Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Monday, September 25, 2006
What would Bill Hicks say?
Good morning all...puppies are at the Humane Society now. I have a lot of sadness, of course. The staff seemed to think it’d be easy to adopt them out because they’re smaller dogs.
Enough said. Y’all’ve been great supporters. Now is the time to move on, because I can’t do shit about this, so no sense beating it down with words. I will, if it’s agreeable all the way around, assume everyone feels for me, and we’ll let it go unsaid so as to avoid picking at the scab.
Great post today, MZ, and I’ll see everyone later.
Posted by Mudge on from Austin, Texas 09/25 at 08:13 AMhave to love the hicks thing - i have used that one before myslef
i also loved…
“its frightening to know that in some parts of the world right now they are yelling ‘revolution! revolution! and inother paerts they are yelling ‘evolution’ ‘evolution’”Posted by michael on from exile 09/25 at 09:33 AMHello Expendables...another gorgeous weather day in NYC.
I thought Bill Hicks would garner a biggest response...but hey, it’s early.
Mudge: Your wishes will be respected.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/25 at 11:59 AMHi Mickey...I need to learn more about Hicks. I have a feeling I am missing some really good stuff there.
Mudge...Hoping for a serene day for you today.
michael...I am yellin’ “evolution and revolution”.
Anybody out there remember Mort Sahl? Here is what he said.
“If you maintain a consistent political position long enough, you will eventually be accused of treason.”Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 09/25 at 12:05 PMRMJn- i have heard of mort sahl but never been able to find any recordings - any ideas anyone?
that is a fabulous quote
Posted by michael on from exile 09/25 at 12:08 PMmichael...I am not sure about any recordings of Sahl. If there are any, I wish that they would be re-aired. I remember seeing him on TV back in the 50’s and 60’s. Then he was considered to be controversial. He was one of the only ones back then doing political humor. His delivery was very impressive and very consistent. He always wore a sweater and had a newspaper tucked under his arm. Probably by today’s standards he would not be thought of as being so far out.
These days one of the only political/satirists that seems to make me smile is Colbert.Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 09/25 at 12:20 PMI am so glad that you brought this idea forward, as I myself have also wondered what Bill Hicks would say today. I think he would go insane!!
Aside from all of the political issues,imagine what he would say about the state of music… at least TOOL is still around, I think he would be happy about that.
Thanks and have a good day.
KorinnePosted by Korinne on from St. Catharines, Canada 09/25 at 12:24 PMHi everyone.
Chavez does not think Chomsky is dead he was sad he didn’t get to meet John Kenneth Galbraith before he died: http://tinyurl.com/gvujn
Venezuela’s Chavez continues anti-Bush harangue: http://tinyurl.com/z4mdu
Posted by TM on from 09/25 at 01:04 PM“Hicks believed that ideas evolve. The principles remain relatively constant, but the cues to express the ideas change over time.” - What Would Bill Hicks Say?
Mickey, I can’t believe you don’t take the advice of this quote!? - a quote from a piece of work in which you contributed. I think you know what film I’m referring to. Simply amazing!
Posted by dw on from ohio 09/25 at 01:09 PMHello again, everyone.
RMJ: In a way, Hicks was the Mort Sahl of his time. I also would love to see or hear Sahl’s work. Guess I’m have to do a web search.
Korinne: Welcome to the site. How did you find us?
Hi TM.
DW: Once again, I have no idea what you’re talking about.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/25 at 01:14 PMHave I not mentioned “What the Bleep...?” more than once. What other “film” have I mentioned before?
Posted by dw on from 09/25 at 01:16 PMYou have indeed mentioned it more than once and, more than once, I have explained I do not have a DVD player. Somehow, you are able to link every post I make to that film. As Captcha sez: that’s “power.”
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/25 at 01:22 PMthe first time I heard of Hicks was on that Tool album Aenima, they used the part “Today a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves. Here´s Tom with the weather.”
Hicks had been corresponding with the singer, Maynard James Keenan, since the band cited him as an influence on the earlier record, and introduced them at one of the concerts - he came out and pretended to lose his contact off the stage and had everyone in the moshpit stepping around looking for it, Keenan seemd so amused he did it in other Tool concerts.Posted by owen on from barcelona 09/25 at 01:37 PMNo, I’ve mentioned the actual film only two or maybe three times. The concept of emotions and culture has been the theme in many of your other posts, which is what this movie is about to a large extent. A lot of people take the evolution of thought and ideas seriously, as you know. I just think it’s more attainable than a lot of other people realize.
I don’t have a DVD player either, MZ. My friend does. Come on now.
Posted by dw on from ohio 09/25 at 01:38 PMowen, I thought about posting that very same quote just two hours ago!
Posted by dw on from 09/25 at 01:39 PMHick’s said:
“I’m so sick of arming the world, then sending troops over to destroy the fucking arms, you know what I mean? We keep arming these little countries, then we go and blow the shit out of them. We’re like the bullies of the world, y’know. We’re like Jack Palance in the movie Shane, throwing the pistol at the sheepherder’s feet.
“Pick it up.”
“I don’t wanna pick it up, Mister, you’ll shoot me.”
“Pick up the gun.”
“Mister, I don’t want no trouble. I just came downtown here to get some hard rock candy for my kids, some gingham for my wife. I don’t even know what gingham is, but she goes through about ten rolls a week of that stuff. I ain’t looking for no trouble, Mister.”
“Pick up the gun.”
(He picks it up. Three shots ring out.)
“You all saw him - he had a gun.”
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 09/25 at 02:07 PMThis site’s got a ton of good quotes:
You ever noticed how people who believe in Creationism look really unevolved? You ever noticed that? Eyes real close together, eyebrow ridges, big furry hands and feet. “I believe God created me in one day” Yeah, looks liked He rushed it.
http://www.konformist.com/2001/hicks.htm
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 09/25 at 02:13 PMJOS
Excellent analogy from the movies Shane. For some unknown reason there seems to be a denial mechanism embedded into the American psyche that allows this bullying attitude to be a legitimate option in foreign policy. To show anything else, for some, amounts to nothing less than cowardice. Witness the distain shown toward the France & Canada in many American minds.
Greetings to everyone from Montreal where we are enjoying a beautiful fall day.
Posted by Canadian Observer on from 09/25 at 02:46 PMGreat observation, Canadian Observer. Here’s a link that explains this denial mechanism, http://www.counterpunch.org/davis01062003.html.
It’s a beautiful fall day here in ohio here as well. Enjoy!
Posted by dw on from ohio 09/25 at 03:00 PMJust calling in briefly - thanks for another informative post, Mickey! I hope I don’t have to stand in the corner because I have never heard of Bill Hicks, but I have heard of Mort Sahl (and of Colbert).
‘Hi’ from a sunny but not all that warm Daylesford to all my fellow expendables.
Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 09/25 at 03:35 PMJOS # 16… Great quotes there. I have always said that the wars are just a money laundering operation. How else could all of those billions from taxpayers be transferred to the corporations and people such as Cheney.
Smedley Butler said it in 1935, “WAR IS A RACKET”. Eisenhower said it.
Facts can’t change a brain washed mind.
Some people just cannot give up the idea that the usa is the perfect, benevolent, all-knowing, kind hearted, loving, most well-educated, most peaceful nation that has ever existed in all the history of mankind.Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 09/25 at 04:17 PMThe US is perfect...it is a perfect consumption machine.
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 09/25 at 04:27 PMThere are some other great quotes from Hicks...this one is horrible (horribly funny to a smoker like me):
I smoke. If this bothers anyone, I suggest you look around at the world in which we live and shut your fuckin’ mouth.
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 09/25 at 04:29 PMHi Mickey: I read your article on Znet called “Those in power are poisoning children” and clicked on the link at the bottom. I bookmarked your blog on my Del.icio.us so I’ll be checking out your blog more often.
Posted by Korinne on from St. Catharines, Canada 09/25 at 06:22 PMdw, just an observation, but having mentioned outright or made unsubtle reference to this video numerous times now, you’ve seemed to imply at least a few times that to not see this movie is to court genuine ignorance. Perhaps that is how you feel, but I wanted to give you the chance to correct this perception if that is not the case.
My most recent article:
Escalating Terrorism: U.S. policy and the Israel-Hezbollah warPosted by Jeremy on from Taipei 09/25 at 07:14 PMDW: No hostility...but I must agree with Jeremy.
Thanks, Korinne: I look forward to seeing you here and having you joint the discussions.
Jeremy sez: “The U.S. has repeatedly chosen to act in ways which, predictably, escalate the threat of terrorism, with the so-called ‘war on terrorism’ being merely a continuation of earlier policies under a variation of the familiar pretext.”
As they say in South Florida: bingo
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/25 at 07:32 PMThanks for your response. It is the only book by him I’ve read, but he has written a couple classics about Uncle Same messin with Latin America. I would send some $ but I am less than broke. But I am appreciative of your writing. Comrade Bernardo.
Posted by Bernie Berg on from Easton, Pa. 18042 09/25 at 07:56 PMThanks, Bernie. I look forward to seeing you here, too.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/25 at 08:08 PMJEREMY/MZ - You’re going to have to help me understand what you mean here, Jeremy: “...you’ve seemed to imply at least a few times that to not see this movie is to court genuine ignorance. Perhaps that is how you feel, but I wanted to give you the chance to correct this perception if that is not the case.” The movie should blow your mind, in my opinion. You misunderstood me if you thought I said it’s ignorant if someone chooses not to see it. There are so many references and links that internet users see everyday it doesn’t surprise me if y’awl procrastinate in checking it out. So, NO, I’m not implying that someone is stupid if they don’t rent the movie. Indeed, that would be stupid. What I did say was “…frankly I question the intellect of anyone who underestimates this film…any critic worth his/her salt would not declare this work anything short of unusually daring, articulate and persuasive” which was within this MZ post “Self-help in the land of denial.” These comments are directed at someone who has already seen the film.
Posted by dw on from ohio 09/25 at 08:28 PMI’m heading to bed, DW...so I’ll answer quickly for now. I am not procrastinating. I don’t have a player and thus there are many, many DVDs I have not seen. There is no need to draw any further conclusions about the fact that I haven’t seen the film you’ve suggested or any other film suggested to me here.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/25 at 09:09 PMIn defense of me being ignorant, abrasive, arrogant, wacky, etc...?! I have no illusions about my confident nature. I wouldn’t be so confident about certain things and perhaps a little arrogant if I didn’t understand this about myself. I happen to believe I have a very good grasp on a very KEY subject. That subject is discussed thoroughly in this film. Now, don’t get me wrong. I will never be as smart as the experts in this film. But you don’t have to be in order to understand its main idea. Just because one is more skilled doesn’t necessarily mean they are smarter. Thank God (or whoever) for people who are smart and skilled.
There’s less discussion that goes on here than I originally thought there would be. And I’ve been blogging here for about 3-4 weeks straight. It could be a lot more fun. But I must say I do enjoy the civil discourse. Good night then.
Posted by dw on from ohio 09/25 at 09:25 PMDW, yes, the comment you chose to repeat was directed at people who had already seen the film. But that doesn’t happen to be amongst the comments I was referring to. I was referring to comments you have made to people who have not seen the film.
For instance, you just told MZ that he had failed to take the “advice” of a quote about the evolution of ideas. In other words, by failing to watcth the film, MZ was preventing himself from allowing his thought to evolve or his consciousness to expand.
MZ, thanks for checking out the article and commenting!
Posted by Jeremy on from Taipei 09/25 at 11:28 PMJEREMY,
You said, “For instance, you just told MZ that he had failed to take the “advice” of a quote about the evolution of ideas. In other words, by failing to watch the film, MZ was preventing himself from allowing his thought to evolve or his consciousness to expand.”Let me respond to this. This is what I meant. I quoted something Bill Hicks said; “...the cues to express the ideas change over time.” The operative word here is “cues” as in ideas evolve when people find places that provide a deeper meaning of “self.” You said that I implied that he “failed” to take my “advice.” And I say, yes, I made the cue clear I thought. I certainly don’t mean any hostility either but I also don’t feel it necessary to “correct” any perception. I meant for this cue to be “outright” and “unsubtle” BUT because it’s dead on. Not to denigrate or belittle anybody. I’m not staking any claims here or trying to tell anybody how to run their business. Mickey Z. has written books, I have not. Mickey Z. lives off his work. I do not. Skill wise, Mickey Z. has my number and I’m a post-graduate (Mickey is more or less self-taught I understand, no? I don’t think he has what’s considered as a “formal higher education.”). Basically, It is what it is. Don’t read into it.
I have no agenda other than to speak the truth I know. The more of it the better and from wherever or whoever it comes from. Nobody enjoys hell too much, I know I don’t. I think we should take it whenever it’s presented so long as it comes from good and decent intentions.
Posted by dw on from ohio 09/26 at 02:18 AMlemme just add to that last sentence “...whenever AND HOWEVER...so long as it...”
Posted by dw on from ohio 09/26 at 02:23 AM
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