Tuesday, December 23, 2008

In the tradition of Lenny Bruce

Bill Hicks (1961-1994). Like Lenny, using the language of comedy to point out the problems in what our society deems sacred. Hicks talked about the nexus of capitalism, violence, and misused religion as forces of oppression.

Note: Bill swears a lot, if that's a problem for you.

On Marketers and Advertisers

4 comments:

Jorgen said...

Ah, Bill Hicks is one person I would choose to have lived as long as possible... He was great.

Hicks:
The world is like a ride at an amusement park, and when you choose to go on it, you think it's real, because that's how powerful our minds are. And the ride goes up and down and round and round and it has thrills and chills and it's very brightly colored and it's very loud. And it's fun, for a while.

Some people have been on the ride for a long time, and they begin to question: 'Is this real? Or is this just a ride?' And other people have remembered, and they come back to us and they say 'Hey! Don't worry, don't be afraid - ever - because... this is just a ride.' And we kill those people.

'Shut him up! We have a lot invested in this ride! Shut him up! Look at my furrows of worry; look at my big bank account, and my family. This has to be real.'

It's just a ride. But we always kill those good guys who try and tell us that - ever notice that? - and we let the demons run amok. But it doesn't matter, because... it's just a ride, and we can change it any time we want. It's only a choice. No effort. No worry. No job. No savings and money. Just a choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your door, buy bigger guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love, instead, see all of us as one.

Here's what we can do to change the world, right now, into a better ride. Take all that money we spend on weapons and defense each year and, instead, spend it feeding, clothing and educating the poor of the world, which it would do many times over - not one human being excluded - and we can explore space together, both inner and outer, forever. In peace.

Unknown said...

wow, that's really beautiful.

Ben said...

Took me a while to look back here, but I'm glad to not be the only one who appreciates Hicks. Of course, you Jorgen picked probably the best thing he ever said. Nicely done. You should repeat it for existentialism.

-ben

Grabloid said...

bill hicks...my man. best comedian since lenny bruce for sure...