I must admit that the interview with Marilyn Manson on www.theage.com.au has got me fascinated, and I always finds his interviews to be amazingly articulate and insightful. Part of me feels like writing a blog on the misconception of superficial prejudices, assumptions... people would look at someone like Marilyn Manson and perhaps discount his message based on the assumption that his popularity, and dare we say existence, has come about merely through shock tactics. If they were to perhaps discount what they 'think' he is about and perhaps listen to some of his arguements and thoughts, they might be pleasantly surprised at what he is really setting out to achieve. And I think this is a common problem that exists throughout time. For instance, take a philosopher like Martin Heidegger, who is highly regarded as a philosopher, but hated for being a nazi... regardless of his political intentions, does it discount the philosopher he has on being and time? It might sound like a bizarre comparison, but what is the difference between the brand of 'art' that Marilyn Manson makes and his connection to the occult and Satanism, and someone like Heidegger, an influential thinker who also believe in 'the elimination of an inferior race'?
Entry #2
Context: On being able to just do 'nothing' during breaks.
I just enjoyed sleeping and doing nothing. I think I can finally appreciate doing nothing. Took me years to get there but i've finally made it after all. It used to annoy me cause I would feel like doing nothing literally wasted time. I guess now I appreciate it is a good time for reflection or, to the other extreme, to just 'be'.
Entry #3
Context: Experience and the meaning of life...
I guess I always just remember the old cliche in the back of my mind that what doesn't kill us only serves to make us stronger. These experiences may often hurt, or be difficult, but what I stand to get out of them and learn about myself is so much greater. I was always a great fan of the French existentialist writer Albert Camus, and his belief that the meaning of life all came down to experiences and learning from the experiences to help us evolve into greater individuals. In the big picture, this experience will merely be one where I learnt how to tear myself as an individual away from myself as a job title, which is fleeting and disposable at the best of times.
Entry #4
Context: My responce to the upgraded offer on the job front.
I had a speak with the woman last night about what this alternate position is, and honestly, i'm not sure if it fusses me as much. It involves dealing with oil companies and convience stores in putting CD's into their market place. It seems a step back out of the music industry for me. It would be a minimal pay increase, and the potential of a company car, but in order to get my existing car up to a sellable level would cost me a fortune anyway... so i'm not really sure about all that... especially since I want to go back and do study next year too, not sure if I want something that could potentially be time consuming when the other offer is a 9-5 Mon-Fri role.
Entry #5
Context: The new Kylie album
...I don't know actually. I've totally distanced myself from the whole album title/tracklist scenario, mostly cause I don't really care. I mean, I am looking forward to the album and all, but the album will come out in November so I might as well just wait and hear what is the deal. I definitely don't have any ambitions to be a 'Kylie authority' much anymore, and will probably become known as that guy who knows a lot about FMR period 2000-2003... but that's all cool too. I'm happy to just be a fan. It still doesn't change what I think about the music.
