Wave of Flies

So I was invited to see this new German film the wave at the MIFF today, not having any idea what it was going to be like, only going on a friend's recommendation. It was nearly sold out, and turned out to be a pretty amazing experience. Basic gist is a sort of cutting edge school in Berlin(?) is running this week long program to promote 'the virtues of democracy', where each student can sign up to a program of an extreme political idealism (autocracy and anarchy are the only two mentioned). The teacher of the classroom Herr Wenger sets up the class with himself as leader, and begins to give the class instructions such as 'strength through discipline'. The class soon evolves into a movement called 'The Wave', and begins to take on a life of its own. Wenger is shocked as he begins to see the power he weilds, and how extreme The Wave becomes as students are so motivated as to enforce their beliefs onto others and discriminate those who are not members. It all culminates in a confronting climax, which made me question my own values. In Australia we have no fascist history, being one of the oldest democracies and rating as
one of the current most democratic nations. But what says fascism doesn't walk among us? It is the whole 'lord of the flies' scenario: Given the right circumstances, we would all commit disturbing and radical acts to defend beliefs we didn't know we possessed, just in the name of following the group, or following orders, or mainly just fear. This is why groups like the 3rd Reich and Khmer Rouge were able to exist, the mass brainwashing which occured was because an aspect of this absolute control, strict discipline and superiority of a group over everything else appeals to a part of all of us, not just a particular race or ethnic minority. I am unable to say I could not ever act in this way, dispite my knowledge of the topic.
Given the right ammount of fear people will commit to anything to protect themselves. Those who are most fearful are most dangerous, because of the lengths they are prepared to go to to alleviate that sickening feeling of fear. In the end it all comes down to survival of the fittest, and the fact that man is corrupt, and
humanity is the devil. In our position of rich nation in the western world we can frown upon nations which feed dictators, we can writhe in horror while we sit back and watch others commit genocide and ethnic cleansing, but to quote author Chuck Palahniuk: 'It is only once we have lost everything, that we are able to do anything.' I rate this movie highly for anyone who is prepared to confront themselves, and to have a real cinematic experience.

every night im gone

every night now I dream i'm somewhere else
in another city far away
or another version of the one right here
im not exactly sure
Im staying in hotel rooms in high rise buildings
on the 6th or 14th level
and the elevator is always unsafe
yet I never take the stairs
and im always trying to cross busy intersections
but never crossing at the traffic lights
I see people I know all the time
but they seem so far away and unfamiliar
and i'm always following, never leading
or trying to look for something
deep in an office complex or shopping centre
through tunnels and dark rooms
In a city I thought I knew so well
but everything has been altered and shifted
so now it is completely foreign
people are always so hostile
because I never really know where Im going
I catch trains to no particular location
because I never actually arrive
but I always wake up at the wrong time
just before I actually get there

brain dead

so nothing exciting has happened since school went back, just been getting up every morning and falling back into the old routine. Nothing at all has changed, nothing is new. School is exactly the same every day, with each day its subtle differences, but all these differences always the same ones reoccuring. I have done nothing productive, besides homework and daily routine tasks. There is nothing really to complain about, besides the usual bitching and moaning. The doldrums of my life has been reflected in the thrills of my dreams, each night having vivid and intense journeys, with complex urban landscapes, to beaches, to oceans and deserted islands, to strange figures, to alternate reality and versions of people I know, and even strange creatures. At least each night is exciting and unpredictable, when I could pretty much recite everything that will happen tomorrow. Motivation needs to come from within I guess, but when I look inside all I can find is the
same old burning questions, and no answers. Which makes me believe motivation needs to come from the outside world, but seeing as I cannot find it I am hoping it will come to me. But hope like that won't get me anywhere far. I guess im just stuck in the doldrums until high winds come

hardcoretwothousandandhate

Bradford's Sydney Wrap:

- A-MAZE-ING crew
- Cracking jokes at ungodly hours in the airport, eg; "Tom, don't you have a gun in your back pocket?"
- Myer hangz
- Burgerlicious
- Budzzz
- "Feels good man"
- Nipple sharing stories
- Eloise's Laguna Beach style mansion
- Alessandro "The Juggernaut" Coco
- Mosh parts
- Cornwell
- Feeling sorry for Clayton
- Jarrah spooning Coco
- "Is the new girl here? Is she hot?" *Motions sexual intercourse with hand*
- $50 cab rides.
Sheet!
- "GOOD MORNING!"

These are some of the memorable Highlights, but i'm going to put up some of my own

- Newtown - general vibe and sweet weather, way overpriced vintage stores, sweet record stores and fast food
- Bayview Boulevard - such a nice hotel, slept so comfortably in a nice neighborhood until we reached the hostel which was in dirty downtown, but the good times made up for bad sleep
- eating ridiculously unhealthily - oportos (so many in sydney downtown), ogala, subway, burgerlicious, large amounts of softdrink, smoking and drinking
- exploring the city and observing the massive sydney rush
- forming the a-maze-ing crew, sweet hangouts, lots of lols and good times, partying down, both the hardcore shows, poor sleep
- Jungle Fever, The Dead Walk, Extortion and Blacklisted ruling it and forcing me to mosh
- The Dead Walk playing New Direction - amazing
- Smoking the awful pipe in the sweet secret lane
- Hanging out with locals, meeting new people
- Leaving from a completely deserted Sydney airport
- living the dream, dtrying to live like a local, having a sweet time and digging Sydney

Will put up photos when Bradford tunes me up

Haven't updated for a while cos I was in Phillip Island. Looking back now that I am home it seems like a pretty big blur of rain, drugs and ruckus. Cooking the most ridiculous oily buttery meals and eating steadily all day, smoking steadily and drinking steadily. Going on adventures through the forest to the beach and back through the forest while it was raining just because it was grim and there was nobody around so we felt like explorers. Watching tv shows over and over, then playing monopoly in Afrikaans, then losing interest when it became a stalemate between Izaac and I then watching more tv. Constant rain, and gail force storm warning winds shaking the house and making us feel grateful we were indoors. Going out for a chronic spree then warming up infront of the heater. Copping attitude from eugene, then provoking him till he had a big hissy fit then making fun of him some more. Then bashing him, then everyone bashing everyone in an all out brawl which ends with no winner and everyone gasping for air and grinning. Talking amazing ammounts of shit and laughing so hard at things that no longer seem funny, but will always remain funny within the memory. Knowing there was no constraints, no responsibility and nothing to remember, just living for the essentials and the good times. Sleeping too much, and being a sloth. Having friends to replace the family. Photos coming soon

Heart of Darkness

I don't need to go on a great journey to reach the heart of darkness. I don't need a place in history, some far away land long ago or a place of myth or fiction. I don't need to fall down the rabbit hole, dive deep into the ocean or trek into the jungle to find a place that the sun could never touch. I don't need to watch a battle or war or terrible conflict ravaging innocent people. I don't need to hear people with different values to me, different beliefs or perspectives. I don't need to cut open the human body, to see what everybody knows, nor do I need to look into the soul that may or may not be inside. The heart of darkness is right here in front of me, yet I am surrounded by people who are so strongly convinced that the sun just continues to shine. People are certain that with the rise of the sun light will pour down onto the earth and light up all places of darkness. Heating up everything left out in the cold. But I know that it won't. I know that in the physical world this might seem to be true, but not in the world that I can see. As much as people try to deny it, everyone is only in it for themselves. They will use their protection and care to aid that which will benefit them most, or what will give the sweetest feeling of warmth. All humans are corrupt in nature, there is no good or evil as there is no heaven or hell. These are only things created by man to try and give a system to our traits, or a reason for our actions. The ends justify the means every time. Given the right situation, me as well as everyone else will destroy, exploit, rape and pillage or kill just to protect our necks. Because in the end that is all that matters; our own physical wellbeing. It is certain that we would kill our closest of kin just to gain another breath. Each one of us has the devil and god raging inside us, and we are kings of our own man made hell. Humanity is the only existing devil; there is nothing beyond that and our own selfish actions. We push this truth aside because it is too difficult to live with when all we want is to think that we are good enough to be saved by someone who is prepared to forgive us no matter how many sins we have committed. And we won't just rot in the ground with all those of whom we have forsaken. The problem is we; the privileged ones are the most to blame. We complain about our meaningless, trivial problems while we exploit those on the tiers below us so we can live in comfort and ease. The ninety five will die in vain to keep the five alive and fruitful. We say we are doing a greater good for those less privileged than us, when infact we are signing away their lives from birth and selling them our pescripted life. There will be no equality, because all men are not created equal. It is comfortable to think that everyone has a chance, because it means that no one is better or worse than anyone else in the long run. It is survival of the fittest, and in this dog eat dog world only the strongest and most ruthless will survive. The true survivors know this, but somehow in our enclosed bubble world we have taught ourselves otherwise. This is the heart of darkness, because we cannot accept the grim reality of mankind. Mankind will bring about its own undoing, because at the core of our hearts we want to succeed above all else, beyond the reaches of others. We all want to not only survive, but to outlive. The heart of darkness is as cold as the war machine, as callous as the weapons we use for destruction, and as dark as the moment before dawn when we are dreaming in dog years. This is the realities we face, it is written in blood across history, and the past will ultimately shape the future. The sooner we can accept this, the sooner we can get a real life, and begin to salvage what we have. The problem is no one is strong enough to see beyond this.

Songs to Scream at the Sun

After preordering the new Have Heart LP, 'Songs to Scream at the Sun', I got the download of the former which came with the package. Immediately put it on repeat, and started to give it 3 solid listens. 'The Things We Carry' was a groundbreaking debut album, and I didn't think Have Heart would be able to match the Passion, Intensity and Songwriting of their Debut, let alone top it. I turned out to be dead wrong, as Songs.. is a step above everything else, and most other contemporary hardcore releases. Every song is a solid onslaught, without any filler or down parts. The lyrics of Pat Flynn are better than ever and really strike home with me, and could with anyone. The sheer intensity of sound is incredible, and the recording and mix itsself sounds so tight. Bostons is probably the best track, but it is hard to stand out in an album as amazing as this. Unless the new Iron Age is better, this will probably be the release of 2008. 5/5

Your friends say Boston's beautiful...