obZen

[Mish]

I've recently listened to a Swedish metal album by a band Meshuggah, which as concept uses the following idea:

Humanity has found it's zen in the obscure and the obscene

From my personal point of view this can be seen in popularity of everything extreme (and outside of the norm) that always pushes the envelope. For example popularity of execution videos, terror videos, other acts of brutality. And to a larger extent our fascination with destruction of others and the planet. Complete disregard for life and constant need to feel greater.


What are your views on this?

[Gribble]

People are barbaric hypocrites. The day there isn't a government presiding over them with armed thugs to keep them in line is the day you need to guard your door with a loaded gun lest someone slip inside and slit your throat for a few moldy slices of bread.

I don't think anything's changed. It's just that until recently we didn't have television and the internet thrusting violence into our very living rooms. Back in the old days you had to go out to the gallows to watch a man die.

[Mish]

One song in particular made me stop and think for a moment. It's theme was that, people need to a go through a period of chaos before they reach a degree of inner peace. They need to ruin (to a certain extent) their life and the lives of others before they can reach that higher state of enlightenment (turning the traditional idea of Zen upside down.)

If you think about it, there are certain stages of what we view as 'necessary' chaos. Maybe one obvious example, being a teenager. It is automatically assumed that they will go through a period of chaotic relationships, jobs, development... and somehow this attaining refinement and perfection through chaos is necessary and encouraged. This can be used as a metaphor for a lot of our other endeavors.

[Lipp]

Well, people will always be fascinated by things that provoke strong emotions, regardless of whether it's pleasant or not.

Through my job I recently a creative writing seminar discussing obscene writing and movies, the stories are disgusting as hell but nonetheless interesting. More specifically, the "abject".

As for "people need to a go through a period of chaos before they reach a degree of inner peace", it sounds to me as if it goes along the lines of how you need to lose something in order to appreciate it. If you live at rock bottom you will undoubtedly appreciate things way more when you're better off, and also ensure that you never fall down again.

Either way, its swedish, therefore its awesome.