Re: (idm) reynolds (yet again)

From Zenon M. Feszczak
Sent Sat, Apr 10th 1999, 01:15

Phillips, Brock wrote:


> Zenon wrote:
>
> Why does social change need to occur via mass movements of the lowest
> common denominator?
>
> - This is exactly what I mean by the whole "elitist" attitude...the whole
>idea
> of a hierarchy which places the unwashed masses (i.e. "dirty ravers")
>below the
> idm elite.

Club culture is the opiate of the masses?


> The name idm itself inherently suggests such a distinction, and you
> can't fault outsiders for having a problem with it.

Are you suggesting that there is no meaningful distinction between club
music and (forlackovabettername) idm?

> What's ironic is that much
> of "intelligent" dance music is lacking in actual content - something like
> jungle which began as an expression of an oppressed, inner city minority
> eventually evolves into "intelligent jungle" and drill'n bass.

If I understand your point, "content" is being defined in an unnecessarily
narrow sense, in terms of immediate social or political critique.
Seems to me that much IDM has profound, even spiritual, content.
That content may be very abstract, but I find that this aspect only makes
it more powerful.


>
> - Certainly true on all fronts, but we're not talking about the same kind of
> change here. You're speaking in terms of musical movements and personal
>change,
> Reynolds (and myself) are talking about large-scale societal overhaul.

Not sure that there is much difference, except perhaps in number of
individuals directly affected.
The number of individuals _indirectly_ affected is more difficult to evaluate.
Also, the lasting societal effects may be on quite a different order than
the initial splash.

>
> - Possibly, but I doubt that large gatherings of people taking psychoactive
> drugs and listening to psychedelic music could be construed as "the norm"
>by the
> standards of most Western societies.
>

Seems to be the norm among quite a vast number of young people.
It's hardly a counter-culture.
Anyway, one would need a culture in order to speak of a counter-culture.

Instead we have commodification.

Regards,

3