Kill the Culture and Burn the Pulpit Part 2: Cultural Change

[The Wizard]

I started a new topic so as not to derail the conversation happening in the other thread. So, hope you enjoy it, and don't forget to tell me what you think.

Politics is dead, at least as a means of enacting change. The political machine has become bloated with corruption, meaningless bureaucracies, and influences from the private sector. Getting even the simplest motions passed takes an inordinate amount of time and effort, and it will be useless with fine print. To get anything done you will have to make compromises, to let corrupt officials and corporate pawns destroy all the work that has been done. To do even a little good, you'll have to  sell your soul to the devil. Politics is a trail of tears culminating in a Faustian bargain, a road paved with the ideals and passions of the people.

   As for the so-called revolutionaries, those people who think that if they can just remove the power group, things will get better, don't trust them. Revolutionaries tend to be not better than those they are replacing, and even if they are idealists, they probably won't be able to handle the challenges of running a nation, or even better, they'll just turn on each other once their in power. See, the problem with just changing the power group is the people. The people sell out the revolution for cable TV and some Levi's, because when it comes down to it, most of them couldn't' give a shit about saving the world. So, revolutions don't change anything either.

   But there is another way, another means of changing a society. Politics may be damned and revolutions may be found wanting, but culture is still there. Language, values, customs, all of these things are elements of culture and all of them are ripe to be used for change. By changing the culture you can change the people, changing the way they think and perceive the world around them. Language is especially good for this. By first subverting a cultural idea and then replacing it, you can completely alter the way a society works.

   The manipulation of culture has been used before, most recently by the Culture Jamming movement. But this movement has not used the full range of culture. Culture Jammers have only used the most obvious methods, and have only subverted culture, without giving anything to replace it. Subtlety and patience is the key to changing culture, as the people are notoriously resistant to change, and will fight to defend their culture.

   The Culture Jamming movement is also too scattered to be of real effectiveness. It is composed of many small groups who each use their own unique method and fight their own private battle. A unified Culture Jamming movement would be capable of more. Culture change also requires a united front, and a group large enough to fulfill your goals.

   Like any method, culture has some inherent problems. Most importantly, it takes time. One of the most successful cultural changes in recent memory is the fight against racism. Starting over a hundred years ago with the abolitionist movement, the fight against racism continues even today. You will probably not see it come to fruition. Get used to that idea.

   Also, while cultural change is more effective than political or revolutionary change, it is also even more likely to fail. When you are trying to change the cultural makeup of a society, then that entire society is your enemy. The people you are doing this for will hate you, the power structure will call you deviants and terrorists, the corporations will try to profit off of you. The best way to avoid failure is too strike from as many angles as possible. Don't have just one plan, have a thousand plans. Don't just change the language, change the customs, or subvert the holidays. Cultural change is like fighting a guerrilla war, you cannot just march up and change society, you have to strike someplace vulnerable and then move on.

   Changing the world or even a society, is never easy or simple. But it is possible, if you're willing to deal with failure and frustration, if you're brave enough to keep going. Cultural change is not perfect, but if you're committed enough, it can do wonders.

[Adios]

Let's say you did succeed in changing culture.

What would success look like?

[The Wizard]

I'll let you know when I have the opportunity to experiment with these ideas more. I'm in a small town high school. Not really that much I can do here. But I've got a couple decent plans which I can start to put into effect when I get to college.

[Cramulus]

I agree with you about Culture Jamming - that in order to see change, you need to provide an alternative. But here we're addressing Culture Jamming as a tool for changing culture, which it may not be well suited for. I think it's a better tool for changing the individual.

I got turned on to culture jamming because I was walking back from class one day and I wandered into the middle of an improvisational performance art piece. I couldn't figure out what was happening, and the uncertainty filled me with the most distinct joy. Here were some people doing something for their own reasons - reasons which were not propped up by capitalism, politics, or vanity. To say it was refreshing would be an understatement.

and I think the key is in there somewhere. Last week I was walking around Tarrytown in my pith helmet and fake moustache, and I was constantly fielding questions about who I worked for, what organization I was with, etc. For christsake, people! I am just a silly man, I am not a mascot or ad campaign. I am having fun on planes they can't even comprehend.

We can't change culture - it's true. And to do so would be somewhat orwellian. But we can change individuals, and that's where culture comes from.


If we look at a company, a society, a city, and our own brains, we see structural similarities. You have multiple competing drives, some of which are very old. Some mechanisms are more powerful / influential than others. Somehow, the entire thing's behavior emerges from the pushpull of these zillions of drives and mechanisms (nodes). For change to occur in the system, the change must become the force influencing and informing those powerful nodes.

(that, in one paragraph, is what the art of memetics is about)

Change is coming, we're primed for it. I think the trick is to be in the right place at the right time so that the change can work through you. A successful revolution isn't going to look like we toppled the old thing and tapdanced on its ashes. It'll happen gradually, every day, little by little it's happening now.

[Adios]

So we are not looking at a model of change just for the sake of change?

If we are looking for change for betterment of all then who decides what the change will look like?

For example; I personally think a perfect world would drive 80% of the population batshit insane. We need strife. We need challenge.

[LMNO]

How about "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness", but actually mean it this time?

[The Wizard]

But here we're addressing Culture Jamming as a tool for changing culture, which it may not be well suited for. I think it's a better tool for changing the individual.

Culture Jamming, in my opinion, isn't using their tools to the extent that they could be used. They're more like political and revolutionary minds trying to use cultural tools. So, I can agree with culture jamming as it stands now, being more effective on an individual basis.

Here were some people doing something for their own reasons - reasons which were not propped up by capitalism, politics, or vanity. To say it was refreshing would be an understatement.

Pretty much my reaction when I discovered Culture Jamming, as well as this forum.

We can't change culture - it's true. And to do so would be somewhat orwellian. But we can change individuals, and that's where culture comes from

We can change culture, history has shown examples of where we can change culture. I gave a perfect example of a cultural change in the fight against racism. As for changing individuals to change culture, well that's pretty much what I mean. You subvert a cultural idea in the people's mind, and then replace it.

quote]
Change is coming, we're primed for it. I think the trick is to be in the right place at the right time so that the change can work through you. A successful revolution isn't going to look like we toppled the old thing and tapdanced on its ashes. It'll happen gradually, every day, little by little it's happening now.[/quote]

Agreed. That's what I'm saying.

[The Wizard]

If we are looking for change for betterment of all then who decides what the change will look like?

No one decides what the change will look like. All you can do is try and influence what it will look like to better favor your ideas.

How about "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness", but actually mean it this time?

THIS is a great idea.

[Cramulus]

related post from Chaos Marxism: http://chaosmarxism.blogspot.com/2009/09/there-is-war-between-rich-and-poor-war.html

[The Wizard]

related post from Chaos Marxism: http://chaosmarxism.blogspot.com/2009/09/there-is-war-between-rich-and-poor-war.html

Interesting but not sure if I agree. I have more faith in the power of individuals than in mankind as a group.

[Adios]

related post from Chaos Marxism: http://chaosmarxism.blogspot.com/2009/09/there-is-war-between-rich-and-poor-war.html

Interesting but not sure if I agree. I have more faith in the power of individuals than in mankind as a group.

To be young and idealistic again. Damn I miss those days.

[The Wizard]

To be young and idealistic again. Damn I miss those days.

Ah, to be condescended. Damn, it makes me want to hit something.

[Adios]

I am not condenscending to you. I just understand that as long as people (especially Americans) have their flat screen televisions and their comforts that you are running into brick walls.

Honestly I would love to be proven wrong.

[Doktor Howl]

related post from Chaos Marxism: http://chaosmarxism.blogspot.com/2009/09/there-is-war-between-rich-and-poor-war.html

Interesting but not sure if I agree. I have more faith in the power of individuals than in mankind as a group.

To be young and idealistic again. Damn I miss those days.

Not sure how that qualifies as idealism.

[Doktor Howl]

I am not condenscending to you. I just understand that as long as people (especially Americans) have their flat screen televisions and their comforts that you are running into brick walls.

Honestly I would love to be proven wrong.

I think you misunderstood him completely.