Three Cheers for Popular Culture

I distinguish between POP culture & POPULAR culture. The first, POP culture, is the vapid mindless shows we see on the TV ("Entertainment Tonight", reality shows, & Hollywood action flicks, dominated by car chases & special effects). Don't get me wrong! I'm no cultural elitist! My tastes are unruly & eclectic. And I must admit that I go to the occasional mindless "shlock" as a form of mind-numbing escape. Nevertheless I celebrate that we New Democrats support serious efforts to preserve & enhance our various national heritages, protecting them over against neo-colonial efforts from south of our border. I celebrate our CBC news coverage in contrast to the blatant right-wing special pleading of Fox News & the superficial chummyness & repeated banalities of CNN. Also I congratulate our party's promotion of the Aboriginal heritage & the international renown of our francophone creativity. Our resistance to the Harper government's censoship bill is further cause to support our NDP cultural efforts.

Personally, however, I cite two local examples of POPULAR culture to demonstrate how very important our grass-roots artists are both in what they produce and the sacrifices they take economically. Driven by inspiration, they live from hand-to-mouth & on the edge because their art consumes them beyond security to offer their gift.

1). I went with Chris, my young media savvy bro, to the Boathouse to give my political spiel! While there, over a glass of red, I heard a rapper-type poet named Mike throw his whole physical & emotional being into a relentless, rapid barrage of images that tore into my soul. They gripped me, inspired me, made me angry, brought tears. This gritty culture, brought to light in much personal sacrifice & in an atmosphere of raw engagement, is the kind of culture that changes the world bit by sacrificial bit.

2). At St. John's Kitchen I met Colin & Jerry, two filmakers who are creating a documentary on local poverty & homelessness. They're doing this on a shoestring. Why? Because they've been here! They've lived the hell of such marginalization, & now they turn their skills to speaking out through the medium of film. This is POPULAR culture--- culture that matters, culture that cries out for justice & dignity. Colin & Jerry, I admire you! You do our society honour.

This is why our governments seriously need to fund not just our Centres in the Square & our Stratfords but also the gritty raw culture that emerges from the edge & calls us to unite to form a humane & just Canada.



Musings from the desk of Oz.
Visit my website at http://www.ozcole-arnal.ca/