Brave New Gadget

Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of Aldous Huxley's death. The author of "Brave New World" feared a future where it is the things we love that will undo us.

Unlike the totalitarian society in George Orwell's "1984" Huxley feared a world where information is drowned in a sea of irrelevance, where we are willingly distracted and therefore do not act when our freedom is taken away.

I live in the time when ten percent of the Swedish population say they will vote for a fascist party and our government just started chipping away at the policies of openness that are a cornerstone of democracy.
I have a degree in political science and journalism. I studied human rights, peace and conflict studies and the history of propaganda.
I never thought I would see history re-enact itself in my lifetime. Not in the corner of the world I call home.

And there are protests - but not nearly what there should be. Have we become what Huxley feared 82 years ago?
Are we docile and sedated by our beloved gadgets? Or can we simply not see what our actions or lack thereof will lead to in the long term?

I am an early adopter of technology and I work in the field - I know why I spend so much time staring at screens. But when I look around and see the entire bus doing the same thing I start to wonder what we are doing. Are we choosing the digital soma (the pleasure drug Huxley describes in "Brave New World") instead of participating in the world around us?

German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller illustrates what happened when the Nazis rose to power and began eliminating group after group. And how high the price will be if we choose sloth and not action.

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the socialists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.

We are only free as long as we demand to be. Trading freedom for security is a dangerous gamble.

The Guardian has an excellent article on Huxley.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/22/aldous-huxley-prophet-dystopia-cs-lewis

And this comic explains the differences between Orwell's "1984" and Huxley's "Brave New World".
http://cdn.prosebeforehos.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/huxley-versus-orwell-comic.jpg

Closure

Some love stories just go on and on. I first came across Boysetsfire five or six years ago. The music was out there but the band had performed their last show and retired. So I enjoyed their music and watched live performances on Youtube.

Boysetsfire made me a very happy Punky when they reunited in 2010 and played live in my home town the following year. This year they released a new album and did a limited edition on purple vinyl. Boysetsfire and purple? Oh yeah, I ordered it the day I found it.

Sometimes the songs that you need to get through a tough time come into your life right when you need them.

Bouncing Souls and Boysetsfire

Two of my favorite bands played at Malmöfestivalen yesterday. Yay! Am too tired to write anything substantial so I'll just say that the Bouncing Souls were great and Boysetsfire were awesome. Singer Nathan Gray is just as good live as on recordings.

Oh yeah, I saw NOFX too and they were rude but fun.

Bouncing Souls

Boysetsfire

Punky and Nathan Gray

NOFX

HappyHappyJoyJoy

Boysetsfire and Bouncing Souls, two of my favourite bands, are coming to my hometown in August! They're playing at Malmöfestivalen so both gigs are free.

I saw Bouncing Souls at West Coast Riot two years ago and that gig was amazing. I've never seen Boysetsfire live, but Nathan Gray is one of my favourite vocalists so I have really high hopes for that gig. I'm still stoked that they reunited last year.

BoySetsFire

And they say wishes don't come true... Yesterday BoySetsFire announced that they are reuniting.



I never got the chance to see them live back in the day, so I'm hoping for some tour dates near me. Getting to hear "my life in the knife trade" and "rookie" live would be a great Christmas present.

My life in the knife trade

I'm recovering from surgey. Nothing major, but it's still an ordeal to get to hospital and go under the knife. Falling asleep was actually rather pleasant, even though I don't like being under the influence of drugs.

Waking up from the anaesthetic was the worst part. I got jittery and had a really hard time staying still in the bed. I couldn't calm down enough to read so I started talking to the other patients instead. Much better than staring into the wall.
I'm still not sure if it was a reaction to the drugs I was given or just nerves.

One of my fellow patients said it just felt like he'd had a great night out and woke up hungover.
My reply: In that case I must have partied like a young Keith Richards last night.

Here's BoySetsFire with "My Life In the Knife Trade". Has nothing to do with hospitals, but it's a great song.