Comedy, Counter-Culture and Why Bush Doesn't Care About Either

It seems that the concept of what makes a political statement is lost on many people these days. A lot of comedy today is merely an aspect of the so-called “counter-culture” and many of these comedians seem to think that they are making a political statement by making fun of their society’s elites in various creative ways. In reality they cannot be considered rebels at all – do they not see how the elites they make fun of pay them no heed? Their comedy actually serves a very useful social function that the present day elites would be foolish to condemn or throw away.

Such graphic (but ultimately harmless) comedy, as we see daily on TV, only provides yet another diversion for alienated youths who hate the present state of the world but lack any sense of motivation and end up thinking that they can be rebellious simply by sitting in front of their television screens. Everybody hates George W. Bush and everyone loves it when Stephen Colbert makes fun of George W. Bush but does that mean that these people will proceed to go out into the streets or to the ballot box or engage in political organization to challenge him? Certainly not, they’ve had their share of rebelliousness through their TVs and now they will proceed to carry on with life. Those who watch Michael Moore respond in much the same way – though they might do some token good deeds at the local level or maybe contribute to some NGO off somewhere doing something.

Political voyeurism has replaced political action in too many areas of society. Instead of connecting us to the political process, it seems that television – in its current form – simply forms another barrier to political participation and direct democratic involvement. Certainly few youths seem to want to attend political meetings when they think that they can sit at home and “subvert the system” by turning on the Daily Show or listening to some punk rock. Politics is about power and believe me, the bastards who currently wield power in this world are not afraid of Stephen Colbert, of anyone who watches Stephen Colbert, or of anyone who (still) thinks that rock and roll is subversive (as people have been for the last forty odd years) and they welcome anyone who is deluded enough to think otherwise – it only strengthens them in the long run.

If you want change, you have to be willing to fight for it, you have to be willing to organize for it and you certainly have to be willing to sacrifice for it and right now these truths are being learned the hard way. Is it really any wonder that so many people are cynical when the “methods” they use to promote change are so stupidly ineffectual?