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Irony Is Killing Us
I associate irony with Gen X. Growing up surrounded by a culture that they pioneered, it was ironic distance from anything that might smack of emotion. I assume that it was a reaction against the fake earnestness of Hannah-Barbara and the 80’s reactionary nostalgia of Stand By Me, Back to the Future, the Outsiders, &etc.…
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Live a Life of Inconvenience
Life could, and should, be less convenient. Conveninece is very attractive. We’ve sold ourselves on it. Everything you could want is a click away. You can have everything delivered. From dinner to groceries to clothes. It’s all just a quick click from your phone to your porch We’re now paying the cost, or seeing the…
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Using And Consuming Tech
The advent of the tablet and smart phone have solidified a wedge in society that was pioneered by the colorful Macs o the early 2000s. The difference between those who consume technology and those who use it. This divide is between those who repair, who tinker and those who purchase. When a device breaks or…
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Curation
Curation in the age of the Internet is an interesting thing to think about. I hear that word more these days. In radio I hear ‘human curated’ instead of a Spotify playlist. The thing I saw that got me thinking about this was a used/vintage store that had ‘Curated & Handmade’ painted across its exterior.…
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Nostalgia Is Killing Us
The current world is experiencing a resurgence in fascism. From the GOP in the USA to the AfD in Germany, the Italian Brotherhood in Italy, & France’s precarious position, it seems that the far right is on the rise everywhere. Meanwhile our cultural touchstones reach back to a time that never exists. From vaporwave to…
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Gatekeeping
We were told that gatekeeping was bad. Many times, it is. But gatekeeping provides important protection for subcultures. It is not the gatekeeping that is bad, but the reason behind it that can be bad. Subcultures exist within a dominant culture with their own set of rules, mores, and cultural norms. This includes dress, language,…
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Records, Represses, Reissues
I select a lot. I have for many year; almost twenty of them. Almost exclusively in Jamaican music. In certain circles of reggae, ska, rocksteady, and roots DJs there is a requirement that all the records be original presses. Meaning that the records you play must be an original pressing from the year that the…