Life, the universe and postmodernism

[kangeiko]

A last update-y time post before closing down for the exam run-up.


athena25 and I both voted (a relatively simple procedure, considering that Surbiton had a LibDem majority last election with the Conservatives coming second and Labour trailing in third position). LibDem it was, and we both went home.

I was going to say many nasty things here, but then I erased them. Now, really, what's the point in bitching about Blair? He looks like he's aged a decade in a couple of years. The tabloids are crowing about giving him a 'bloody nose'; the spreadsheets are grimly triumphant. It was a day of happiness apparently, as we still have a Labour govt but one that's weakened and will bloody well do what it's told or lose its grip on power, the Tories... I have no comment, and the LibDems now have more seats than ever. (well, hardly ever).

Here's a thought: what will all this accomplish?

Bloody little, I'd say. David Blunkett is being brought back into the Cabinet, Michael Howard has resigned in favour of a more charismatic candidate (a small pile of droppings would do the job, methinks), the LibDems still won't wield any significant power for years and years and years, and immigration is back on the agenda. It takes me back to the good old days of John Major, a man so spectacularly uninteresting with a Home Office so spectacularly incompetent that they lost my family's passports and identity papers and declared that we didn't exist. Oh, thanks ever so.

Not to worry. I'm sure that Blunkett's identity cards will sort us right out.







Derren, you know I love you. You're a git, and I like that in a man. Put the drugs down. Step away from the mind-fucker. You will not do that ever again, do you hear me?

Mr Derren Brown, formerly of the British Isles, decided to risk killing a man through fright this fine evening. He put him in a comatose state whilst the guy was playing a zombie shoot 'em up game, dragged him to a nearby set identical to the game and filled with actors dressed as zombies, put a gun in his hand and woke him up. The guy, understandably, nearly had a heart-attack to suddenly find himself in the game. He started screaming and running, shooting at what he thought were zombies, pounding on the locked doors, screaming for help, whimpering and even sobbing. He was a mess. Unsurprisingly.

Then putting him back in the pub, in front of the game, and interviewing him on what he thought the game was like.

"Life-like."

Gosh, really?

Derren, luv, you know I love you. But this hit all of my 'scary' points, I was both screaming and frantically channel flipping, watching and not watching, clutching a cushion and chewing on it in horror. You do not do this to people because it will fuck them in the head.

And?

Letting him watch the footage of himself shooting 'zombies' and his mates not protesting as he's drugged up and wheeled away... not good.

"I don't know what to tell his mum," this poor bloke's 'mate' said afterwards.

You wanker. I hope she hits you with something solid.





It's been a very long time since I read the book, so I decided not to reread and therefore spoil the possible fun of the movie.

Movie itself was fun, albeit somewhat hectic. El Presidente pissed me off something chronic. No one needs that much energy and pep, not even Mary Sues. Fuck off and die, Zaphod.

Alan The robot was disarming, true, but, despite having Alan's dulcet tones, probably works best on a page.

Actually, my fave character was whatsisface, thingummy played by Bill Nighy.

Otherwise? Eye candy, yes, but unfortunately quite forgettable.

What was actually cooler than the movie was the interactive poster we saw, that talked to you in Alan's voice. I nearly tripped vvoer a perfectly flat pavement in shock. Posters that talk to you? Oh dear god, it's going to be the next big thing, isn't it? Endless Bacardi adverts with that inane music; Michael Winner's annoying voice as well as his annoying face; happy funny joy joy kiddie toys to drive you up the wall... *thud thud thud*




As well as prepping for my French oral on Tuesday, I have to prep a postmodernism hymn sheet for Monday night. Oh, the endless joys. Somehow I have ended up in a study group of the most terrifyingly intellectual people ever (tm), who have miraculously managed to avoid postmodernism their entire lives. How? How is that physically possible when we're all doing a gender-based degree?

I digress.

I was planning on:

1. the crisis of representation
epistemology v. ontology
simulacra

2. incredulity towards metanarratives
non-teleological, non-linear progression

3. language and phallogocentrism
semiotics, meta-language, differance etc

4. intersections with feminism
BAD -
binary system implied by deconstruction
incredulity towards metanarratives (& decentred subjectivity) labels feminism as a metanarrative. if there's no subject, who is lef to emancipate?
doesn't allow for the privileging of any one voice, thereby maintaining the status quo
ERG: a crisis of representation for women.

GOOD -
no metanarratives is a good thing. die, patriarchy, die die die.
polyglossia - gives voice to the marginal. creates a space for feminism by allowing a 'voice for Others'. allows intersectionality.

THOUGHTS -
We can have postmodern feminism, but must be aware of apolitical tendency to deconstruct everything to status quo...?
Focusing on the local allows a plethora of little narratives', which are uber-good...?
Go away, psychoanalysis, you make my head hurt.

5. intersections with postcoloniality and multiculturalism
postm is accused of being primarily western. yes / no, etc.
but, focusing on locale and location removes this 'Western bias'. What exactly is a Western bias, anyway? How does one create 'the Other', etc etc.

6. intersections with sexuality / the body / sex/gender
Judith Butler's 'gender is performance', fools!

7. toast. Mmmm, toast.

Anything I missed?




I am going to lock myself away for a bit. Exam on Tuesday, plus coursework, and a scary as you like study group requiring all of my attention.

Oh, and I'm working full-time. *headdesk* Exam-mode, ahoy!

Comments

[erykah101.livejournal.com]

Slartibartfast.. loved Bill Nighy too. *grin* I saw the movie on Saturday. Laughed out loud maybe three times. Hated Zaphod, although the BF thought he was great(!) Thought it was best when it deviated from the book. Loved the sequence on the Vogsphere when they were filling out forms. Hated Marvin. Usually love Alan Rickman but his voice didn't match that robot. Did you see the original Marvin from the TV series in the queue on the Vogsphere? heehee. Generally it looked great but it didn't gel for me, something just didn't work.

Did you get the trailer for The Pacifier? Vin Diesel has SO become Arnie.