[reply]A common viewpoint of most leftist individuals is that they are ALWAYS ‘the oppressed’ and that the only way that you will ever instigate social/political change is to instill a sense of fear and anger in the masses, in the vain hope of a bloody revolt. Violence for a ‘good cause’ as it were.
Hence Al’s lurid, nihilistic, nightmarish vision of America as a country run by tyrants, thieves and evil doers - a place where individual thought is crushed and freedom is chained. He rants and raves about fear being big business, yet makes his living spouting messages of fear to any bored twelve year old with an iPod and ten bucks to blow on a rekkid.
The irony of being a citizen in this ‘oppressed’ America, but saying whatever he wants, doing whatever he pleases AND making money off his warped messages to boot - a la Michael Moore - seems to have escaped him entirely…or has it? Is he in on the joke? Hmmmmm…y’know, if Al lived in Iran and spoke about that government the way he speaks about the Bush Admin (‘the embodiment of all evil’ …supposedly) then he would have been beheaded long, long ago.
Now that’d make a good song![reply]
[sly]
Your argument is a good one and yes you are right about Jourgensen taking his own freedom for granted while he pisses and moans about this country’s Gov. Administration.
I must also add that I think Jourgensen uses the premise of being the oppressed for two reasons. 1 - He is right in his disposition against the “Man” like a Michael Moore protagonist type. 2 - He’s entertaining in being silly and tongue and cheek about the whole thing while attacking passionately because Jourgensen is an intellectual who realizes the ridiculous nature of perpetually attacking a sect or political party being that it makes him look like a whiny lil’ bitch after the 2nd album of doing so. Although, he was attacking Bush Sr. back in '92/93 with the same tongue and cheek satirical flair and it worked greatly back then as well.
The only reason why this trilogy may seem annoying and trite or contrived to some fans or possibly many fans is that they made the mistake of taking it too seriously and they’re not attaching a keen sense of humor to the whole thing which is so mandatory.
I mean really…you gotta laugh at the whole sad state of affairs that the Bush Administration is in and the way the War in Iraq has become a parody of itself and the Iranian president coming to NYC (Harlem) to guest speak at Columbia University. CNN has become a comedy network paralleling Comedy Central and E news channels because the absurdity of current events seems to escalate on a daily ritual…it’s laughable man!
Jourgensen’s got my vote on his incessant bashing for this reason alone, that there’s great humor in all of this crap and he’s in the fore front of it being that he’s a talented mutha fucka with a great satirical sense of humor.
Hence, the trilogy is some of the greatest social and political commentary in our recent history as a nation and the musical content is some of my favorite balls to the walls shredding industrial metal of all time.
The remix albums of Revco & Ministry also rule this pathetic earth as well…I look forward to a remix LP of The Last Sucker.[blush]