Culture shock

Sometimes an artist goes above and beyond their calling, whether it is music or visual media or performance art, and they use their powers to promote radical awesomeness, universal love, and cultural change. Who inspires you to change your reality?

My first choice: the great, the singular, the almighty Bill Hicks. (RIP)

Just a ride

The world is like a ride in an amusement park, and when you choose to go on it you think it's real because that's how powerful our minds are. The ride goes up and down, around and around, it has thrills and chills, and it's very brightly colored, and it's very loud, and it's fun for a while. Many people have been on the ride a long time, and they begin to wonder, "Hey, is this real, or is this just a ride?" And other people have remembered, and they come back to us and say, "Hey, don't worry; don't be afraid, ever, because this is just a ride." And we... kill those people. "Shut him up! I've got a lot invested in this ride, shut him up! Look at my furrows of worry, look at my big bank account, and my family. This has to be real." It's just a ride. But we always kill the good guys who try and tell us that, you ever notice that? And let the demons run amok... But it doesn't matter, because it's just a ride. And we can change it any time we want. It's only a choice. No effort, no work, no job, no savings of money. Just a simple choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your doors, buy guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love instead see all of us as one. Here's what we can do to change the world, right now, to a better ride. Take all that money we spend on weapons and defenses each year and instead spend it feeding and clothing and educating the poor of the world, which it would pay for many times over, not one human being excluded, and we could explore space, together, both inner and outer, forever, in peace.

For as long as space abides,
And living beings endure,
For that long, may I too remain,
To dispel the sufferings of the world.
-Shantideva

"Babylon System is the vampire, sucking the children day by day
Babylon System is the vampire, falling empire, sucking the blood of the sufferers
Building church and university, deceiving the people continuously
Graduating thieves and murderers, sucking the blood of the sufferers

Tell the children the truth"

-Bob Marley

Mae West, Madonna, Pink, Lady Gaga; four women who have refused to let society’s rules define who they are and who do not pass judgment on others who choose to leave the ‘beaten path’. Or, did not, in the case of Mae West who was WAY ahead of her time.

And in each case, despite being judged and ridiculed each of these women has achieved mind boggling success with their chosen art.

I first heard Linton Kwesi Johnson as a teenager. His music and poetry is amazing and as a bonus, he's a really sharp dresser!
Linton Kwesi Johnson
I tend to like movies at the 'miserable' end of the spectrum, not much 'universal love'... but Waltz with Bashir is great. Wonderful muic and one of the most intense opening scenes ever.

"I write what I like" by Steven Biko.

Changed S.A. for the better by challenging the 'superiority' of white 'culture.'
http://books.google.ca/books/about/I_Write_What_I_Like.html?id=Aq5PJWaSTzUC&redir_esc=y

@ Leila.

I think you'll like this artist too. BTW, I liked your video. Thanks.

"Black Stacey" by Saul Williams.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkK3s0A1CRY
My favourite verse starts at 3:11!

Saul Williams' "Not In OUr Name" poetry read live. A pledge of Allegiance for the World!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ_o660d0oc