DO WE NEED A NEW WORD FOR “REVOLUTION?”

“Ha! You think it’s funny, turning rebellion into money?” - The Clash

I’ve heard it said that radical politics is finally making a name for itself in mainstream society and that this is a good step towards familiarizing the public with issues of “revolution,” “anarchy,” etc. You can’t argue that these words are out there a lot more than they used to be, but is it helping to build a radically educated and aware society, or is it hurting the movement? From advertisements to films to t-shirts, so-called “counter-culture” phrases and terms are being used, not to build a better world, but to sell more shit and make more money.

The word “revolution” is used so often it makes me wanna puke. The term is being thrown around so much it’s losing significance and credibility. Radio stations owned by Clear Channel playing “alternative” music refer to themselves as the “new rock revolution.” Car companies call their new lines of SUVs a “revolution.” Video games now have “revolution” in their title. As do laptops. And MP3 players. And motorhomes. And speedboats. And energy drinks. And… well you get the idea. Is it a good thing that revolution is used to sell products? And products that, for the most part, only the well-off can afford? I don’t know about you, but any revolution that I wanna see happen does not include SUVs, motorhomes, and most definitely not “alternative” music.

And what about Che? I mean holy fucking shit, could this guy be on any more consumer crap? From rolling papers to designer t-shirts this guy’s image is everywhere. Jim Fitzpatrick, the artist who made the famous image we see everywhere, says that because he idolized Che and wanted his life to be remembered, he made the design copywrite-free (a good thing). Unfortunately, as a result we are now able to buy Che air fresheners. Fuck. Sure, it’s great that revolutionary figures are now being idolized by this generation, but what does it matter when those with the Che merchandise don’t know anything about him? That Che poster your roommate has up on their wall holds about as much revolutionary significance as the Bob Marley one next to it (you know, the one where he’s smoking weed?). Yeah, I liked The Motorcycle Diaries, too. But to my horror I have learned that the film, Che, starring Benicio Del Toro, is now in production. I envision lots of gory action sequences with selected lines of socialist rhetoric to make the film “authentic,” maybe along the lines of “This country is for the people!” or something. I really do hope I’m wrong, but, hell, it’s Hollywood. (I don’t wanna spoil it, but Che dies at the end. Sorry…)

Speaking of films, this is an area that some really champion as spreading radical ideas. It’s true that these ideas have been popping up in films. And the long format does give them the ability to be discussed. Unfortunately, they’re not. Besides the fact that most of these films are financed by huge corporate studios, most often they end with a portrayal of the radical left that isn’t very flattering. This is true for such movies as The Anarchist Cookbook, where the “anarchist collective,” equipped with leaders, teams up with white-power militias, and the protagonist, who’s dating the president of the College Republicans, becomes a snitch.

This kind of sell-out ending occurs again in the much beloved cult-classic SLC Punk. Yes, I like this movie, too, but ya gotta admit the ending is weak. Law school? He goes to fucking law school? Maybe he’ll end up working with the ACLU, but still. And Fight Club, although I deeply enjoyed it, has so many hypocritical flaws I don’t know where to start. It seems like any movie that appeals to the counter-culture while making some attempt to strike at the nerve of the status-quo ends in the protagonist having a sort of revelation and realizing he’s (and yes, it’s always a he) made an ideological error.
I agree, the mainstream is starting to incorporate radical ideas into its culture. Unfortunately, they then spit them out as insane, irrational, nonfunctional, violent failures. So I say, as cliché as it might sound: Fuck the mainstream! Fuck the mainstream taking our ideas, realizing that people wanna hear ‘em, misrepresenting ‘em, and selling ‘em back to us like a used shitrag. Whether the next product they try to sell you is a “revolutionary” ballpoint pen or Che shampoo, whatever it is, go steal it instead.