An ambivalent anthem and a quasi-clone?
Zizek’s critique of ‘Ode to Joy’ as the European Union’s choice of anthem is on the mark.
The exchange in the comments between dmclaney and elver about the signing of the Lisbon Treaty, United States of Europe finally created, are a mirror (with a different cultural text) to some of the media critiques produced by students this month. In particular, Evan Grabelsky’s “The News Media: The War on Journalism” and “com375″‘s “The Non-Reality of Reality TV.” Most of the news coverage I encountered involved Gordon Brown’s avoidance of the ceremony to sign incognito. (Reminds me of Governor Howard Dean signing Vermont’s Civil Union Bill in a private, closed door ceremony.)
The question (as always) is what to do about our recognition of the problem? Bela presents an example of organized activism that is making a difference: “If the technology and the heart come together….” ElR6 follows the theme of cyberoptimism with ” Communication and Global Consciousness.”
Probably there are ways to counteract the shallow coverage of mainstream media, but we can’t isolate only the media as the enemy. The cumulative effects of consumerist socialization are dulled awareness and self-absorbed insensitivity. Not to mention the desperate weaknesses of institutionalized education. A radical notion proposed by a friend the other night included not teaching history until the eighth grade. Why? “It’s in third grade you learn that blacks used to be slaves. What are you supposed to do with that information?”
This is the central question. What are we ‘supposed to do’ with all the information we have?