I know people use phrases like “he’s changing the game” and “nobody’s doing it like him” a lot for musicians, but I don’t think this is an exaggeration at all when talking about Lil Nas X.
When I first saw the music video for Montero (Call Me By Your Name), I just kept thinking about how I had never seen a music video like it, ESPECIALLY from such a well-known artist. I’ve seen plenty of videos where a man is being sexy, but never in the way that Lil Nas X does it in that video. He sings about riding dick while giving a lap dance. I’m sure there are so many music videos where a male singer does this, but I’ve never seen them because gay men who express their sexuality in that way are usually prevented from becoming household names.
And he is getting a lot of pushback for it. People are saying that he’s trying to indoctrinate children, that he’s pushing an agenda, that he’s part of the ruination of society. Gay men are seen as sex-crazy predators, and so are androgynous men. For him to make this video expressing himself and his sexuality in the way HE wanted to, knowing how people would take it, especially as a black man, and then attaching his real name to it?
It’s trending at #1 on youtube and there’s been a huge positive response to it, but he’s risking a lot by releasing this video. The whole theme of the video is religious persecution, and we’re seeing that exact thing happen to him in real time. He’s being called a sinner, he’s being told he’s going to hell, he’s being told that god doesn’t love him.
This song and video are resonating with SO MANY people. People who grew up with a religion that teaches that people like them are wrong, with parents who seek to destroy what they do not understand, who have had a closeted partner who only told them they loved them in private, who told themselves that they would never come out to anyone, with people who have struggled with internalized homophobia.
Since the world already has their eyes on Lil Nas X, he’s decided to represent himself the way he wants to and tell the stories he wants to tell. From this video to wearing a bright pink leather harness on the red carpet to doing drag on halloween, he is showing everyone that he is not ashamed of who he is and he’s willing to put himself and his career at risk to be that person. By doing this, he’s showing others that people like him exist and it’s ok and it’s good.
Lil Nas X is changing the game. His success will open doors for more artists like him. I believe he’s going to help change the public perception of what hip-hop can be, and maybe even what a man can be.
Why do we say that capitalism must be “dismantled”?
You’ll hear phrases like “Smash the state!” “Eat the rich!” and “Smash capitalism!”
And, yes, of course, but… :)
However relevant those sayings are, our work must be careful, highly organized and above all planned.
Because capitalism and all of its associated systems are not discrete, abstracted entities we can attack independently.
It is a structure, like a complicated machine with many thousands of working parts…
And right now it is connected to absolutely everything.
If we do this… [picks up huge hammer and smashes the machine]
Then a lot of vulnerable people will die.
The machine was built and improved and redesigned and patched over the course of generations. It is very good at its intended purpose, which is ultimately to generate profit.
Every human being alive today relies on the byproducts of the machine to survive, without exception.
The machine’s engineers want it to keep working like it does. In fact, they want to optimise it.
That will kill all remaining life on Earth.
So, we must destroy the machine, quickly and carefully
We must examine its deadly programs and mechanics and replace them with alternatives we built together.
The engineers don’t want us tampering with the machine.
However, we make it run…
So we can make it STOP. Together.
How will YOU help us to safely dismantle the machine?
iww.org
p.s. My computer is on its last legs. If you would like me to draw you a little cartoon and help me get a new computer, learn more at this post.
21falloutpanicsattheblackparade:
9 million people fucking love dogs
Here we come 10.
BREAK THE POST
BREAK THE POST
BREAK THE POST
I’ve finally found it again
the elusive 10 million note post
they say no two people reblog it with the same original text
IT’S BACK
LET’S GET TO 11 FRICKIN MILLION
