All animals are equal (but some are more equal than others)

[N.E. Brigand]

I believe that there is universal truth, that perception is not reality, and that we can, and should, project that universal truth by holding people who have erroneous perceptions ... accountable for their actions. The modern philosophy of "Perception is Reality", which I wholeheartedly disagree with, can be found in the fusion of Nihilism, which states that life is without any universal objective meaning or purpose, and Existentialism, where one can create his or her own subjective meaning or purpose. The advocates of "Perception is Reality" thus follow the constructs presented by Existential Nihilism philosophers such as Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus, as well as others. And more to the point of DCI, the Blue Devils design staff have recently hinted at the influence this philosophical construct has had on our modern culture with their shows "Constantly Risking Absurdity" and “Cabaret Voltaire". That is part of why I despise those show designs because I despise both Existential Nihilism and "Perception is Reality".

"Constantly Risking Absurdity", which is a pretty funny show, takes its title from a poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti that has nothing much to do with the philosophers you mention. Here is the text; it is plainly about the challenges that face artists in their pursuit of truth and beauty. Not that there aren't valuable things to be taken from Sartre, Camus, and even Nietzsche. After all, Crown's much-loved show last year opened and closed with music based on a Nietzsche novel.

Also sprach Zarathustra und verliess seine Höhle, glühend und stark, wie eine Morgensonne, die aus dunklen Bergen kommt.

[Stu]

"Constantly Risking Absurdity", which is a pretty funny show, takes its title from a poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti that has nothing much to do with the philosophers you mention. Here is the text; it is plainly about the challenges that face artists in their pursuit of truth and beauty....

Hopefully without getting too deep into this and boring the posters here on DCP…. Ferlinghetti was a poet and a publisher within the late '50's through the '60's Beat Movement along with writers like Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs. This movement was heavily, and I mean heavily influenced by Existential Nihilism just as was the earlier 20th Century Dada movement. And many lines within the Ferlinghetti poem ‘Constantly Risking Absurdity’ are shown to directly reflect those philosophies (i.e. “to a high wire of his own making”; “all without mistaking anything for what it may not be”; “the super realist who must perforce perceive taut truth”; “in his supposed advance toward that still higher perch”; and especially with the ending line “in the empty air of existence”). The philosophical connection of the Beat Movement and Existential Nihilism can also be seen through the desire for these poets and writers to seek out ‘hedonistic altered perceptions of different realities’ (exemplified with the use of hallucinogenic drugs as with writers like Burroughs).

Edited March 9, 2014 by Stu

[N.E. Brigand]

I think you're reaching. The lines you cite could apply as easily to Shakespeare as to any poet influenced by Existentialism or Nihilism. The "super realist who must perforce perceive taut truth" is not so far from your own self-description! Ferlinghetti's point is that artistic achievement requires not playing it safe, which is why he likens poets to high-wire walkers. Blue Devils adopted that metaphor explicitly in their 2008 show, and they seem to have adopted the theme as a guiding principle since then, although in my opinion, they have fallen from the wire as often as not.

[Stu]

I think you're reaching. The lines you cite could apply as easily to Shakespeare as to any poet influenced by Existentialism or Nihilism. The "super realist who must perforce perceive taut truth" is not so far from your own self-description! Ferlinghetti's point is that artistic achievement requires not playing it safe, which is why he likens poets to high-wire walkers. Blue Devils adopted that metaphor explicitly in their 2008 show, and they seem to have adopted the theme as a guiding principle since then, although in my opinion, they have fallen from the wire as often as not.

This is not a reach. I agree with you that the poem is about artists not playing it safe, going out on the high wire, and reaching for a higher aesthetic; but that is only half of the poem: the ‘Risking’ aspect. Nevertheless, the phrase ‘perceive taut truth’ in the line you referenced is vital within the context (historical, artistic, etc), as are the phrases ‘of his own making’ and ‘supposed advance to that higher perch’, all of which are Existential constructs that contend ‘perception alone creates reality’. This combined with the Nihilistic phrase ‘empty air of existence’ which ends the poem on the note that 'existence is actually found to ultimately be meaningless and nothingness' shows the ludicrousness of making those higher artistic attempts other than for mere self-indulgence: i.e. the ‘Absurdity’ aspect. What the Dada artists did, and what the Beat Poets wrote, along with what BD did in producing shows based on “Constantly Risking Absurdity” and Cabaret Voltaire” may not be technically and academically connected to Nietzsche, Sartre, and Camus; but the philosophical concepts of perception is reality, there is nothing out there but meaningless nothingness, and that self-indulgency leading to absurdity is the only way to create meaning in this meaningless existence, were ‘not’ written by accident either.

[fsubone]

I thought it was Constantly Risking Absurbity? That's how I always heard it

[charlie1223]

I believe that there 'is' universal truth, that perception is 'not' reality, and that we can, and should, project that universal truth onto holding people who have erroneous perceptions (like those in the organization Jeff and I find to be horrible) accountable for their actions. The modern philosophy of ‘Perception is Reality’, which I whole heartily disagree with, can be found in the fusion of Nihilism, which states that that life is without any universal objective meaning or purpose, and Existentialism, where one can create his or her own subjective meaning or purpose. The advocates of ‘Perception is Reality’ thus follow the constructs presented by Existential Nihilism philosophers such as Friedrich Nietzsche, John-Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus as well as others. And more to the point of DCI, The Blue Devils design staff have recently hinted at the influence this philosophical construct has had on our modern culture with their shows ‘Constantly Risking Absurdity’ and “Cabaret Voltaire’. That is part of why I despise those show designs because I despise both Existential Nihilism and Perception is Reality.

I'm just wondering if your belief that there is "universal truth" is simply your "perception of reality".

Edited March 10, 2014 by charlie1223

[BRASSO]

there is nothing out there but meaningless nothingness,

One of the brilliant things about doing a show theme that is convoluted is that if the Corps sets out to perform a show that has a theme that revolves around the central message to the judges that, by design, is about Absurdity, ie that" there is nothing out there but meaningless nothingness": then is not the judge compelled that the Corps was indeed Absurd, showing meaningless, and incoherence, chaos out on the field, and thus should assign high marks for creative brilliance by designing something totally "meaningless" ? The Corps afterall did set out by design to be as absurd as possible. If other Corps by contrast however are going out there with meaningful and clearly understood themes, arn't they making a mistake by not creating themes that are more rewarded that have " nothing out there but meaningless nothingless " and are chock full of "Absurdity "? Isn't it, almost be definition, much easier to create something that is intellectually Absurd, than something that is Reasonable, Intelligent and Understandable ? Or am I trying to be too intelligent and sensible in this assessment, when I really should be looking at this thru the eyes and ears of ridiculousness and absurdity to fully appreciate the ridiculousness and the absurdity of the DCI modern show designer on full display who found other earlier era Artistes full of absurdity and ridiculousness just like themselves to pay homage too ? Help me out here.

Edited March 10, 2014 by BRASSO

[Stu]

One of the brilliant things about doing a show theme that is convoluted is that if the Corps sets out to perform a show that has a theme that revolves around the central message to the judges that, by design, is about Absurdity, ie that" there is nothing out there but meaningless nothingness": then is not the judge compelled that the Corps was indeed Absurd, showing meaningless, and incoherence, chaos out on the field, and thus should assign high marks for creative brilliance by designing something totally "meaningless" ? The Corps afterall did set out by design to be as absurd as possible. If other Corps by contrast however are going out there with meaningful and clearly understood themes, arn't they making a mistake by not creating themes that are more rewarded that have " nothing out there but meaningless nothingless " and are chock full of "Absurdity "? Isn't it, almost be definition, much easier to create something that is intellectually Absurd, than something that is Reasonable, Intelligent and Understandable ? Or am I trying to be too intelligent and sensible in this assessment, when I really should be looking at this thru the eyes and ears of ridiculousness and absurdity to fully appreciate the ridiculousness and the absurdity of the show designer on full display who found other earlier era Artistes full of absurdity and ridiculousness just like themselves to pay homage too ? Help me out here.

Ok; here is the help you requested: For us actually enjoy DCI as it progresses forward we can...

a) Do a brief study of Hegesias of Cyrene and Fredrich Nietzsche; then for the impact the philosophy had on the early part of the 20th century read the works of Tristan Tzara and Hugo Ball (who influenced the inception of Cabaret Voltaire); for the impact the philosophy had on the latter part of the 20th century read the works of William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Hunter S. Thompson, and Lawrence Ferlinghetti (who not only penned Constantly Risking Absurdity but also published most of the works by the Beat Movement writers). We can also read about the effects it had on our modern pop culture ranging from the altered perception of reality experimentation drug culture of the ‘60s, through the hedonistic places like Studio 54 of the ‘70s, and now in the narcissistic hedonism exhibited by artists like Lady Gaga. Or...

b) We can hope DCI gets away from this academic ivory tower intellectual bunk and back to just entertaining us with toe-tappin and finger-snappin charts.

Edited March 10, 2014 by Stu

[Stu]

I'm just wondering if your belief that there is "universal truth" is simply your "perception of reality".

Very nice 'blow the mind' video-loop!!!

[jjeffeory]

I'm just wondering if your belief that there is "universal truth" is simply your "perception of reality".

That is the worst show on Adult Swim...