Who makes the rockin' world go 'round?

Want to know what grinds my gears?

People who are assholes about big girls. Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. It's as if a woman has no value as a human being to all these shallow shitty men if they can't successfully masturbate to a picture of her. And then because so many women are catty bitches who, despite claiming independence, seem to allow their lives to revolve around shallow glamour-and-beauty standards set by shallow shitty men - and if another woman decides to be content on the outside of that line, then, well, you know how some women are when they're hellbent on making another suffer.

Let me set something straight: I like large women. I have since I was first interested in women, and I can't imagine myself not having that attraction.

Now, if this were simply a difference in opinion, then no harm, no foul. Unless it involves causing harm to an unwilling partner or a child or something, I don't care what you're attracted to. It's not something that can be helped. People who base every aspect of their existence around their fetish, like some furries, can be annoying and discomforting, but I have to respect people who simply have their attraction "out there" if it goes against what's mainstream. I can relate to that; people like to make other people feel bad about what they're attracted to if it's anything other than what you see being pushed on TV or those wretched magazines you see in the supermarket check-out. I did for a while, but why? Why should I feel bad for what I'm attracted to, especially if it's not even all that "out there" (regardless of what comedy writers who think it's hi-larious for guys to want to fuck fat chicks will tell you)?

But no... It goes beyond opinions. I cannot tell you how many conversations I've had where an outsider intruded to say something shitty, uninvited and unwanted about a larger woman/her clothing/her self-image (oh no, she doesn't hate herself for not being able to attract douchebags!) and if I say anything about, I dunno, not being an asshole and not telling other people what to be attracted to, I get yelled at for "forcing my opinion down their throat" or "infringing on their right to be attracted to thin girls." When I start coming uninvited and attacking people for discussing thin women in a positive manner, then maybe you'll have a case, but as is? No. Stop being a shithead.

But, I'm getting somewhat off track... What is it about the stigma that's been violently forced into our anuses by popular culture that it's impossible for a woman with extra on her to be attractive? Some scant progress is being made regarding the whole "badonkadonk" thing, but society's ass is still bleeding and infected; the damage has already been done and will take a lot of work to undo.

Well... Fuck. I had more I was going to say but I'm all flustered about something unrelated and I forgot what it was. I'll be adding to this topic in the future... Until then, have some Beth Ditto.

"By the way, if you see your mom this weekend, would ya be sure and tell her... SATAN!"

What is it with people's tendency to assume you're a Satanist or anti-Christian because you listen to music other than country, or find odd things that are totally unrelated to religion fascinating, or because you don't take Rush Limbaugh's words as law, or because you like to use critical thinking about things?

You read Stephen King? Oooh, Satanist.

You find the beliefs and practices of different theologies interesting to study? *cough* Satanist, dude.

You listen to Marilyn Manson (who, contrary to what people like to say, identifies as agnostic, has never promoted any subversive theistic beliefs, and is not anti-religion, but anti-bastards-using-religion-as-a-tool-to-frighten-and-oppress)? BURN SATANIST BURN!

Fuck you, people. I may not be a traditional Christian but I am spiritual and quite comfortable with it. I may not go to church on a regular basis, but I like to dream of tolerance and brotherhood, which is likely more than can be said for a lot of religious leaders. I may not pray every night, but I will gladly look upon the cross as a symbol of unity and love, whether a certain hippie Jew was actually nailed to it or not, and whether people nowadays who do pray actually care about those things or not. As a character from one of my favorite films once explained...

The brilliant idea made to defy the institution has become noticed by the institution, and now the idea is the institution and its meaning seems to be lost on too many people who follow it. It's a shame...

You are entering... The Scary Door

Want to know something that gets on my nerves? People who are of the opinion that, because I or somebody else takes an interest in something morbid or "taboo", we are psycho/sociopaths who must be avoided or looked down upon. Not even talking about wearing goth-attire or constantly musing about death and murder and suicide and stuff like that, but just... the people who act shitty to you just because you're interested in the way psychopaths' minds work, or you listen to unconvential music, or you like horror.

This also segues nicely into another thing that annoys me: people who think that, because you acknowledge, or expend thought on something, you are condoning it. Therefore, if you like dark music, you want to kill yourself; if you like horror films, you want to kill other people; if you examine demonic themes (even within a work that at its core takes a positive view on Christianity), you want to kill God... I've seen so many people condemn art that agrees with their fucking point of view as being "of the enemy" because it simply acknowledges whatever they disagree with in a more realistic way... or sometimes even for a more arbitrary reason. An example of this kind of thing would be how, after Ozzy Osbourne (a Christian who had religious themes in quite a bit of stuff he sang, contrary to popular belief) sang "Miracle Man", a very pointed song specifically condemning the hypocrisy of one Jimmy Swaggart (a televangelist who once condemned Osbourne and was later caught soliciting a prostitute), some figures in religious media made extremely defensive complaints about Ozzy mocking the noble practice of televangelism... after which, they condemned the hypocrisy of Jimmy Swaggart. I could go on, but you get the idea.

Gira Be Not Proud

Continuing to be kind of frustrated with my musical endeavors... Having a hard as hell time finding people to collaborate with. No matter where I look, nobody seems the slightest bit interested in what I'm doing. Everyone within a statewide radius seems to either want to play classic rock, country, emo, or radio-friendly metal ("stuff like Slipknot"). The ones who seem a bit more open are looking for someone with more traditional experience than I have (which I can understand, much as I'd love being able to experiment and do nontraditional stuff). People I've tried to hire for session jobs have turned me down because they "don't think they can do intense industrial type stuff" or the like. Grr. Oh well, I guess I'll have to keep practicing and get more of my own instruments and see if I can do this stuff on my own.

Also, funny/fitting that a song by God came up on my playlist as I write this. Industrial jazz for the win!

In the meantime... So glad tomorrow is almost here! It's going to be a fun "late weekend".

Tonight shall be a night of much anticipation. And also playing Fallout: New Vegas and possibly watching The Human Centipede :3

On Transgression

Hiya, kids! Today I'm going to talk at'cha about transgressive art.

Transgressive art can be a sticky subject because, well, subjectivity. What some find to be offensive and surreal could just be a Tuesday morning for someone else who leads a perfectly normal and productive life but just happens to have different values. That said, most people can probably agree on the definition at least: transgressive art is art in any medium that challenges social mores, whether to provoke thought, or simply provoke. "But Worlock," you say, "isn't that technically what 'art' as a general concept is supposed to mean?" Well, yes, but transgressive art takes that concept and runs like a goddamn maniac with it. It can be cruel, disturbing, disgusting, nightmarish, nihilistic, and utterly, hopelessly perverted. There can be deep meaning behind it, or none at all. It can be solemnly and pointedly making a statement (one example being Peter Sotos in his notorious sound-collage record, Buyer's Market, or maybe the lyrics of Swans and Angels of Light frontman Michael Gira) throwing standards and 'normality' out the window with manic glee (the films of John Waters, the lyrics of Frank Zappa, or Mike Diana's notoriously nefarious "Boiled Angel" comics) or, most effectively of all in my opinion, finding a middleground and swinging between the two extremes (such as the writings of Chuck Palahniuk or the lyrics of Marilyn Manson). The important thing is that it takes an outsider's point of view to some logical conclusion.

And that is where many people misunderstand (or especially pick up disdain for) transgressive art; in most cases, it doesn't think everyone is going to enjoy it. Best case scenario, it hopes that someone out there will understand where it is coming from. The idea, no matter what of those 'fighting styles' it adopts, is to present a viewpoint, belonging to its creator, of the outsider looking in (or in some cases, wandering around looking for something, no matter what it is.) Whether it's about the middle-of-the-bell-curve members of society, or about fellow fringe-minded folks, they are looking at them and reporting back with their own interpretation of it all - disgust, amusement, or even just morbid fascination.

"But Worlock," you say again, an incredulous tone to your voice. "Couldn't it easily be said that a great number of these so-called 'artists' are only pseudo-intellectuals and/or are just trying to make a quick buck off the rebellious set?" Well, pay extra close attention, because this part will be on the test: even being part of that culture myself, there is not a doubt in my mind that pseudo-intellectualism and cheap, gratuitous thrills are probably a dime a dozen within this field. However. However. It does not change the outcome. If the creator's heart is not in the work, then its value may be suspect, as with most mediums. However, misanthropy is an acquired trait, and the people who have it and are able to take some personal significance away from the art still gain something. Value can be salvaged even from shit. And not just in the case of transgressive art, but in a very general sense.

Not sure what my ultimate point is, really; I just felt like expounding to the wall about something I enjoy and am frustrated at seeing frequently blasted by people who dismiss anything that isn't life-affirming. Probably will talk more on this later. As you were, citizen.

Proposition 8

WHAT THE FUCK, CALIFORNIA?

SERIOUSLY?

This is just gorram depressing. Yeah, Obama got elected, but the Neocon assholes wouldn't just accept a defeat, and they had to go fuck something else up for the rest of the population that isn't self-righteous busybody pricks! WHAT THE FUCK IS THEIR PROBLEM? GAAAHH! WAUGH! UNGH! AAAAAAUURGH *thud*

Seven Hours Later

Breathe... breathe... There we go. I'm calm now. What's that? A doctor? No - it was only an aneurysm. I mean, if it ends up causing any problems down the road, I could probably make a case in court - it's the Fundies' fault, after all.

I honestly don't get what the deal is. I hear more and more arguments against homosexuality in general, but none of them have ever gone beyond strawman arguments, fear-mongering, lies, damned lies, and "it's icky" BAAAAWing.

Here is the basic conversation you'll get if you engage the type of person who'd vote for Prop 8:

Moron: "It will destroy marriage!"

Me: "How the hell will it do that?"

Dumbass: "Because the bible says it's BAD!"

Me: "The same part of the bible also says that shrimp and mixed fabrics are bad. May I ask what that shirt is made of?"

Retard: "But GAWD destroyed Sodom and Gamorrah because of it!"

Me: "Read your own book. He destroyed it because of inhospitable pricks."

Stupid Bitch: "Well, it's still not natural - you don't see animals doing it!"

Me: "Yes. Yes you do. Do I have to tell you about the penguins again?"

Windowlicker: "Well, maybe they do, but animals also kill and eat each other! Are you saying that should be okay too?"

...and rinse/repeat. How many times do they shift the goalpost there? I lost count. And don't get me started on all the "omg pedophile" stuff either.

Again, though, I absolutely cannot fathom why people think it's alright to strip basic rights away from others due to petty-ass things like that! You know what the most sickeningly, depressingly ironic thing I've ever seen in my life is? Homophobic black people. I've seen many. I mean, did the world learn nothing?

I also can't stand the people who go right out and say that they're being persecuted by not being allowed to treat gays like second-class citizens. Take, for example, this video of a rally for Proposition 8:

...yes. He actually said it. He fucking compared gay marriage to Hitler. What. the. fuck. I mean, that's not even an lolwut - because it's so ridiculous it's not funny when you realize that these people not only exist, but have political power. Do people even realize that when they say shit like that, it sounds pretty much like "I'm being persecuted because I have to eat in the same restaurants as them filthy niggers!" I mean, boo-frickety-hoo; do I get a case if I whine some more about how very profoundly and deeply offended I am by you stupid motherfuckers? GOD!