Contemporary Absurdism; Violence, Symbols, Politics and Downward Spirals.
Link Below:
Summary
Contemporary Absurdism; Violence, Symbols, Politics and Downward Spirals.
Hegemony is maintained in many ways but current political affairs make the absurdities of control and violence even more evident. First came the Trump administration the orange billionaire, buying his way to power? Maybe. Promises of the famous wall followed by the tantrums and that giant baby balloon. Second came Brexit, the 3.8% difference between remain and exit as farcical as the equally ridiculous opposing campaigns, the never present remain campaign and the overzealous dubbed Brexit campaign followed by the inadequate leadership, infighting, a DUP supported election and then the checkers deal. All of this fomenting political uncertainty, Political leaders are taking a Vegetius ideology against its own people’s freedom.
“Si vis pacem, para bellum”.
The war cannot be found aboard, the war is upon our door step, as freedom of movement is taken away the political walls of control are unveiled and they will maintain this through violence and militarised policing. The Absurd is ever present in the world around us all. In today’s climate of political unrest, where the left is really left and the right is really right violence is more present than ever. Hegemonic leaders use a symbolic approach to holding and maintaining power falsifying truths –only ever talking half truths to support their ultimately dysfunctional political ideologies. The biggest powers of the world are on a downward spiral. Artuad’s theories are discussed by Woodward to inspire ideas of freedom and elevate the idea that the world hasn’t changed much since the late forties.
“Just when we think we have reached a climax of horror and bloodshed, of flaunted laws, in short poetry consecrating rebellion, we are obliged to continue in a vortex nothing can stop.”
Actually devolution (downward spiral) is in full effect. Woodward discusses his thoughts on the current affairs, inciting freedoms of play and artists such as Scorcesse, Pavlensky, Raffman and Burden as a resource to explain the motives behind his non-binary artistic practice. Woodward also discusses the similarities of current affairs to the ideas of Le Corbusier fascistic structures. Using writers such as Orwell and Ballard to symbolically discuss the cues to where the current path will take us. Woodward goes on to suggest that the only way to fight against the hegemonic structure is to first find the truth in violence.
