocalypse  but what if the corporation-Apocalypse has already been happening, for who knows how long? Not that I think this is true, considering I try to stay positive, and an optimist. Its just something to think about, and consider.

I want to empathize with the conservatives, but a lot of them are making it really difficult for me. I really can't believe so many of them spread around the very propaganda that has brainwashed them, word for fucking word, and they still believe themselves to be unique snowflakes, completely independent from the rest of humanity, and some of them would defend that illusion of an opinion till the day they die if they were provoked, using the same misquoted and uneducated dribble that comes out of  ALL their mouths, daily.

And every snowflake may be different, but as my dear Oblivia pointed out, even snow looks the FUCKING SAME from far enough away. Just like what the forest looks like when you're not focusing on how different the tree next to you looks.

Anyway, shouldn't we REQUIRE a government, run by us, to regulate these cancers? To break them up if necessary? Can anyone show me evidence that regulations, in general, do more harm than good? Didn't we used to break up Monopolies because if we don't, they become uncontrollably horrible, human-enslaving BEASTS when they're left to their own devices?

Many of my liberal friends think we'll never have the ability to turn back the clock, and to continue living until something accidentally kills us. Many of them argue that the rich would take the technology for themselves. I've heard about this hypothetical from various sources, I believe, and I totally understand the fear. But what if there are "people" ALREADY out there who get to live for forever?

If corporations are people, and they get to live (seemingly) forever, why can't we? Conservatives want to defend their cancer-people-overlords, and their right to exist and what not, but why aren't we all fighting for OUR right to NOT DIE as well?

I digress again. What bothers me about the political atmosphere in this country, which stems from all side of the political spectrum, is that we've begun defending our worst attributes and impulses, as if we have no control or choice in the matter.

"People are all selfish!" "People are all greedy!" "People will never learn, and they'll never take responsibility for themselves!" These all sound like horrible insults, but I read/hear them almost daily IN DEFENSE of said behavior.

We're all guilty of these things from time to time, and some of us are certainly worse than others, but corporations (cancer-people) seem to be divulging in the same bullshit selfishness CONSTANTLY. If we only defend our right to be the selfish pricks we sometimes are, and forget that we're HUMAN being who can choose to be compassionate, then we can't blame anyone but ourselves when big-businesses end up being that way as well. But in their case they wield such power, through their most-rich slave-drones, that they needn't worry about repercussions.

The difference is, people have a choice in the matter. That's what we need to argue for: the freedom of choice. And then, when SOME people make SHITTY choices, they should be regulated by making them be honest and take responsibility for that choice, and punished for harming others if ever they have.

Corporations, rich people, and everyone.. should all be held accountable for their actions. But in the case of corporation-cancer-people, they HAVE NO CONSCIENCE, and no justice system either, to make them feel empathy/guilt, and/or punish them when they do something severe.

We are not the cancer, because we've chosen to get to this point in our societal evolution, but are corporations? Have I not made a pretty good case for that assumption?

Elf Corner!

I guess it's about time I introduce myself here. I'm the elf that has been helping Jon set up his blog and moving things along. I hope that you all have enjoyed his work so far because I know I do!!

I much so enjoy it, that I just had to have a bit of fun with an art piece he had left at my apartment back in good ol' Houston.

The sculpture there is all Jon. It's one of my pieces and at least once or twice a month, I still get compliments about it. I have yet to meet a person who didn't like it, i think it's amazing.

Anyway, the hat and doll you see there are things that I crocheted. My crocheting phase may have started because I was bored and I'm always antsy to learn something new, but it is now definitely fueled by the sole purpose that I can make things for Jon's art stuff. There are more items he has on display here in Houston, and once I make something for it I'll post more.

I'm also open to any crocheting ideas to put on Jon's work =)

--Elf

Or: How about that equinox?

I am an uncle once again with a nephew, born September 23rd. It's amazing to me that he would be born on my own birthday, on the autumnal equinox (like in 85 when I was born) and at 6:20pm, two minutes after my own (supposed) birth time. Even if it's not that close its pretty awesome.

My sister and I are 8 years apart, so she had already grown up quite a bit when I was born. As she got older she took on more and more of a parent's role in my life, and especially in the lives of my two younger siblings. As soon as she turned 18 she got married and left home. She married an artist who she's still married to now, 16 years later.

After she left when I was 10, I assumed the role of parent to my two younger siblings. I rebelled against this imposed duty, while trying to help raise my brother and sister as best I could. I taught myself how to cook, and battled my mother when necessary to get things done in the name of our family. I did my best while I could, and even when I had a step-father around I tried to shelter my siblings from the reality that our actual parent(s) wanted to live their own lives instead of dedicate their time to our upbringing. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. That phrase always rang true for me.

My sister gave me a niece three years ago, but she was already living here in Florida while I was still in Houston. To live with her during this second pregnancy has given me a lot of insights in to parenting that I hadn't really seen when I was younger. I've had complete faith in her and my brother-in-law when it came to raising children (my niece being an amazing and brilliant child) so I know this second (and final) child has a loving and amazing life ahead of him.

So welcome to the world Baby Finn(igan)!

Oh yeah, my own birthday..
I had an amazing time with the amazing friends I've made here. My good friend Joshua Davis get's a special thank you for helping put together my outing and following-day-grill-athon.

Some artwork will surely follow soon. Hang in there. GET IT TOGETHER.




Haha.. girl-athon.

I might as well use this to remember/freak out about what I need to do these days. These days.

Here are some badass images by David Shrigley:

I'm going to give a short presentation about him tomorrow. I barely agreed to it, and I'm dreading it. Thankfully the work is enjoyable, comical, and smart. Sm-art is great imho.

Titled 'The Wind'..?

I honestly find most of his work witty and at times hilariously pretentious. Almost.

His stuff is absurd, and beautifully so.

His work has been turned in to some wonderfully obvious and ironic tattoos.

But some could really have been done by anyone:

I've been meaning to update this more, but my life has been quite busy. Perhaps if I use the blog in a basic documentary fashion I'll get in to the habit. Perhaps this blog will help me to remember the good times. Perhaps soon we will all be immortal.
I've met some amazing people since I moved here; many in the last few months. I've found a local music scene that I feel quite at home around. Soon I will be an uncle x 2, and I turn twenty six in a matter of days.

These days.

An introduction; to myself, to my work, to this blog.

Here I dwell, 3 weeks deep in to my 2nd year as a Masters candidate at FAU.
I've been creating art in a semi-serious manner for some 10 years now, though I've drawn and painted for as long as I can remember. Why I've been hesitant to create one of these (and put my entire life, concepts and insecurities on display..) who knows! But thanks to the help of my great and supportive friend Elf this thing has finally gotten started.

Documentation is everything in the art world, so what better way to record my progression from student to super-serious artist, than in a super-hip, Pooh-themed blog?

This way people will KNOW me, like know-me know me. Maybe not. Through this I can also hopefully stay more closely connected with other artists, good people, and cool-ass groups like Art Sandwiches.

Come to think of those merry folks, I miss a lot of people in my home-town of Houston (and across the country). But, I moved to Florida for many reasons; to gain new perspectives, to shed distractions, and as a sort of self-imposed exile (Grad school).

I hope whoever reads this enjoys doing so, get's to know me a bit better, and maybe even assists in my progress; through humorous comments, insults, public service announcements, critiques, etc.

All are welcome.