I've come across this issue many times over the course of my life but never really thought about it until I did my essay on The Chinese Cultural Revolution. Looking at all the replicated prints and posters of Mao Tse Tung and Lei Fung made me realise that the world has developed an apathy toward history. A 'post-modern' approach they would call it, but deep down, we all know that it is nothing more than disrespect.
How many people who purchase Mao satchels or Lenin ashtrays take the time to sit back and consider that the images emblazoning these items are imbued with meanings which run far deeper than face value. That whilst they only be something which these people consider 'cool', to millions of other people they propagate times of great hardship and misery. To further illustrate what I mean I would like to draw on two very different examples:
- In the earlier half of my second year, during my 'Hardcore Punk' phase, I entered the train for the city circle at central wearing my almost ritual uniform of pit boots, camoflague shorts and my Communist Party singlet which I brought to this country from Wales. Thanks largely to politically charged Swansea rockers MSP (Manic Street Preachers) and the heavy political edge they injected into the veins of Brit-rock during the 1980s-early 90s, left-wing political fury has played a big role in the Welsh Rock Scene by drawing on the works of Orwell and Camu and relating them to the working class emperialist poverty that has been thrust on industrial South Wales since Thatcherism closed the collieries and crippled our main source of income. Thus I felt I owed it to my homeland and my culture to keep the socialist fires burning (and I continue to do so unapologetically). However, when I boarded the train, I past a woman in her sixties who resembled one of those Eastern European stereotypes you see in so many WWII films, complete with burgandy shaul and weather hewn appearance. At first, I took it with a grain of salt when she gave me the Evil Eye as I crossed her line of vision but when I sat down I soon realised that she had not taken her eyes off me from the moment I stepped onto the train. This worried me greatly. For the remainder of my journey a sat looking at her as she continued to glare at me in contempt and when I exited the train she said something in Slavic under her breath which I assumed was a filthy name. In retrospect, I can't really say that I blame her. For all I knew, the image of the hammer and sickle which I wore on my chest with such pride symbolised one of the darkest periods of her country's history and I know all to well not to judge those embittered by attrocity too heavily.
- The second example comes from a television program which I quote far too often: Curb Your Enthusiasm. The episode in question saw Larry David and his wife Cheryl attending a play at the Chinese Theatre. During the interlude, Cheryl commented on how beautiful the interlude music sounded. Agreeing with his wife, Larry started whistling the song. Seconds later a man approached him and accused him of treason to the Jewish race. The music was by Wagner, the anti-semitic German composer whose works were played at the death camp in Auswitz to cover the screams. Consequently, the remainder of the episode saw Larry struggling to reaffirm his Jewishness to the man and to himself, and all because he was ignorant enough to show a moment of insensitivity toward history.
The point being made here is that one man's gold is another man's faeces. History, like so much else in this world, is subjective in its relevance and it is also reflexive. Was it wrong for me to wear a shirt which promotes Communism only to covertly parody it or for some one to be villified for admitting that they can enjoy something out of context? I think the problem comes from the post modern problem of considering each of these products as self contained events. Whilst these items in themselves are without meaning; they are still open to having myriad social codes thrust upon them, by individuals, events in time and by institutions.
It is truly perplexing as to how fan cultures can arise around events which in essance culturally dark and disturbing. Be it the endless legions of Jack the Ripper fans or James Garrison's evergrowing army of conspiracy nuts theorising about the Kennedy assassination, I think Oliver Stone was right on the money about capitalism when he made Natural Born Killers: the media may try to frame these events as the attrocities they really are but thanks the Marilyn Manson principle (ie. Any publicity is good publicity) the monsters responsible for these events end up becoming cult heroes, guaranteeing the possibility of further disasters in the future and denying the ability to learn from the past.
I look forward to hearing whether any of you agree or disagree with this argument (please respond some one. I won't bite...hard. hehe!)
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