"literature is not isolated from the social and cultural framework in which it is set, but takes an active part in constructing it. Literature has a socializing, acculturating function. It can topple regimes and spark changes in ways of thinking that reverberate down generations. ...
I think that escapism is probably the most important literary development in recent times. It is properly not an end unto itself, it is a mode, a hook, a literary device to draw readers in. Literary fiction has always seemed unapproachable because it often deals with heavy topics: the human condition, war, slavery, inequality, the like – all within the confines of mundane existence; a mirror unto the imperfections of our own reality. Many people don’t like that. Escapism replaces that reality with one in which we actually want to live in, and thus makes literature accessible. Escapism is not incompatible with literature-as-mirror or literature-as-agent-of-change. In fact, far from being the great enemy of traditional affective literature, it may be its greatest emerging ally, combating the evil forces of reality TV, celebrity gossip and the always-on camera recording the lives of the Kardashians. That is because escapist fiction can, at its best, act as a cradle for good stories and good literature. If the thought of escaping to a world where you can ride broomsticks and cast spells introduces kids to the wonders of reading and good storytelling (and a life of literacy afterward), more power to escapism."
FROM: http://www.cornellsun.com/section/arts/content/2013/03/01/escaping-through-fiction
SpyWriter Jack King, author of Agents of Change, WikiJustice, The Black Vault and The Fifth Internationale
01/03/2013
The Racket
"I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. ... I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. ... In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents." Smedley Butler, Major General, U.S. Marine Corps.
Smedley Butler inspired my novel The Black Vault:
In the 1930s a group of wealthy industrialists plotted to overthrow President Franklin D. Roosevelt and replace him with a puppet dictator. The coup failed because of moral reservations of a single man: Smedley Butler.
Smedley Butler inspired my novel The Black Vault:
In the 1930s a group of wealthy industrialists plotted to overthrow President Franklin D. Roosevelt and replace him with a puppet dictator. The coup failed because of moral reservations of a single man: Smedley Butler.
28/02/2013
Books, nutrition for the soul
"Books are nutrition for the soul.
When creative participation is required, imagination engaged, the experience reaches beyond dubious sustenance to gourmet richness.
Reading is fundamental. Fundamental to learning, yes; but also to thinking. To creativity and imagination, as applied in a very practical sense to life, to work, to growth.
According to the National Literacy Trust, regular book readers have not only better vocabularies, but also more confidence and greater understanding of other people, issues, and cultures. Reading also benefits society; book readers are also more likely to engage in their communities and be better decision makers."
More: http://m.cdapress.com/columns/sholeh_patrick/article_f75c53b8-2123-504d-9b34-504af35261b3.html
SpyWriter Jack King, the author of:
Agents of Change, WikiJustice, The Black Vault, and The Fifth Internationale.
Coming soon:
www.SpyWriter.com
When creative participation is required, imagination engaged, the experience reaches beyond dubious sustenance to gourmet richness.
Reading is fundamental. Fundamental to learning, yes; but also to thinking. To creativity and imagination, as applied in a very practical sense to life, to work, to growth.
According to the National Literacy Trust, regular book readers have not only better vocabularies, but also more confidence and greater understanding of other people, issues, and cultures. Reading also benefits society; book readers are also more likely to engage in their communities and be better decision makers."
More: http://m.cdapress.com/columns/sholeh_patrick/article_f75c53b8-2123-504d-9b34-504af35261b3.html
SpyWriter Jack King, the author of:
Agents of Change, WikiJustice, The Black Vault, and The Fifth Internationale.
Coming soon:
www.SpyWriter.com
27/02/2013
Bibliotherapy
The "Center for Fiction—a nonprofit that holds readings and events, gives writers office space and promotes the general celebration of literature—called A Novel Approach, in which writers and editors involved with the center (“bibliotherapists”) will give you a 45-minute consultation dealing with the life crisis of your choice and prescribe a year’s worth of reading to help you get through it. ...
people who consider themselves serious readers believe that reading is “making their lives better, and that they are becoming better human beings through reading".
From: http://observer.com/2013/02/how-literature-saved-my-psyche-attending-a-book-themed-therapy-session-at-the-center-for-fiction/
SpyWriter Jack King, the author of:
Agents of Change, WikiJustice, The Black Vault, and The Fifth Internationale.
Coming soon:
www.SpyWriter.com
people who consider themselves serious readers believe that reading is “making their lives better, and that they are becoming better human beings through reading".
From: http://observer.com/2013/02/how-literature-saved-my-psyche-attending-a-book-themed-therapy-session-at-the-center-for-fiction/
SpyWriter Jack King, the author of:
Agents of Change, WikiJustice, The Black Vault, and The Fifth Internationale.
Coming soon:
www.SpyWriter.com
The Dirty "S" Word
The dirty S word is back, and gaining popularity. Young Americans (ages 18 -29) are growing disillusioned with the capitalist system post 2008 crash, and look more favorably upon... socialism. The ideas put forward by Karl Marx are back in mainstream. Listen to podcast: http://www.cbc.ca/thesundayedition/shows/2013/02/24/is-marxism-facing-a-rebirth/
The survey by Pew Research indicates shift in perception on social policies, despite decades long propaganda war of vilification:
The survey by Pew Research indicates shift in perception on social policies, despite decades long propaganda war of vilification:
"powerful and wealthy private interests and special interest groups have taken almost full control of most democracies, their money and influence increasingly dictating the political and social agendas for these nations, agendas beneficial to them alone.
All democratic governments to some extent, but again primarily the US, have essentially abandoned their responsibility as “managers” of their nations and societies, have lost the thread of “management for the people”, and instead have relegated their nations to a condition of “management for the benefit of private interests”. ...
The management of these nations for the benefit of special interest groups has become so embedded that 'socialism', which is nothing more than a concern for the overall welfare of the nation and its people, has become a dirty word.
As evidence, most Americans are energetically, and sometimes almost violently, opposed to socialism though few appear to have any understanding of the term's actual meaning.
Socialism – caring about the people of a nation and about their welfare, is equated in the American mind to a hateful dictatorship with no rights or freedoms – in fact, to the precise opposite of the term's real meaning. Such is the power of propaganda." From: http://www.spyghana.com/democracy-and-income-inequality-america-the-worlds-richest-banana-republic/
21/02/2013
The Need for Book News
"We know the top songs on the radio and the movies in theaters. Why don’t we know what books are the latest on the shelves? ...
Imagine if books were discarded because of lack of readership. We wouldn’t be left with many books and the ones we would be left with would be “Twilight” fan fiction. “Fifty Shades of Grey,” I’m referring to you. Quality literature and peoples’ interest in it is fading fast.
We have become a society that is focused on watching images on screens instead of allowing images to be formed in our minds from words. In my opinion, it is important to know what is going on in the world in terms of news and pop culture. However, most news doesn’t seem to include books. Many of today’s movies and TV shows are based off of novels, showing the impact they have beyond the literary scope. People may feel weighed down when they read page after page in a book, but without good writers to write screenplays for movies and scripts for TV shows, there wouldn’t be any. The basis for everything stems from the ability to write and to write well. This is why we need to enlighten ourselves and acknowledge the work that is going unnoticed in the book industry."
From: http://www.dailycampus.com/focus/the-dog-ear-contemporary-authors-matter-1.2993410#.USabJ3JMLC0
SpyWriter Jack King, author of Agents of Change and WikiJustice
Imagine if books were discarded because of lack of readership. We wouldn’t be left with many books and the ones we would be left with would be “Twilight” fan fiction. “Fifty Shades of Grey,” I’m referring to you. Quality literature and peoples’ interest in it is fading fast.
We have become a society that is focused on watching images on screens instead of allowing images to be formed in our minds from words. In my opinion, it is important to know what is going on in the world in terms of news and pop culture. However, most news doesn’t seem to include books. Many of today’s movies and TV shows are based off of novels, showing the impact they have beyond the literary scope. People may feel weighed down when they read page after page in a book, but without good writers to write screenplays for movies and scripts for TV shows, there wouldn’t be any. The basis for everything stems from the ability to write and to write well. This is why we need to enlighten ourselves and acknowledge the work that is going unnoticed in the book industry."
From: http://www.dailycampus.com/focus/the-dog-ear-contemporary-authors-matter-1.2993410#.USabJ3JMLC0
SpyWriter Jack King, author of Agents of Change and WikiJustice
Smart Meters. Cancer. Privacy.
Smart meters. They are installed by water companies, and electricity providers.
Smart meters may be not only deadly, they are also intrusive:
So, you want electricity but not cancer? You can wrap yourself, or the smart meter, in sheet metal. You can stop paying your bill, and maybe they will remove the meter. But, what then?
Some have found a solution:
"Feeling anxious about the high energy microwaves beaming out constantly from these deadly devices? Having nightmares about DNA damage, and fascistic intrusion from 'your' power company? ... In many states, the power companies send the police along with the installers to force you to submit... In many reports, the home owners are intimidated, roughed up, threatened, abused, and arrested for standing up for their rights against the minions of GUS and 'big power'. ... So what i will do is to put a little 'cap' of folded aluminium foil over the broadcast bulb of the smart meter. ... it shuts off the microwaves as a source of health degrading energies in my local environment." Read more: http://www.halfpasthuman.com/smartmeters.html
Smart meters may be not only deadly, they are also intrusive:
"Depending on the functionality of the meter, the smart meter may be able to track how much electricity is used within each room of the home, as well as how much is used by the various new smart appliances in your house. Just as the smart meters can communicate wirelessly with devices such as TV sets or tablets to show you your electrical consumption, they also communicate this information with the power company, which keeps records about the volumes and patterns associated with your daily life. The implications for personal surveillance are staggering." Read more: http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/02/14/refusing-smart-meters-to-protect-your-health-and-privacy/
So, you want electricity but not cancer? You can wrap yourself, or the smart meter, in sheet metal. You can stop paying your bill, and maybe they will remove the meter. But, what then?
Some have found a solution:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)