El grillo by Josquin des Prez
“El grillo” by Josquin des Prez is another Early Music Gem. This frottola about a cricket is pure fun. The first line of the song translates to “The cricket is a good singer.” The Hilliard Ensemble conducted by Paul Hillier show the lighthearted nature of this song, proving it to be one of my favorites of the Renaissance. The up-tempo performance by the Hilliard Ensemble suites it perfectly. The only thing I need to say further about El grillo is that it puts a smile on my face every time I hear it.
Fnords
Ever since reading The Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson, I have been able to see the fnords. The general concept of a fnord is something that according to Wikipedia “subconsciously generates a feeling of uneasiness and confusion, and prevents rational consideration of the subject. This results in a perpetual low-grade state of fear in the populace. This in turn perpetuates the need for Government, because without fear, people don’t need Government… Fnords are scattered liberally in the text of newspapers and magazines, causing fear and anxiety in those following current events. However, there are no fnords in the advertisements, encouraging a consumerist society.”
A fnord is the use of fear by the media. Mainstream media, including tv news, uses fnords heavily. So much so that the purpose of mainstream media is to publicize fnords, meaning the purpose is to perpetuate a “low-grade state of fear in the populace” in order to justify not only the need for government but also the expansion of the powers of government. Think about the subtext of all of the news reports about crime. Why does the media feel the need to report on murders, robberies, burglaries, and other types of crime? The purpose is twofold. One is to spread fear. Two is to justify the expansion of government powers. If crime persists then the populace is more will to allow government to grant itself more power in order to fight crime.
Why is Bernie Madoff such a big news story? Again, the reason is twofold: to spread fear and to justify the expansion of government power. In this case, the fear is of investing in financial products that are not highly regulated, as the government competes with private investment products. Madoff is used as an example of government’s desire to expand its power to regulate financial services.
There are countless subjects and stories in mainstream media which use fear as a means to justify and expand government powers. Another recent example is healthcare reform. The justification for healthcare reform is the fear of losing your job and being without healthcare. The message from the media is that the government can alleviate this fear by further extending its reach into private industry by providing healthcare coverage.
The subtext of fear and expansion of government power can be seen throughout mainstream media when you are able to see the fnords.
Book review: Children of Dune by Frank Herbert
I found a great user review of Children of Dune by Frank Herbert on goodreads. The review is as follows:
The Dune series is remarkable in that each sequel gets progressively worse until it’s unreadable.
The first book is truly excellent. It’s mantra on fear alone makes it great.
The second book a very good sci-fi novel.
The third book (Children of Dune) is merely okay.
The fourth book is sub-par, but still interesting.
The fifth book is a pain in the ass to read.
The sixth book will leave you concerned about the author’s health, so terribad is the writing.
But hey, the first book kicks ass!
This sums up Frank Herbert’s Dune series extremely well.
