Boring is as boring does.

[ArsOcarina@aol.com]

Hi all,

Call me weird, but I LOVE performance art, modern dance, 
poetry readings, prerecorded electronic music concerts/ 
libraries, art museums, galleries and a whole range of other 
experiences that many folk seem to think of as "boring" and 
not especially "fun."

I also read about 40-60 books a year and hardly any of 
them have pictures. I'm sorry, but this whole entertain-
me-'til-I-drop, coddle-my-ever-shortening-attention-span,
and for-heaven's-sake-make-me-feel-but-dont'-make-me-
think-about-much culture of ours is more B-O-R-I-N-G than 
almost anything I can imagine. 

The very thought of the fact that so much of what is 
foisted upon us as "pop" culture is utter trash fills me
with revulsion. The idea that so many people are actually 
out there watching those "reality" TV shows, American Idol 
(who gives a frickin' flip anyway) Cops and Jerry Springer
type shows deeply disturbs me. And, as an American, 
it fills me with shame, disgust and sorrow.

Pop culture is what passes for public discourse any
more. Is it any surprise that we get the politicians 
and national public figures that we do as a result? 

I enjoy a "good time" as much as the next person but
our entire media industry and mass culture (and public 
policy) is being formed directed by folks that spent more 
time in college passed-out drunk at frat parties than in 
libraries. A steady stream of intellectual "pizza and 
beer forever" is making us as mentally flabby as our 
fast food is making us physically obese and inert.

Maybe I'm just a loopy old curmudgeon. But if I didn't 
sometimes find myself succumbing to it as well I wouldn't 
find it so scary. The stuff on TV and on the radio and
in the movie houses and in our playstation/gamecube/
whatevers IS scary. It frightens the shite outta me.

I know that as a performer, strictly in the sense of 
visual entertainment "value," I am about as interesting 
to watch as refrigerator mold. But, I don't mind. I don't 
wanna go there. I don't cut the right figure for a "pop
star" or any sort of a "guitar hero" anyway. Some may 
even find my music boring. So what. There's "meat" in 
it enough for me. 

A few days ago I was pretty "down" and wondering why
I put myself through all the torment and effort of making 
this music at all. Max Valentino said it best in his reply. 
He said that in some way we are ". . . beating back the 
darkness just a bit . . ." by our efforts. That's what I hope 
for at least.

What I fear the very most is a world where fewer and fewer 
people are "beating back the darkness" and more and more 
are simply "beating off."

Sincerely,

tEd ® kiLLiAn

ArsOcarina@aol.com
http://www.mp3s.com/tedkillian
http://www.pfmentum.com/flux.html
http://www.mp3.com/Ophelia_Pancake