silly duck

one of those revolutionaries who managed to remain a marxist while still criticizing marxism and trying to develop it further.

lenin, rosa luxemburg, and gramsci are some of the clearest examples of thinkers who challenged parts of marxist theory without abandoning it.

one of gramsci’s biggest questions was this:

if capitalism produces so much inequality, why does it survive not only through police, armies, and state power, but also through the consent of ordinary people?

his answer was hegemony.

the ruling class is strongest when it can present its own interests as if they were simply the interests of society as a whole.

for example:

“if the rich invest, everyone benefits.”

“if you are unemployed, you just did not work hard enough.”

“there is no alternative to the market.”

“unions hurt the economy.”

“successful people simply earned what they have.”

“nationalism means defending the interests of the nation,” even when those interests may largely reflect those of the capitalist class.

for gramsci, schools, newspapers, religious institutions, universities, associations, foundations, and unions were all arenas of political struggle.

the state can use force when necessary.

civil society often does something more subtle. it makes the existing order look natural, legitimate, and inevitable.

that is how consent gets produced.

this is also why gramsci has become especially useful again in recent years. his work gives people a framework for thinking about how capitalism can absorb criticism instead of simply crushing it.

this is where his idea of passive revolution becomes especially interesting.

capitalism does not always respond to pressure by saying no.

sometimes it says yes, but only enough to protect itself.

it can adopt parts of demands around equality, environmentalism, women’s rights, diversity, or other social causes while leaving production, labor exploitation, ownership, and wealth distribution almost completely untouched.

in that sense, the language of reform can change while the deeper structure stays exactly where it was.

that is probably why gramsci still feels so current.

he understood that power survives not only by controlling what people are allowed to do.

it survives by shaping what people come to see as normal, reasonable, and possible.

the backstreet boys shows there this summer completely sold out, and because demand was so strong, they announced additional dates for the winter.

visually, it is apparently one of the best shows sphere has hosted so far.

ticket sales alone are reportedly bringing in an average of around $2.84 million per show.

apple's second foldable phone after the iphone 6 :)

perhaps it is continuing to have a relationship with the future even when you have no guarantees at all.

crime seems to seep out of every corner of this place. you are constantly on guard, always looking over your shoulder. it's incredible how completely a city can be ruined.

"the way people treat you reveals their character. the way you respond reveals yours."

image

walking.

this movie is the king of absurdist comedy.

--spoiler--
the black rapper group comes to the farmhouse to help fight the aliens, but after an argument breaks out, they end up spraying each other with gunfire and killing one another in the ensuing chaos.

right then, the us president, who's been watching the whole thing, turns to a secret service agent and says a line about the men dying for their country and to send flowers to the women in their lives.
--spoiler--

not confusing self-confidence with narcissism. having a quiet self-confidence, not trying to prove themselves in whatever setting they walk into. they don't tell you "i'm like this, i'm like that," you notice it over time.

a film that makes you think that what we call reality is, most of the time, just a state of stupor we've all agreed on.

the dialogue is very fast. some sentences get squeezed in so tightly that if you miss them, tough luck. you have to rewind and watch again.

there's a really good scene in the film.

--spoiler--
while a group of young people are talking among themselves, they see a man who's climbed up a pole. they ask if he wants any help. the man doesn't. and one of the kids buries the whole thing in a single sentence:

"his situation's no worse than ours. he's a theory-less act. and we're an act-less theory."

now, the first time you hear this line, it sounds like the breakdown moment of some third-year philosophy student who just quit smoking. but it's actually pretty spot-on.

the man is doing something. he's climbed a pole. there's movement here. but why he's doing it isn't clear. there's no purpose. no meaning. there's just the act.

the young people are the exact opposite. they talk. they think. they hang around like they've got life all figured out. but there's nothing they're actually doing. there's theory. no action.

so the man acts without thinking. these guys think without acting.

and this is what the film is poking fun at here, in my opinion. analyzing life and being in the middle of life aren't the same thing. sometimes even the man climbing the pole is more alive than you are. and there you are, standing on the sidewalk commenting on him, thinking you're the smart one.
--spoiler--

ariana grande's 8th studio album, set to be released on july 31, 2026. after the success of eternal sunshine, ariana will be working with max martin again. the album is off to a strong start. "hate that i made you love me" hit number one on the billboard hot 100, becoming ariana grande's tenth number-one hit whether the album keeps up the success it started with is something we'll have to see.

antelope canyon is a narrow canyon located in the state of arizona in the united states, considered one of the most striking natural formations in the world. it was formed over millions of years as wind and flash-flood waters eroded the sandstone. the canyon's wavy walls create mesmerizing plays of color, especially during the hours when the sun's rays filter down from above and enter inside. this scenery, where shades of orange, red, and gold blend into one another, offers a one-of-a-kind experience for photographers and nature lovers. antelope canyon sits in an area the navajo people consider sacred, and visits are usually carried out with a guide. shaped patiently by nature, this extraordinary place, with its beauty and mysterious atmosphere, leaves thousands of visitors from all four corners of the world in awe every year.

john c. fremont was the person who first saw the lake in 1844 and led to its discovery. a traveler, explorer, and senator, fremont was a versatile man. he was someone who gained experience in many fields, like politics, arts and culture, and the military.

the lake and its surroundings are very beautiful, and its location is interesting. behind the lake, which sits up in the california heights, lies arid nevada, covered in deserts. in my opinion, nevada's being arid has a lot to do with the ocean's influence not being able to make its way inland because of the sierra nevada mountains. there are many enviable national parks around the lake.

one of best ta ever taught there.