Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Monday, June 04, 2007
In the words of a certain Mr. Lennon...
Ummm, this is a lonely post from a rainy Massachusetts.
MZ, my considered response to this apparent dead end in publishing is “#### ‘em.” The only thing worse than your current situation is having a paying career as a writer...and selling out to do so. Keeping your integrity doesn’t pay the bills, but who respects a hack but other hacks?
In response to crisis, I’m returning to some of my literary & intellectual roots. An attempt to shore up the works, perhaps. Robert Heinlein’s “Starship Troopers” is the book that started me thinking about politics. Sure, it’s militaristic and hierarchical but it has gravity (rim shot) and some raw truth that so many so-called leftists remain blind to. Here’s one passage, about why the novel’s system of franchise endures: “Because revolution - armed uprising - requires not only dissatisfaction but aggressiveness. A revolutionist has to be willing to fight and die - or he’s just a parlor pink. If you separate out the aggressive ones and make them the sheep dogs, the sheep will never give you trouble.”
When’s the next march, anyway?
Posted by Zen Prole on from Urth 06/04 at 11:46 AMI am so happy to see that you are back, Mickey.
Your quotes on the front page give a lot to think about. The one about Oswald reminds me of many people that I know, and love.
Also, many years ago someone said this to me. “Life is an unpleasant interruption to an otherwise blissful nonexistence.”
About the debate last night. At one point a question was asked about how many of the candidates would be willing to drop a bomb on Bin Laden even if they knew that the bomb would kill some innocent civilians. I have to admit that I like the answer that Kucinich gave. He said that we should not be in the business of assassinating anyone. The others answered in a way that reminded me again of how different my beliefs are from the Democrats.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 06/04 at 11:56 AMHi Zen...we were symultyping. It is rainy and cold here, too. I’m off to tend to the latest legal hassle. I am not stressing out about it. I am looking at it as just one more opportunity to expose the corruption in the system. I can actually see some humor in it. My lawyer is suing me because HE failed to get a fair settlement in a slam dunk case. When this ends, if it ever does, I think that I should be awarded an honorary law degree from the School of the Expendables.
Smile, everyone...as my Dad always said,
“From the day you were born
Till you ride in a hearse
Things were never so bad
That they couldn’t get worse”Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 06/04 at 12:08 PMRMJ-3
Smile, everyone...as my Dad always said,
“From the day you were born
Till you ride in a hearse
Things were never so bad
That they couldn’t get worse”Say goodnight Gracy…
(-:
Posted by joe of maine on from 06/04 at 12:41 PMApt post considering what I saw an ad for yesterday:
http://www.instantkarma.org/index.html
Bring on the cynical/ gloomy comments about this! Though I’m kinda curious about the Lenny Kravitz Cold Turkey. Other than that it all looks really unappealing from what I can tell.
Posted by James on from work 06/04 at 12:45 PMdo u remember what bill hicks said about oswald?
‘hmm, a quiet loner with a wife and kids’
doesnt really work out does it?
Posted by michael on from scotland 06/04 at 12:58 PMwell ok so some of us are waking up and crawling out of our cocoons. We have more questions than answers. Its a good start.
It takes artistry and sensitivity to channel anger/rage into life affirming actions that further creativity. Whatever is done do it with passion, do it with Love. that way the war mongering bastards have already been defeated.
I am ok with the dream being over
now we can move on to the next stepPosted by frances on from bc 06/04 at 01:41 PMHey everyone, I found a Kierkegaard quote from Either/Or that sounds perfect for the recent atmosphere here:
A fire broke out backstage in a theatre. The clown came out to warn the public; they thought it was a joke and applauded. He repeated it; the acclaim was even greater. I think that’s just how the world will come to an end: to the general applause of wits who believe it’s a joke.
Posted by James on from work 06/04 at 03:18 PMHi, to all of the quiet loners here today. I am still thinking about the public acknowledgement by the candidates at the debate last night that killing civilians is OK. The Press seems to have not noticed, does not give a damn, or considers it old news not worthy of any attention.
Recently I commented here about the secession movement. Today the AP and Drudge are reporting it.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 06/04 at 03:35 PMHello RMJ..9...Have you visited Vermont Commons website? Lots of good articles over the past 2 years. They know about farming, shelter, education, responsible, [self governance, they know the importance of community]
They know how children can be raised. I don’t get excited about anything, any kind of movement. Now..if people, individuals don’t find the source of what enables their buttons to be pushed, all the intellectual horsepower will still seem to be short-handed when dealing with conflict resolution, e.g.
Much communication must happen...from the guts, feelings. This will bond people.
Posted by joe of maine on from 06/04 at 06:13 PMHey people: do I smell a caption contest with this one?
Posted by Keir on from the hague 06/05 at 02:42 AMHello Expendables. Keir, the caption possibilities for that image are titillating.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 06/05 at 05:36 AMHi Mickey, I read about your writing not being dumb or anodyne enough to get a major publishing house contract and well, congratulations I spose. I´d be more worried if you were fit for public consumption.
Posted by owen on from spiffy afueras of Barcelona 06/05 at 12:37 PMAhhh The search paid off...never an original thought dont you know.(-;
Heres just what I have been thinking about these past few months:
http://tinyurl.com/29zaml
freeing your inner outlaw!
captchas in the spirit says
effortPosted by Frances on from bc 06/05 at 12:46 PMHi joe...Yes, I go to the Vt Commons site sometimes. I haven’t checked it out recently but I will now that you remind me. I agree with most of what you say, but how would you fix the problems for those who cannot themselves. For example, here in my town the homeless shelter is always filled to capacity with a waiting list. Many people have no access to health/dental care, even in an emergency. Your suggestions are great for those who can still help themselves but what about all the others. We all should be helping them but no one has the land/money/resources etc.
Hi Keir...that’s a good one for a caption. There should be more caption ops at tonight’s debate. I am still thinking about the fact that most candidates at the dems debate said that they would support killing innocent civilians.
Mickey...Owen is right. If you start getting accepted by the mainstream we will disown you here.
Hi Frances...I will check out your link now.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 06/05 at 03:39 PMFrances...I checked your link and this one’s for you.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/grammajax/70986665/Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 06/05 at 03:44 PMHello RMJ-15 You said…
“I agree with most of what you say, but how would you fix the problems for those who cannot themselves”
I have a feeling you could develop many more solutions, answers to this question than I can. We are speculating about a possible, different way of humans relating and living and sharing.
I don’t have one specific answer that will work in all situations, as I type this note. I come back to this chant I have about communications. I take this more seriously than how this phrase is generally spoken.
In my opinion, humans have lost touch with themselves first, then have lost touch with their relations to other things and other humans.
We have talked about the lack of empathy, compassion, our feelings of equity.
We have lost respect for the air we breathe, the water we need, our food, our families, our neighborhoods and on and on. Frances spoke about passion, well many people have lost their passion for life, for being the social being they really are.So, we must communicate these problems, these needs with minimum of confusion. If we connect, bond at a common, human level, much communication is intuitive and less needs said. There is almost immediate understanding that everyone is on the same plane. Distrust, skepticism, fear is reduced or eliminated entirely. We need to use feeling words as well. These words have no human barriers.
Human problems are solvable with human effort, which implies integrity and ethics. It really is ok to do good, defined by who you ask? General consensus and on going communications, as natural as is breathing and other aspects of being alive.
Breaking the habits of how we are conditioned to think is another process enabled by closer,caring, supportive relations. See Margaret Wheatley, Thomas Berry, Timothy Weiskel, and many more who understand we have been living upside down and inside out. I am glad you are asking these questions that need to be asked. I wish I had all the magical answers immediately.
Posted by joe of maine on from 06/05 at 04:27 PMjoe...if all people were like you and had your global view, the problems would have been solved a long time ago. You bring up integrity and ethics. How many people think about things like that? I think we are a “ME First” culture that is headed in the wrong direction. I know that there are many altruistic people out there. I have met many, but they are in a very small minority. The way that the people who are crossing the border in search of jobs are treated in this country is a perfect example. Sometimes when I hear the disrespectful way that the newcomers are treated by callers on talk radio I want to scream, “They are not illegal aliens. They are just people like you and me.”
The world needs more love, kindness, and compassion. When that fails to protect the helpless, other methods are justified.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 06/05 at 05:05 PMHello everyone. All kidding aside, it might make for a good one-liner to say someone like me should be proud of mainstream rejections, but what about Zinn, Chomsky, Parenti, Dave Zirin, Joe Bageant, etc.? These radicals do all right with their writing. Then you can add in someone like Vonnegut. He’s no sellout.
Being a radical is not a job and since we live in a predatory capitalist culture, bills will come due. Thus, almost everyone needs some way to “make a living.” I tried to do that with my writing and it would have been an amazing victory to make that happen.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 06/05 at 05:13 PMSorry, Mickey. You are right. We should not make light of the struggle for economic survival. You mention Zinn, Chomsky, and others. For one thing I think that they started their writing careers when it was a little easier. Also, they have other incomes. It seems to me that there are a lot of wonderful writers who no one has ever heard of. I also think that in things like this, there is a certain amount of luck involved. There are some very mediocre books that are sitting on shelves in book stores and some very good ones that have not been published yet. After Blum had a spike in his sales (after the Bin Laden tape) I was hopeful that that would bring a lot of good things to him and also to the public who had not heard of him. The spike in sales did not last very long. Unfortunately Oprah has more influence on book sales than Bin Laden does. Your “amazing victory” may come soon. I still think that you should be on C-span’s Book TV and also Democracy Now. You have had a unique vantage point with this blog and the other things that you have done.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 06/05 at 05:37 PMMickey, 19
Your bills will not get paid by me saying, you’re appreciated and your an important part of a community that shares the want and need to have a more sane life...at least I do.
Bills, bills, bills, the month of June definitely has much more going out than coming in. I imagine, and needlessly, I’m one more dollar away from being in a homeless shelter???
I have tried to have very little involvement with mainstream america over the years. I’m still too involved!
This means I accepted not having much money, no cabin in the mountains, no 6 week trip to Italy, no 3 week trip to Ireland, poorly filled refrigerator.
The more ‘successful’, defined by the delirious, I would want to be, the more bullshit I would have to allow into my consciousness. My head is already overflowing with crap, pretense and lies.
I don’t need plaudits, I do want caring friends and have few of them. I only want to be human and be appreciated for that without having to do a juggling act or play the violin.
Whether publishers support you or not Mickey, you are doing much to counter the violent habits of the morbid masses.
Posted by joe of Maine on from 06/05 at 06:33 PM“almost everyone needs some way to “make a living.” “
Aint it the truth. Having been self employed for most of my parenting years I know the pitfalls and perks of not working for the man. I can sympathize with your fiancial situation.
Writing is not my strong point but I do love to read.
What about incorporating your political/life views into a vegan recipe cooking lifestyle choices book. A practical guide to living. Focusing on sharing what works positively for you. This is a very popular literary framework right now. If I were to write a cooking book it would be full of negativity...recipes for disaster and social unrest.There was once a wrist-watch salesman who found he could sell watches well enough to townsfolk who knew what time was. With rustics, however, it was more difficult.
One day he found himself in the country where a man was chopping wood. He promised himself he would get the rustic to understand the value of a timepiece.
So he shouted out:
“what time is it?”
The old fellow looked at the pile of wood.
“About twenty logs to dinner-time,” he said.
Idries Shah
One of my favorite stories of his. I always laugh when I read it.
Mickey, if you are bent on making a living with your writing you will find a way.
I have heard many people stress the importance of teaching the younger generations.
who is your target audience?
who is able to hear you?
ok I am a little drunk otherwise I wouldnt offer advice. Best
captcha says what??????Posted by Frances on from bc 06/05 at 07:56 PMWhat can I say, Mickey? Something which has been said many times before, and not only by yours truly: you have the best quotes and graphics of any blog - and then there are your books, opinion pieces, etc.
Hi from a cold but sunny Daylesford to Aen Prole, Rosemarie, James, Scotsman Michael (a new series of ‘Taggart’ films is soon going to be shown down under), frances, Keir and Owen. Here in Australia the Roman Catholic Church is meddling in politics - hope the Australian electorate gives Cardinal Pell the answer he deserves:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200706/s1943538.htm
Cardinal Pell was installed overnight in Melbourne by JPII and is a member of Opus Dei, needless to say.And Mickey # 19, I so hope that you will be able to make a living with your writing one day - against all the odds.
Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 06/05 at 08:25 PMMy brother, I love him dearly, has an art gallery in yorkville toronto. The prime spot to be if you want to sell high priced art. His gallery has undergone many transformations over the years...just trying to stay alive and pay the bills. He manages to make a living, barely, but one thing I have always given him shit for is his painting for the masses. He does what is fashionable to pay the bills.(And he has his work hanging in some of the finest “real estate” around the country). But it is never his best work. He says he cant afford to really express himself...he has to make money.(I wonder if he knows who he really is anymore?)
What a fucking dilema.
I think what RMJ says about luck is true and i would add timing.
What Helga says is equally true, you have one of the best damn blogs and series of articles around. I have yet to find one of your books, but I will.
What I was trying to express with the recipe thing was creativity in venue, nothing more.
Ultimately, in my book, whats most important is staying true to who you are. Your truth. end of story.
What often looks like a ‘sell-out’ to others is nothing more than someones elses learning experience.Posted by frances on from bc 06/05 at 09:03 PM
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