Live on Tuesdays at 5pm Pacific time - UnSpun #079:
Gavan Kearney returns.
In connection to the idea of context used to undermine content (see Martin Creed's light's going on and off) Gavan examines the anti-art ethos of early Modernism such as Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain" (the urinal) and a book by the situationists Guy Debord & Asger Jorn published in 1957 called Memoires, which had a sand paper cover, the intention being that it would destroy all the other books on one's shelf - this anti- art is totalitarian, i that it allows no room for anything else.
Gavan also touches upon Western pop culture's fixation on manufactured youthful rebellion, drawing back to 1953's Marlon Brando film the Wild One & 1955's Blackboard Jungle (the latter effective teaching youngsters how to behave as "rebels").
Finally, Gavan discusses how this mythos is a latter day religion, complete with saints and martyrs and how the hippie look effectively drew upon millenia of Christian iconography.
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Working in an elderly home very few swing when the Reaper is looming.
Eventually, reality knocks on everyone’s door.
The elderly of today that gracefully / peacefully make that transition is far and between.
The reality of dying is never easy but a peaceful passing was more common in yesteryears.
Today, the dying and the surrounding loved ones reek of fear and impotence beyond belief.
(Sadly, the caregivers too.)
Might be subjective but the agony of being in transition takes days longer too.
Also few elderly can be truly alone, they depend on diversion of any sort and the noisy ones are preferred.