From the first moment I saw him standing with a boom box over his head playing "In Your Eyes" as lovable dork Lloyd Dobbler, I have loved John Cusak. And now, after a string of bad romantic comedies which made me question my loyalty, he has made me love him again. In a recent interview on the ever-excellent blog Crooks and Liars, John quoted my favourite of Arundhati Roy's essays - Confronting Empire.
Our strategy should be not only to confront empire, but to lay siege to it. To deprive it of oxygen. To shame it. To mock it. With our art, our music, our literature, our stubbornness, our joy, our brilliance, our sheer relentlessness– and our ability to tell our own stories. Stories that are different from the ones we’re being brainwashed to believe. The corporate revolution will collapse if we refuse to buy what they’re selling– their ideas, their version of history, their wars, their weapons, their notion of inevitability. Remember this: We be many and they be few. They need us more than we need them. Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.
It is a phenomenal statement from what was for me a literally life-changing collection of essays. Before reading these essays, I was afraid of revolutionary language. I associated revolution, socialism and anti-capitalism with violence and extremism. I was skeptical of this kind of change, believed I had no place in it. But Roy speaks of the peaceful revolution in every day action. She points to the perpetrators of oppression not with threats, but with the truth. And she does it all with the eloquence of a romantic poet.
I don't have time to write a 'proper' blog today (I have some constructive criticism to see to), but I will take this moment to strongly encourage you to do three things:
1. Read War Talk
2. Join the revolution
3. And definitely watch Say Anything
8 comments:
I'd never heard of those essays, I must seek them out. The peaceful revolution in everyday action is what more people should be aiming at, not the violence and extremism that often discredits radical causes. Radical actions in daily life don't seem so dramatic or world-changing but if enough people are trying in their own way to make a better society eventually it will happen.
I also love John Cusak and Arundhati Roy.
The former manages to shine with intelligence despite being adorable, while the latter is a seer and a prophet.
I think the notion of inevitability undoes us more than any of those corporate weapons because if all is already lost, why bother to try to stem the tide?
FG, I just bought the Brandi Carlile CD The Story. It's quite something.
Nick-
Do run out and read "War Talk" or try to find a video of Roy speaking online. She has an amazing presence and an incredible vision.
Glad you like Brandi Carlile. She can be a bit country for my tastes, but when she's good she's very good!
Heart,
Your last statement was so powerful and so true. We need more "prophets" like Roy to keep spurring us on.
Ah. If Lloyd Dobler had gone to my high school and fallen in love with me, my life would have been SO different...
He is on my list of men that I would sleep with, along with Johnny Depp, John Malkovich and Bruce Springsteen.
Of course, they aren't breaking my door down...
Maria,
I am always amazed that other women love John Cusak as much as I do. I always thought him to be an odd crush, but definitely a worthy one!
I must go out and read this. I love her novels and have recently heard about her civil rights and ecology work in India. A friend recently recomended another book of her essays to me: The algebra of infinite jusice. Looks like I am going to do some online shoping soon.
I have not read that one yet, thanks for reminding me I wanted to! I never cease to be amazed by how emotive and true her writing is.
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