#25 Marx; Collected Works

[thehumoredhost]

Hello Friend,

As things usually go, you have been living for some time now by favour extraordinary. [33] An old friend…But I still don't quite understand you.’ I'll come to the point right away. [34]

I think you misunderstood two main things: I am not laughing; at least I am not laughing at you [35], and I’m not making a stage just for myself, but also for the Maiden’s Tower.

It can talk to you and you can talk to it.[7] It now seems that you would deny that she can talk or think at all.[36] I am talking to her, about her portrait. [30] She watches herself watching herself. Oh, that delicacy of observation of hers![5] She sees smiles, desires, terror, come and go like lightning; every time the face seems different. [3] You can almost watch the walls go up and down in real time. [37]

The Maiden cried for help, and there was none to hear. [3] When I saw her, I talked with her[38] And she listened to me with the utmost deference and attention. [39] she took pains to see that they should be equipped in ways which surpass the natural order [33] That was when I decided to do this project.  She was going to talk through me, expressing all the pain and suffering she has seen over the years. The voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. [40]

After writing and despatching my first letter all I thought of was remaining quiet at the Maiden’s Tower and taking care of my health; of endeavouring to recover my strength, and taking measures to build the observation tower in the spring without noise or making the rupture public. [3]

But after reading your letter I made up my mind. You’re right. A stage controlled, closed-off isn’t suited for the Maiden to let her have her cry out [7], the stage must belong to all! Open and there for everyone to take part in. 

After all, the man of the world almost always wears a mask. [3] Including you. I must admit, you were very good at concealing your true nature. [7]But this is merely an illusion. [25] the true function of a deceptive screen is not to conceal what lies behind it, but, precisely, to create and sustain the illusion that there is something it is hiding.[41] We should strip the mask, not only from men, but from things, and restore to each object its own aspect. [28] No more hiding. [42]

Now that’s a reason for a cenotaph: a sepulchral monument erected in memory of the deceased mask of a person whose lies are buried in the depths of Bosphorus. [43]

— There you can see what talk will do. [24]

Thanks for helping me and the Maiden with our project

Yours sincerely

Bill

#33 de Montaigne; The Complete Essays #34 Freud; The Uncanny #35 Wilde; The Picture of Dorian Gray #36 Hofstadter; Godel Escher Bach #37 Koolhaas; Elements of Architecture #38 The Book of the Thousand and One Nights Supplementary Nights #39 Svevo; Confessions of Zeno #40 King; James Bible #41 Zizek; Less Than Nothing #42 Bersani; Homos #43 dictionary.com #24 Leatherbarrow Eisenschmidt; Twentieth Century Architecture #28 Sloterdijk; Critique of Cynical Reason #25 Marx; Collected Works #7 Asimov;Complete Robot Anthology #3 Rousseau;Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau #5 Carter; Shaking A Leg #30 Proust; In Search of Lost Time Vol V The Captive The Fugitive

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me SATURDAY (Apr 27) in MARIN COUNTY, then Winnipeg (May 2), Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), and beyond!

#15yrsago The Pirate Google: making the point that Google’s as guilty of linking to torrents as The Pirate Bay https://web.archive.org/web/20090425044739/http://www.thepirategoogle.com/

#10yrsago Radical press demands copyright takedown of Marx-Engels Collected Works https://crookedtimber.org/2014/04/24/karlo-marx-and-fredrich-engels-came-to-the-checkout-at-the-7-11/

#10yrsago Band releases album as Linux kernel module https://github.com/usrbinnc/netcat-cpi-kernel-module

#5yrsago Joe Biden kicks off his presidential bid with a fundraiser hosted by Comcast’s chief lobbyist https://www.cbsnews.com/news/comcast-executive-to-host-joe-biden-fundraiser/ #5yrsago “Black hat” companies sell services to get products featured and upranked on Amazon https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/leticiamiranda/amazon-marketplace-sellers-black-hat-scams-search-rankings

#5yrsago Vulnerabilities in GPS fleet-tracking tools let attackers track and immobilize cars en masse https://www.vice.com/en/article/zmpx4x/hacker-monitor-cars-kill-engine-gps-tracking-apps

#5yrsago Court case seeks to clarify that photographers don’t need permission to publish pictures that incidentally capture public works of art https://www.techdirt.com/2019/04/24/mercedes-goes-to-court-to-get-background-use-public-murals-promotional-pics-deemed-fair-use/

#5yrsago A 40cm-square patch that renders you invisible to person-detecting AIs https://arxiv.org/abs/1904.08653

#5yrsago Telcoms lobbyists oppose ban on throttling firefighters’ internet during wildfires https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/04/verizon-backed-lobby-group-opposes-ban-on-throttling-of-firefighters/

#5yrsago Angered by the No-More-AOCs rule, 31 colleges’ Young Democrats boycott the DCCC https://theintercept.com/2019/04/25/dccc-blacklist-college-democrats/

#5yrsago Older Americans are working beyond retirement age at levels not seen since 1962 https://web.archive.org/web/20201107235540/https://www.investmentnews.com/older-americans-are-twice-as-likely-to-work-now-as-in-1985-79176

#1yrago How Amazon makes everything you buy more expensive, no matter where you buy it https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/25/greedflation/#commissar-bezos

#pluralistic

[laisun03]

How Does the News Media Cover Social Class and Inequality?

Marx's theory of social class: News Story: "Amazon Employees on Strike in Germany on Prime Day", published by the Wall Street Journal on June 21, 2021. Link: https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-employees-on-strike-in-germany-on-prime-day-11624213371

This news story illustrates Marx's theory of social class by showing how Amazon workers in Germany are using collective action to demand better wages, benefits, and working conditions. According to Marx, social class is determined by one's relationship to the means of production, and workers who do not own the means of production are exploited by capitalists who profit from their labor. The Amazon workers in Germany are part of the proletariat, a class of workers who sell their labor to capitalists in exchange for wages. By going on strike, they are exercising their power as a class to demand fair treatment and better working conditions.

Weber's theory of social class: News Story: "Gina Rinehart is Australia's Richest Person", published by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on October 29, 2020. Link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-29/gina-rinehart-australias-richest-person-again/12826230

This news story illustrates Weber's theory of social class by highlighting the wealth and social status of Gina Rinehart, Australia's richest person. According to Weber, social class is determined by a combination of factors, including wealth, occupation, and social status. Rinehart's immense wealth, derived from her family's mining interests, places her in the highest echelons of Australian society. Additionally, her social status is elevated by her philanthropic activities and connections to political elites. This story demonstrates how economic and social factors combine to create a stratified class system.

Bourdieu's theory of social class: News Story: "Why Working-Class Scholars Feel Like Impostors", published by The Chronicle of Higher Education on August 25, 2020. Link: https://www.chronicle.com/article/why-working-class-scholars-feel-like-impostors

This news story illustrates Bourdieu's theory of social class by examining how cultural capital and social reproduction perpetuate inequality in higher education. According to Bourdieu, social class is determined by one's access to various forms of capital, including economic, cultural, and social capital. Working-class scholars may have limited access to cultural capital, such as the knowledge and skills associated with academic discourse, and may feel like outsiders in academic settings. This can create a sense of "impostor syndrome" and lead to difficulties in navigating academic culture and advancing in the academic profession. The story highlights how social class can shape individuals' experiences in higher education and limit their opportunities for upward mobility.

[galacta-phantasma]

Writing masterpost

As it says on the tin, this is a collection of all my fics on AO3! It'll be updated when a new one is posted, but I'll still be making a separate post for each new chapter/story. Do note that fics in a series will just be listed under the series they're in, unless they're multichaptered

Pokemon:

once more, a bit to the left : 23/23 chapters. Dawn fails in the final fight against Volo, and is sent back to fix it... again. This is how Dawn deals with it all, and accidentally-on-purpose terrifying everyone in the process.

ingo & dawn arrive 15 minutes late with potato mochi : 3 part series detailing the return of Dawn and Ingo, with an accompanying laugh track

undead tracks : 2 part series. An incredibly short ghost!Akari and vampire!twins au

the only sign : oneshot. The only sign anything had happened was the clatter of a chair hitting the floor

PLA but dawn has a litwick : oneshot. au where everything is the same, but Dawn gets sent back with a Litwick as well, and causes some heart attacks along the way

blessed champion : oneshot. Yes, Dawn was strange. But she was their Champion and savior, and Sinnoh protects its own with a fierce love rivaling that of a mother Bewear. It only makes sense for those oddities to follow her into the past, where they were arguably needed most.

earth-shaking menace : oneshot. Akari recreates (discovers?) Earthquake. Rei wonders if its too late to change his name and flee the region.

space's burden : oneshot. Arceus and Giratina have plans. Dialga is acting strange. Palkia’s stuck in the middle, trying to keep everything from falling apart.

hilda gets trolled : oneshot. Hilda keeps running into this girl, and every time she forgets to ask her name. Yet she can't shake the feeling that she's seen her before... Meanwhile, Dawn is on vacation and traveling to Nimbasa City.

once more, rewritten and to the side : 25/25. A rewrite of "once more, a bit to the left". Dawn fails in the final fight against Volo, and is sent back to fix it... again (thanks, Arceus). This is how she deals with it all, and accidentally (read: purposefully) terrifies everyone in the process.

Kirby:

sparkling stars : oneshot. On a day like any other in Dreamland, Kirby looked up. This wasn’t really remarkable. What was unusual was the lack of anything to look at. The sky was a clear blue with not a cloud in sight. No leaves or petals or butterflies flew about with the wind. The sun shined as it always did - just in the opposite direction of where he was looking. He took a few steps back, blinking like he was making sure something was there. Then he smiled, and turned to run back to his home.

funhouse mirror : oneshot. Kirby stared into the eyes of a distorted reflection of himself. Void stared back.

counting tiles until sunrise : oneshot. Both he and Shadow were heavy sleepers, so this wasn’t a problem for them. It was a problem for Daroach, who had sensitive hearing and was a light sleeper.

like falling in slow motion : oneshot. Marx's sleeping schedule seems to change with the phases of the moon, and then hits him when he least expects it with a steel chair

The Ultimate Quest to the Grocery Store : oneshot. It's up to Dark Meta Knight to save the day... by going to the store. Unfortunately, life seems to have it out for him today.

wrath of the galaxy : oneshot. Galacta finds out Meta's been captured by Haltmann Works. Safe to say, they're not pleased about it.

How to Win a Date in Less Than 10 Minutes, a Short Guide by Dark Meta : oneshot. Dameta wants to ask a certain leader of the Squeak Squad out, but isn't sure how. So he does what he does best: apply force and hope for the best.

in what regard does the butterfly hold the bird? : oneshot. Galacta Knight and Morpho Knight were not always the feared knights they are today. A very long time ago, their names were Kirby and Meta Knight. Or: an au in which, due to space-time shenanigans, Kirby and Meta end up in the past and become Galacta and Morpho.

can't help falling (apart/in love) : oneshot. Gaining powers granted by Galactic NOVA, dying, bringing yourself back to life with the clockwork star's broken pieces out of sheer force of will, dying again, and being resurrected again has... interesting effects on Marx's body's sense of time. But even though it hurts, it's somewhat alright. Because Magolor will always be there to guide him back to the present.

Devil May Cry:

brought together by needle and thread : oneshot. It would make Dante happy if he agreed, and he could keep the props afterwards as a memento. The only problem is that he would be seen wearing the outfit in public. The logical thing to do, Vergil decides, is to draw Yamato and stab himself.

for my brother wears a stranger's face : oneshot. In a last minute decision, Dante summons his Doppelganger to bring Lady and Trish to Nero and V so that all four of them can escape, leaving him to become Cavaliere Angelo in Trish’s place. A month later, Nero helps V take down the Elder Geryon Knight while Trish searches for the Sparda. This is the aftermath.

Assassin's Creed:

Resident Evil:

these hands were made for... : oneshot. Ezio is a man drowning in blood. But a certain artist shows him that his hands can create more than just corpses.

they can fly, but they can't drive : oneshot. The most important thing for survival in the Rooks had nothing to do with how well you fought. It’s learning to avoid any road or sidewalk whenever either of the Fryes took control of a carriage. Or: How the Rooks collectively developed a 6th sense to avoid being run over by their bosses.

passing storms in your area : oneshot. Piers, a quiet day at home, and the start of it getting better

RGG:

love, twisting into infinity : oneshot. It's a devotion that goes both ways. For children of the night, nothing could be sweeter.

#jet mumbles

[welcomehome-queen]

Dining Amygdala

A breeze of cold flooded her body, he must be back from the Market. He returned through the empty room. [4] "I love when you wear that red" he remarked "Did you get the fruits?" "If apples, pears, almonds and strawberries are really nothing but "the Substance", "the Fruit", the question arises: Why does "the Fruit" manifest itself to me sometimes as an apple, sometimes as a pear, sometimes as an almond? [5] Kati stayed silent. Everything would remain in the same state of confusion. [6]

Then tasting of the fruit, "How is this?" [7] „Try!" Kati stared at the almond in disgust. "I don't like almonds and you know it." „Try!" She pinched it with two fingers and slowly led it into her mouth. "It may be a personal taste [8] but it reminds me of strawberries and cream." [9] "I hate it!" Fierce. „Now lick at it." [10], he commanded "They’ll destroy your brain." [11], she refused He was exasperated and furious. [12] "I feed you and take care of you: you love me and follow me for it." [13] he spoke. She stood up, smashed the chair and took away his almonds. She glimpsed and threw them on the ground and stomped on it Her work was strange and too violent. [14] "You’ll ruin things. [15]”, There was tension in his voice. [16] "They’ll destroy your brain." [17], she repeated, screaming. “Give it to me [18] or I'll make you!” „Make me! Take me! [19] Hit me! [20] Break me! Stuff me! Fuck me!"

Poetry, sex, technology and pain are incandescent with this tension we have traced. [21] Only mixture and disorder, wrangle and chaos give the illusion of matter. [22] We think it is about rough sex [23] but In an abstraction of Mondrian’s type, the painting ceases to be an organism or an isolated organization in order to become a division of its own surface, which must create its own relations with the divisions of the “room” in which it will be hung. A gaze could create (and destroy, and declare null and void). [24] The Room, Ovale, Ribbed ceiling, long table, Wooden chairs, chimney, Almonds. Chaos reigns. [25]

The two make their fall into the river, into oblivion.

[1] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology, [2] Serres, The Five Senses, [3] Koolhaas, Elements of Architecture, [4] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology, [5] Marx, Collected Works, [6] Serres, History of Scientific Thought, [7] The Book of the Thousand and One Nights Supplementary Nights, [8] Koolhaas, Elements of Architecture, [9] Joyce, Ulysses, [10] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology, [11] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology, [12] Hugo, Les Miserables, [13] Wollstonecraft, Complete Works, [14] Rand, The Fountainhead, [15] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology, [16] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology, [17] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology, [18] Hugo, Les Miserables, [19] Hugo, Les Miserables, [20] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology, [21] Cuboniks, Xenofeminism A Politics for Alienation, [22] Serres, History of Scientific Thought, [23] Carter, Shaking A Leg, [24] Handke, Crossing the Sierra de Gredos, [25] Girard, Violence and the Sacred

[bookclub4m]

25 Economics books by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) Authors

Every month Book Club for Masochists: A Readers’ Advisory Podcasts chooses a genre at random and we read and discuss books from that genre. We also put together book lists for each episode/genre that feature works by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) authors. All of the lists can be found here.

Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World by Liaquat Ahamed

Get Good with Money: Ten Simple Steps to Becoming Financially Whole by Tiffany Aliche

Good Economics for Hard Times: Better Answers to Our Biggest Problems by Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo

Consumed: On Colonialism, Climate Change, Consumerism, and the Need for Collective Change by Aja Barber

The Whiteness of Wealth: How the Tax System Impoverishes Black Americans—And How We Can Fix It by Dorothy A. Brown

23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism by Ha-Joon Chang

Edible Economics: A Hungry Economist Explains the World by Ha-Joon Chang

Extreme Money: Masters of the Universe and the Cult of Risk by Satyajit Das

The Reconciliation Manifesto: Recovering the Land, Rebuilding the Economy by Grand Chief Ronald Derrickson and Arthur Manuel

Wolf Hustle: A Black Woman on Wall Street by Cin Fabré

Build the Damn Thing: How to Start a Successful Business If You're Not a Rich White Guy by Kathryn Finney

Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridharadas

Indigenomics: Taking a Seat at the Economic Table by Carol Anne Hilton

The Revolution Will Not Be Funded: Beyond the Non-Profit Industrial Complex edited by Incite! Women of Colour Against Violence

Upholding Indigenous Economic Relationships: Nehiyawak Narratives by Shalene Wuttunee Jobin

How We Can Win: Race, History and Changing the Money Game That's Rigged by Kimberly Jones

The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee

Collective Courage: A History of African American Cooperative Economic Thought and Practice by Jessica Gordon Nembhard

Can’t We Just Print More Money? Economics in Ten Simple Questions by Rupal Patel

The Black Tax: The Cost of Being Black in America by Shawn D. Rochester

Karl Marx's Ecosocialism: Capital, Nature, and the Unfinished Critique of Political Economy by Kohei Saito

The Wisdom of Sustainability: Buddist Economics for the 21st Century by Sulak Sivaraksa

Decolonizing Wealth: Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance by Edgar Villanueva

The Great Economists: How Their Ideas Can Help Us Today by Linda Yueh

Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism by Muhammad Yunus

#nonfiction #economics #booklists

[larrywilmore]

This was great fun! Hope you enjoy.

#larry wilmore #podcast #ye gods podcast #mentoring

[cosmiccino]

(1) Corbin, Temple and Contemplation

(2) Sloterdijk, Critique of Cynical Reason

(3) Hovestadt Buehlmann, Quantum City

(4) Gorringe, A Theology of the Built Environment

(5) Jung, Memories Dreams Reflections

(6) Burrows, Fictioning

(7) Rand, The Fountainhead

(8) Koolhaas Obrist, Project Japan

(9) Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature

(10) Seneca, Complete Works

(11) Rousseau, Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

(12) Hays, Architecture Theory since 1968

(13) Braidotti Hlavajova, Posthuman Glossary

(14) Zimring, Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste

(15) Kuhl, 50 Buildings You Should Know

(16) Negroponte, Being Digital

(17) Hofstadter, Godel Escher Bach

(18) Wilson, Aesthesis and Perceptronium

(19) Voegelin, Order and History 5

(20) Cixous, White Ink

(21) Hugo, Les Miserables

(22) Carter, Shaking A Leg

(23) Calasso, The Marriage of Cadmus and Harmony

(24) Ball, The Selfmade Tapestry Pattern Formation in Nature

(25) Schmitt, The Cambridge History of Renaissance Philosophy

(26) Davis, High Weirdness

(27) Jefferson, Political Writings

(28) Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology

(29) Serres, Rome

(30) Negarestani, Collapse Volume VII Culinary Materialism

(31) Henaff, The Price of Truth

(32) Anzaldua, This Bridge We Call Home

(33) Marx, Collected Works

(34) Harman, Bells and Whistles

(35) Chiapello, The New Spirit of Capitalism

(36) Derrida, Signature

[anthonyburdain]

Highway of highten hilarity

Come on in. Prepare yourself to be lifted to the latest levels of laughter, high-raised to hidden heights of hilarity. But before you begin your jovial journey of joy, let me give you a last advice: urinating in the lift is an offence,[1] it`s wrong on so many levels. Hongkong.[2] Mong Kok´s […] nightlife comes in one variety: everything. [3] Imagine living inside a giant pinball machine.[4] I […] wish[…] to elevate the people.[5] And what better way to do that than in an elevator? Imagine a place, that will come to live by the energy of its visitors and will have as much light as you can imagine... it is like living in the center of some huge bright eye.[6] One city![7] It […] is a local fire. And […] it is a signal. [8]

Let me give you a lift [9]:

I don’t take it very seriously. I mean, I take life very seriously, but not myself or the situation.[10] Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot.[11] I think it's funny to be delicate with subjects that are explosive.[12]The concept is an incorporeal, even though it is incarnated or effectuated in bodies. […] It does not have spatiotemporal coordinates, only intensive ordinates. It has no energy, only intensities; it is anenergetic[13] What attracts most is the unknown[14] and this is an infrastructure where all paths join together, mix and merge as in the center of a star.[15] But its more than that. It is not just a center of interest that is being talked about, but a center of activity, an epicenter.[16] I created a place where the constant interaction between people is a mere coincidence.[17] It is a cornucopia of wordplays, wisecracks, and slapstick repetitions, many of which are either untranslatable or else require so much explanation as to be tedious.[18] My intention is not objective curiosity, but a desire to influence contemporaries, to stimulate and uplift them[19]with the pure power of positivity. Joy we should spread: sadness, prune back as much as we can.[20] The circumstances of the present moment must be used to elevate souls […][21] But how to achieve that? – Right, trough comedy you lift it.[22] It is an urban cosmetic that will facelift cities' ambience.[23] [...] The idea can achieve liftoff as never before.[24]

So let me welcome you at “the ELEVATOR”. You are begged to go everywhere. Do everything like someone is gazing at you,[25] do anything, but let it produce joy.[26] Elevators speak to me on so many different levels, so please eat, look, smell, do, be, hear. And remember, whatever you do, don't fucking pee in the lift.

[1] Koolhaas, Elements of Architecture

[2] Page, Why Preservation Matters

[3] Hovestadt, Buehlmann, Quantum City

[4] Anthony Bourdain in one of his episodes about Hongkong

[5] Hugo, Les Miserables

[6] Serres, Angels A Modern Myth

[7] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology

[8] Serres, The Parasite

[9] Rand, The Fountainhead

[10] Hovestadt, Buehlmann, Quantum City

[11] Charly Chaplin

[12] Jerry Seinfeld

[13] Deleuze Guattari, What Is Philosophy

[14] Harrison Wood Gaiger, Art in Theory 1648 1815

[15] Serres, Statues

[16] Hays, Architecture Theory since 1968

[17] Marx, Collected Works

[18] Foucault, This is not a Pipe

[19] Freud, The Uncanny

[20] de Montaigne, The Complete Essays

[21] Rousseau, Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

[22] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology

[23] Koolhaas, Elements of Architecture

[24] Brook, A History of Future Cities

[25] Epicurus

[26] Walt Wattman, Leaves of grass

#theELEVATOR

[morethanjustmediocremusings]

The Power and Identity Dynamics Displayed In Fashion: Examining the Spring 1993 Perry Ellis Show Through Critical and Feminist Theories

A Senior Project Presented to The Faculty of the Communication Studies Department California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Bachelor of Arts

By Taylor Abouzeid Winter 2021

Every day that you wake up and get dressed, you are engaging with fashion. Every time you shove a pair of glasses further up your nose, you are engaging with fashion. From the shoes that protect your feet to the hat that warms your head, fashion, quite literally, surrounds you. The fictional character of Miranda Priestly said it best “…it’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry, when, in fact you’re wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room” (Frankel, 2006, 1:25:27). While it is well worth nothing the pervasive nature of the fashion industry, I desire to dig deeper. 

I yearn to interpret the meaning of a garment beyond its threads. To examine the power a collection of clothing has over society, is to hold a magnifying glass up to a mirror. Fashion is created from society, by society, and for society. 

The Perry Ellis Spring 1993 show exemplifies this deeper meaning of clothes. The grunge boots, deep tones, and fruitful florals rocked the brand’s traditional style with deafening deviancy (Condé Nast Archive, 1992). The radical and everlasting style that graced this runway was not immediately matched with the same awe and appreciation as it is given today. In fact, the Perry Ellis Spring 1993 show marked the final show for the coveted designer Marc Jacobs (Yaeger, 2015). 

It is through critical analysis that we are able to see fashion communicate with the outside world. Marc Jacobs was privy to this concept. He understood the power of fashion and by taking a deeper look, through critical analysis, into his final show for Perry Ellis one can see the hidden concepts of power and identity dynamics. Jacobs was removed from the Perry Ellis show immediately after the launch of his Spring 1993 collection (Yaeger, 2015).  Despite this expulsion from a top fashion house, Jacobs went on to create his own successful brand under his own name, Marc Jacobs (“International,” n.d.). Under new branding, Jacobs was able to create more contemporary and avant-garde designs than he was previously allowed under Perry Ellis.

By way of a critical evaluation, and through a feminist lens, I aim to explore the power and identity dynamics demonstrated in the Perry Ellis Spring 1993 show, designed by Marc Jacobs. Specifically, I seek to uncover the hidden meaning behind this selection of garments and take a closer look at the underlying inspirations behind the looks. 

Throughout this paper we, author and reader, will embark on an amazing journey of discovery. First, we will set the stage with a literature review encompassing fashion communication, Critical Communication Theory, Feminist Theory (and fourth-wave feminism), power dynamics, aspects of identity, Cultural Capital Theory, and trend dynamics. This lengthy section provides us with pertinent knowledge to bring all audience members to the same level of understanding. At the end of this literature review lies my research question, left for your eyes to gaze and your mind to ponder. Then I begin to explore my given unit of analysis, the Perry Ellis Spring 1993 Show designed by Marc Jacobs in the Methodological section of this paper. In the outcomes and evaluations section I begin to answer my own pressing questions and explain why exactly this study has an impact of the given field of Communication Studies. And if that’s not enough, I wrap it all up with a bow in my final summary. Here we go, thanks for joining me on this journey!

Literature Review Critical Communication Theory Critical theory, largely credited to Habermas (1968) is highly influenced by the works of Karl Marx (Fuchs, 2018). Marx mimicked many of Habermas’ ideations, such as language as a gear within capital and power, rather than a sperate function within itself (Fuchs, 2018). In order for Critical Communication Theory to avoid contradiction it must transcend the typical Habermasian approach (Fuchs, 2018). While Critical Theory has withstood the test of time, and continues to develop as of today, it is not outside its bounds to include and credit the work of Marx with the theory.

To review the cyclicality of a trend is to view an artifact as ever changing, malleable as the audience changes throughout time. One must first diagnose the age within its construction, and then apply Critical Theory work unto a given artifact (McLuski, 2007). The theory of critical communication is deeply reflexive, McLuskie (2007) uncovers the discourse surrounding mutual recognition by articulating the same flexible fundamentals as seen in this paper. Critical Theory has moved well beyond its starting position, for decades it has been applied and reapplied to dig deeper into the theory itself (McLuski, 2007). Critical Theory, as explained by McLuski (2007) observes an artifact as a worldly experience, with ties to separate and disconnected theories beyond the communicative realm. After all the explaining of positivism and Marxism, one theory remains at the center of it all: Critical Communication Theory.

Critical Theory was developed with the ability to continuously expand, and it is well within the reach of this paper to move beyond the more common applications of critical communication theory. Marx has long gone without appropriate accreditation for his work on Critical Theory (Fuchs & Mosco, 2012). It is in fact, the building blocks of Marx that communicative social change becomes feasible. The calls for a critique on exploitation, class and capitalism come from the work of Marx (Fuchs & Mosco, 2012) and are often an integral part of defining Critical Theory. By applying Fuchs & Mosco’s work on Marx (2012) one can begin to further expand this important theory. This expansion, exemplified by the current paper, must demonstrate the materialism between communication and culture, highlight the same activity from which information and communication intersect, and draw attention to the social construction of meaning (Fuchs & Mosco, 2012). At this intersection lies the Perry Ellis show, a show that broke boundaries of fashion and spoke to an audience beyond the traditional high fashion community. 

Feminist Theory Although self-titling a paper to include feminist critiques can often lead to assumptions of false intent and outdated intentions (Dare, 2007), Feminist Theory maintains a strict balance of inclusion and artifact criticism. It is throughout Dare’s (2007) article that we can identify the necessity of dismantling the historical separation of active and passive actions, which has often been used to strip away one’s ideology of individual capital. The important shift explored by Dare (2007) follows that one must not question the speaker themselves, but rather the forces that allowed a given speaker the stage presence to have their voice to be heard. Feminist Theory is far from reaching an outdated status update, but as these monumental shifts continue to happen, it is imperative that young scholars track this budding discourse.

While traditional approaches to Feminist Theory can be criticized for falling behind the times, modern fourth-wave feminism strives to move beyond common misconceptions. While the basic intentions behind the different segments of historical feminist movements have largely remained the same, it is more accurate to differentiate the waves by the tools used by modern feminists (Looft, 2017).  For instance, fourth-wave feminism is characterized by the ability to create and maintain online networks of community across national border lines (Looft, 2017). The feminist lens and efforts though which this scene will be evaluated is the same feminist lens that Loof (2017) describes as seeking to understand and revolutionize reproductive rights, freedom of speech, and workplace rights. This fourth wave of feminism was chosen due to the nature of my argument and because fourth-wave feminism remains the most current feminist perspective in 2021.

As seen in Biesecker (1992), Feminist Theory needs to be separated from the status quo. As women begin to be written into recent histories of rhetoric there needs to be a drastic shift in the processes of accepting new literature into the field. Women must be allowed in the public sphere of rhetorical content, in order for the field to continue its compounding exponential growth. It is within Biesecker’s (1992) article that the common criticisms of feminist theory, especially regarding inclusivity of content, are radically exposed.

Through the present application of fourth-wave feminism, and the perspective that Dare (2007) explored, the Spring show can be evaluated as not only an act of defiance, but an outright criticism of the power dynamics evident in the fashion industry. A clash between what is popular and what has always been, led to the capsule that is this collection. Femininity is explored though its contrast: strong women walked in low sole combat boots, stepping on the heads of patriarchy throughout the length of the catwalk. These details are what must be explored, for in the smallest crease of a garment there is the potential for pushing this feminist agenda. 

Power & Identity The negotiation process of social status is highly tied to one’s perception of others, and further, the ways in which all parties interact with one another (Pasztor, 2019). Pasztor (2019) utilized theories and experiences with power dynamics between tattoo shop clients and artists to uncover ritualistic actions that can be taken to assert higher or lower levels of power/dominance in a given interaction. Certain aspects of the “negotiation process” exposed personal motivations such as obtaining a consensus, or a perceived “win” over the countering party (Pasztor, 2019). Power dynamics are further explained to function as a mutual understanding between speaker and listener (Pasztor, 2019), through which rational conversation assumptions are held in play. As long as little listener maintenance is required to follow and interpret the message, power dynamics flow throughout the conversation through verbal and non-verbal paralanguage (Pasztor, 2019).

Identity dynamics hold a wealth of power over one’s own perceptions of an artifact and can be seen to define and characterize a given artifact by creating passages of understanding for audience members. While foundational understanding of identity typically originates within oneself, a crucial aspect of identity dynamics is the role that a single identity plays among others (Fredriksson & Johansson, 2014). There are strong ties from one’s identity to their surrounding experiences, and socially shared knowledge. From this common knowledge an understanding is further implied between author and audience. Identity dynamics can be seen at play in any given artifact. They hold the potential to collect or divide an audience, or in this case, a collection.

When examining external approaches to a given artifact, creating audience identity connections improves audience perceptions of the show. Cooper (2019) examined audience reactions to different female standup comedians to expose that audience members perceive shows to be more widely appealing if they consider themselves to be a part of the target audience. Here we see that identity work places the power in the hands of the audience members, such that they are the ones who decide the authenticity of the performance (Cooper, 2019). It is though the work of Cooper (2019) that we see the foundational elements of identity dynamics on the field of media and communication studies. 

Pertaining to the current analysis, there are two main identities to examine in the Perry Ellis show. First, the assertion of power from the presented new wave of individualistic and grungy fashion over the standardized and subordinate ways of the past. This exemplification of power dynamics places the Perry Ellis show in an interesting position. By putting forth a collection that critiques the industry in which it resides, Marc Jacobs directly challenged not only the participation of his audience members, but also the entire foundation on which elitist fashion originates. Second, it is crucial to examine the identity work of this collection. The presented styles spoke to a younger and more modern audience, one that understood and deeply engaged with the underground music scene. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this collection was the final show Marc Jacobs presented at Perry Ellis (Yaeger, 2015). The attitude of the show was so groundbreaking, that Jacobs became a risky designer – one who was not preoccupied with prioritizing the wants of industry officials, but rather desired to reflect society as it truly was. 

Cultural Capital Theory & Trend Dynamics Cultural Capital Theory is commonly sourced as a fundamental component of fashion trend prediction. Yoganarasimhan (2017) examined and researched trend adoption patterns to prove fashion was a signifier of cultural capital. Alongside Cultural Capital Theory often runs Wealth Signaling Theory, a concept which is disproven in the Yoganarasimhan article (2017). Within Yoganarasimhan’s (2017) conclusion a solidifying statistic substantiates ties between Cultural Capital Theory and predicted trend cyclicity.

Power over a given subject’s cultural capital is maintained by the ruling class. In this case, society’s elite, and those who control fashion investments, are considered to be the “ruling class.”  An examination of the different power structures within Afrikaans arts journalism highlighted the important strength of human agency on already changing structures of power (Cultural Capital and Change, 2012). Indeed, even after monumental shifts in power have occurred, cultural capital is still used by the newly instated class of leaders (Cultural Capital and Change, 2012). Cultural capital is used to self-prescribe and reinforce one’s assumed power and is seen in the transfer of power between human interactions well beyond physical conversations. 

While the cultural capital at the time of the Spring 1993 Perry Ellis show contrasted Jacobs’ runway, it is important to examine the ways in which the underground grunge subculture began to seep into the mainstream, in this instance, through fashion. This trend went against classical rules of Cultural Capital Theory. Models adorned smudged eyeliner and walked with heavy feet, decisions that, at the time, were groundbreaking. However, by bringing this Nirvana-influenced wave of fashion motifs to a “high culture” runway show, Marc Jacobs made the standout decision to change the present structures of power (AnOther, 2015). This show claimed a space in fashion history by unapologetically presenting a new, harsher take on fashion’s cultural capital. 

In sum, the culmination of this research has led me to the following question: “How have the power and identity dynamics evidenced in the Spring 1993 Perry Ellis Ready-to-Wear collection influenced today's social landscape?” I explore this question through looking at the present-day fashion scene. 

Methods Unit of Analysis The unit of analysis for the current paper is the Spring 1993 Perry Ellis fashion show, designed by the well-accredited Marc Jacobs. This show is unique in that it can stand alone as a moment in the past, encompassing all the amazing musical, political, social, and cultural influences that it grew from. While this show held tremendous value in that particular moment, its social worth continues today. This is in part due to the coincidental parallel growth of fashion and technology. For without the amazing documentation of this show, there is no way to guarantee its current social capital. Seventy-one looks have been eternally frozen in the once glossy pages, now the internet, of Conde Nast’s Vogue (Condé Nast Archive, 1992). These images have gone well beyond a singular audience, as the exact images and at-home replicas continue to grace the dashboards of Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr. 

Looking at these images evokes ideation of timeless design. The variety of presented silhouettes allows for this show, in particular, to evade the confines of a style’s given decade. Arguably, Dr. Marten’s boots have always been in trend, but now, in 2021, we have seen a revival like no other. This particular footwear choice cannot be chalked up to one individual inspiration, but it would be foolish to not admit at least a small portion of Ellis’ contribution to the combat boot renaissance. From cropped cardigans, midi and maxi dresses, sheer tops, and embroidered details, many trends displayed in this show are still easily shoppable in today’s racks of retail storefronts. 

Let it be known, this particular show was not selected on a whim. After looking into the Anna Sui Spring 1993 show, the Jean Paul Gaultier Fall 1995 show, and my selection of choice –the Perry Ellis Spring 1993 show – I was left to my own decisions. I finally made my choice to move forward with the Perry Ellis show as the central focus of my senior project because the available coverage of information regarding the inspiration and the execution of this show is much greater than that of the other shows I explored. Furthermore, my selection was also heavily influenced by a personal desire to better understand the importance of Marc Jacobs as a designer for Perry Ellis.

Critical Analysis To best honor the traditions set forth by Critical (Communication) Theory (Habermas, 1968). I had to first, metaphorically, place my artifact well within a given span of time. While there are obvious and definite boundaries for the literal time frame of the show, the interpretations of the show make the time seem indefinite. Alas, like Critical Theory would suggest, I had to look outside what I should expect. I placed the artifact in the past and allowed the consequential river of reactions to flow forth without restraint. 

By examining the artifact in this manner, I was better able to recognize the power structures at play within the garments. The contrast of flowing fabrics tethered to the runway with a thick soled boot and the loud music paired with graceful models demonstrate ways in which power was created on the runway. By creating these harshly contrasting dynamics, a storyline can be implied through the dramatic threads. The clothing spoke of a rebellion, a lack of guilt, and a desire for control. While these claims may seem distant, it was only through Critical Theory that they became evident.

Analyzing Power and Identity Dynamics In order to apply and examine the power and identity dynamics at hand, I had to deeply engage with the materials surrounding the show. I was able to discover that Marc Jacobs sourced many inspirations from the grunge subculture headed by Nirvana superstar Kurt Cobain, and the likes of Courtney Love and other “reckless” celebrities of the era (AnOther, 2015). Through this analysis on the available inspirations, positions of power became more and more apparent. The models, though their garments, held the power. It was the combination of socially deviant clothes and traditionally accepted beauty that shocked the audience and placed the power in the models’ hands. By giving the audience the unexpected, the show took place at the highest position of power. As for the concepts of identity surrounding this collection, I have previously noted the importance of the grunge subculture on the Perry Ellis show, but further the nature of the show explores concepts of individuality and beauty within the unfinished.

Feminist Application For the final part of my analysis, I wanted to include a feminist perspective. To best match the concept of this artifact not only existing on the past but living in our future, I selected a moderate take on fourth-wave feminism. This decision to include feminist perspectives came naturally. This third and final lens gave me the ability to interpret the available dynamics at play in a more applicable manner. Through a feminist perspective the show serves a rebellious purpose, like a pungent fist in the air, or a march through a crowd. The Perry Ellis Spring 1993 show encapsulated feminist acts of defiance. 

In sum, fashion provides one way to interrogate our own reflections, both literally and figuratively. Created by individuals not removed from cultural conversation, fashion allows us to take a step back and reflect on our own lives. Critical Theory applies best to this moment of communication. By utilizing the strengths of the theory, the Perry Ellis Spring 1993 show can be viewed as an artifact within a given cultural moment. It is only through the use of Feminist Theory, however, that we can examine aspects of power and identity within the collection. Feminist thought provides a perspective of dynamicism, one that allows us to view objects, in this case individual garments, as signifiers of value. Cultural Capital Theory describes the process of creating and passing on trends. Within the Perry Ellis show we see prevalent cultural capital though the cyclicality and long-term reign of the presented trends. Having the Perry Ellis show as my unit of analysis allowed for greater exploration and in-depth evaluation of a broader range of topics, and with the application of my given theories the show is able to stand out as not only a moment in history, but a curtail aspect of today’s society. 

Findings Power in Fashion One of the most prevalent social dynamics in fashion is power. Commonly seen through shoulder pads, asymmetrical hems, sharp edges and dark colors, power is quite literally sewn into a large portion of runway garments. These exact design elements were foundational to Jacobs designs for the Spring 1993 show. Fashion, however, is not often limited by boundaries of such elements. Power can be shown through a multitude of other factors that play significant roles in a season’s presentation. In the Perry Ellis show, power is further exhibited through the dark Dr. Marten’s boots, sullen faces of the models, bold red stripes, and tonal patterns that adorned the more feminine garments. 

Contrast is another gigantic signifier of power in fashion. The clash of “high,” avant-garde, fashion and “low,” street, fashion is a more common example of this dynamic. Within Jacobs’ designs one can see this difference in style through his outfitting. Models in shiny, pink silk gowns wore smudged, dark makeup. While the soft colors and flowing fabric exude calamity and beauty, the “heroin chic” makeup speaks to Jacobs’ grunge influences (Condé Nast Archive, 1992). The distinction, yet simultaneous display of the two styles is a unique characteristic embodied by this show. 

Designers often use color pallets to convey messages of power in their projects. I identified this tactic in the Perry Ellis show most specifically in Jacobs’ printed designs. While the garments in soft and neutral tones lacked fabric embellishments, the black, red, purple, and green items were all printed with various beaded textures, plaid or striped prints, and often a mixture of them all (Condé Nast Archive, 1992). Jacobs’ decision to mix these patterns and prints in his runway show gave the presentation an edge that, at the time, was relatively new. 

This evidenced power dynamic has continued to influence audiences even today. Outfitting, both on the runway and off, continues to follow Jacobs’ trend of contrast. Whether through chunky sneakers with dresses, or Dr. Martens with feminine prints, contrast is still highly applicable in modern trends. As for coloration, black has long reigned as a color of power, which even today we see at play. Suits, a typical part of powerful dressing, are most commonly black, a sentiment that is undoubtfully influenced through color selection. Although these aspects of power may have not originated with Jacobs, it is through his final Perry Ellis show that we can see them most clearly featured.

Identity Threads While identity my not seem to be an individual aspect of fashion, the essence of alternative and individualistic societal precepts carries throughout the entirety of the Spring 1993 runway. Individuality of one’s own fashion can come in many forms, in the Perry Ellis show it was best evidenced through the inclusion of grunge aesthetics. By drawing inspiration from the grunge subculture and more specifically the band Nirvana, Marc Jacobs’ collection oozed identity (AnOther, 2015). The formation of subcultures comes from the diversity of society (Ulusoy & Schembri, 2018).  Through the inclusion of the grunge subculture into his work, Marc Jacobs was able to create an identity with his collection.

Creating and maintaining an identity with fashion is more common than you would think. Brands often select the subcultures that most closely align with their target audience to include in their shows. However, in the Spring 1993 Perry Ellis show, Jacobs stunned audiences by giving them what they least expected: grunge. Whereas the fashion market has often been associated with “high culture” contexts, the presented grunge culture forced audience members to engage with what had traditionally been viewed as “low culture.”

We all make decisions regarding fashion; thus, we all have a fashion identity. By adhering to a particular subculture’s aesthetic, blatantly neglecting it, or some middle ground of the two, everyone engages with fashion identities. The adherence to a given subculture has the power to give the clothing a genre, an identity. It is this concept, that was polished by Jacobs, that allows an essence of identity to be seen in the show. 

Cultural Capital of Clothing Cultural capital is that which holds influence in our society (Yoganarasimhan, 2017). However, in the context of fashion this can be most clearly seen through the presented runway shows each season. Quarterly (occasionally more often though), fashion houses create presentations to walk down their runway. The top houses, most outspoken brands, or cutting-edge designers hold the season’s cultural capital. 

This sense of influence/capital is strongly maintained by top brand houses each season and is later mimicked by “lower’ houses in the subsequential shows. While the terms “higher” and “lower” do not necessarily mean better or worse, there is often an implication that those brands who covet newer ideas sooner hold more cultural capital. This is exactly why the Spring 1993 Perry Ellis Ready-to Wear show was so substantially influential. It accomplished what no other brand had done before. 

The Perry Ellis show broke cultural capital norms. I believe that this show in particular was a standout in creating a new wave of fashion’s cultural capital scene. For after Marc Jacobs was fired from Perry Ellis following the debut of his Spring 1993 collection, other brands began to catch on to Jacobs’ genius. No longer did top houses hold the entirety of fashion’s capital. Small brands began to have more influence as they experimented with new concepts and continued to push new designs.

Trend Implications We see individual expression through clothing in many ways, but most pungently through the decision to engage with particular trends. Similar to the decision to adhere to subculture aesthetics, trends are presented by a season’s designers and trickle down through the retail market. While the average person only gathers a general idea of trends from what is sold to them on the racks and major retail outlets, designers and a whole team of trend forecasters are responsible for paving the way. 

This is where that Devil Wears Prada quote chimes in, “…it’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry, when, in fact you’re wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room” (Frankel, 2006, 1:25:27). As Miranda Priestly goes on to renounce, even a specific color can be attributed to a singular choice made by designers. From the cut of your jeans, the height of your heel, or the print on your coat, trends are inescapable. 

There is no way to passively engage with fashion trends, every time you mix feminine blouses with hard plaid and call it “grunge” Marc Jacobs is to be thanked. Fashion shows across the decades have been responsible for the cyclicality of trends. It was the consequence of this very show that the presented trends still run rampant today. In reality however, it is quite rare to account a given trend all the way back to its original designs, as through the market chain they change and adapt with their audience.

Discussion Through powerful silhouettes, harsh stripes, and heavy boots, the Perry Ellis Spring1993 show is notable for its statement of power. This show gave fashion the chance to break down and challenge traditional runway presentations. The loud music and desire to reject fashion norms spoke of an identity given to the project. Through this formation of identity, the show itself became a trend. By examining the formation of trends through Cultural Capital Theory, it became obvious that the Perry Ellis show ranked in a position where its power could create an influence. These conclusions have consequences outside of the show’s legacy. This exploration of the Perry Ellis Spring 1993 show, designed by Marc Jacobs, has expanded the limits of Critical Communication Theory and challenged the ideas of feminist thought for power and identity work. 

Implications for Critical Theory It is through the work of Critical Theory that artifacts, such as the Perry Ellis Spring 1993 fashion show, are able to be deeply analyzed on an artifact-specific scale. The work of Critical Theory allowed for Jacobs’ show to be seen as highly influential, and remarkably pertinent. Through the Perry Ellis show, Critical Theory took on new grounds. By applying Critical Theory to such a topic as fashion, the theory as a whole can be seen as more applicable. Further, because Critical Theory was created with the intent to never stop expanding (Habermas, 1968), this paper provides an outlet through which the entire theory itself can be seen as continuing to grow and encompass more, and widely different, terrain. 

The work completed through this analysis of Jacobs’ designs also captured a new intersection of Critical Theory and media artifacts. While the unit of analysis is often a modern-media piece up for critical analysis, by focusing on a fashion show, Critical Theory’s scope of analysis has stretched to encompass an entirely new group of discourse. Given this newfound inclusion, Critical Theory can now be widely applied to projects outside of Communication Studies. As the groundwork for expanding Critical Theory has now be laid, others can easily begin their own expansion of the theory. 

Implications for Feminist Thought The analytical discussion that preceded was grounds for a reclamation of fashion as wholly feminist. By focusing on power and identity dynamics, the conversation centered fashion in an manner that presented its feminist capabilities. In the past, fashion has been seen as superficial and even potentially as a patriarchal crutch. Serving as a scapegoat for sexist behaviors and comments regarding feminine interests, fashion has rarely been engaged in such a way with feminist studies.  However, with a closer examination of the Spring runway, it has become radically clear that the garments were made in defiance of such societal and patriarchal rules and are actual evidence of defiance. 

From this paper, fashion has proven to be a weapon against norms and oppressive culture, and a beacon for all things individual and powerful. Allowing fashion to serve its intended purpose has expanded the previous limits of Feminist Theory. Engaging with fashion, previously used to dumb down, or discredit the interests of women, can now be seen as an intentional, critical, and even political choice. Feminist Theory, now with the addition of fashion, can begin to examine other ways in which clothing is used to empower, and potentially disenfranchise, feminine autonomy. 

Real World Implications Every day, we all wake up and engage with fashion. With, or without, notable intent we select what trends we desire to follow, and we confidently present them to the world. Without our knowledge, the Perry Ellis show has influenced every single individual, for it has continued to influence the entire fashion industry since its original exposition. It’s presented trends have rippled outward and could be seen as undetectable to the untrained eye. However, this analysis has provided the lens though which one can see the designs’ influence.

This show, designed by Marc Jacobs, is remarkable for this influence yet remains unrewarded for its daily application. Although for many, the influence that Marc Jacobs has had on the fashion industry will continue to go unnoticed, this paper has set a prescient to appreciate the center of origin for current and past trends. Similarly, at the hand of this exploration, fashion has become a topic worthy of critical exploration; one that is conducive for further research. 

Limitations and Thoughts for Expansion While this paper was able to completely grasp at the importance of fashion, and more specifically the Spring 1993 Perry Ellis Ready-to-Wear fashion show, designed by the incredible Marc Jacobs, it lacks evidence of other shows continuing this strong wave of influence. Undeniably, fashion has, and continues to be, influenced by a rage of different collections. From designers, to music, to various subcultures, fashion gains inspiration from everywhere. To strengthen the argument that fashion affects everyone, it is very necessary to examine other potential areas of trend inspiration. 

If we, as a society, are to continue to expand our understanding of fashion to include noteworthy moments of inspiration, it is crucial for others to expand my presented topic. Many other shows hold similar relevancy to the Perry Ellis collection, and many other designers deserve similar accreditation. Thusly, for future efforts, I would deem it highly necessary to continue the application of the given theories to a multitude of differing shows. 

Conclusion I wrote this paper with the intention of expanding the limits of Critical Theory, and feminist thought. I wanted to explore the range that power and identity dynamics had within these houses of thought. It is through the Perry Ellis Spring 1993 show that I was able to accomplish such work. Through both a feminist lens and Critical Theory, power and identity dynamics have been emphasized as key aspects of fashion. By drawing attention to the minute details of the designs and approaching the analysis with a concrete understanding of fourth-wave feminism, this paper exemplified my goals. This culmination of thought is now able to show how applicable high-fashion concepts are in every-day life. 

Fashion no longer has to be seen as an abstract office hidden somewhere in New York, fashion is everywhere around us. By taking a closer look at the fashion that surrounds you, it becomes apparent that what once could have been seen as a drab jacket, is actually a statement of power through its broad shoulders, dark colors and sleek fabric. Fashion is more than just the clothes we throw on our bodies, fashion is a deeper reflection of society than many know. With this paper, the Spring 1993 Perry Ellis show, designed by Marc Jacobs, has become eternally influential for all of us who engage with fashion.

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References

[1] Aquinas, Summa Theologica,

[2] Une femme et une femme, Jean Luc Godard,

[3] Calvin, Harmony of the Law Vol 1,

[4] Juhani Pallasmaa, The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses,

[5] Augustin Berque, The question of space: from Heidegger to Watsuji,

[6] Elif Shafak, The Architect's Apprentice,

[7] The Magus, John Fowles,

[8] Bakervilles, sir Arthur conan Doyle,

[9] M. Proust, In Search of Lost Time Vol V The Captive The Fugitive,

[10] Semper, Style in the Technical and Tectonic Arts or Practical Aesthetics,[11]“An Extraordinary Experience To Perform”: Bill Murray And Friends On Their Concert Doc ‘New Worlds: The Cradle Of Civilization’ article by Matthew Carey,

[12] Interview with Bill Murray https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=o9TvFkiLLMo,

[13] Rousseau, Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau,

[14] Wollstonecraft, Complete Works,

[15] Hugo, Les Miserables,

[16] Mallgrave, Architectural Theory,

[17] Rousseau, Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau,

[18] Proust, In Search of Lost Time Vol III The Guermantes Way,

[19] Humboldt, Equinoctial Regions of America,

[20] Darwin, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals,

[21] Winckelmann, on Art Architecture and Archaeology,

[22]Marx, Collected Works ,

[23] Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding,

[24] Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature,

[25] Palladio, The Four Books on Architecture,

[26] de Montaigne, The Complete Essays,

[27]Alberti, On the Art of Building in Ten Books,

[28] Agricola De Re Metallica,

[29] Boullee, Architecture Essay on Art,

[30] Mumford, The Culture of Cities,

[31] Leatherbarrow Eisenschmidt, Twentieth Century Architecture

[32] Alberti, 10 books of architecture 1755

[33] Williams, Daniele Barbaros Vitruvius of 1567

[34] Kellert, Biophilic Design The Theory Science and Practice

[35] Goldsmith, Capital New York Capital of the 20th Century

[thealienxx]

Chapter TWO

Father of Nature

You: disaster on disaster! Meantime the rains continue, the sky becomes still more threatening, and thus, for long, disaster is heaped upon disaster. What disaster overwhelms my house? [9]

Father: Holy Father, weather conditions in Rome are critical. [10] Now no other cause save God can justify the ungodly, even as nothing save fire can heat water. [11] And this parting no care can shun, no good fortune can remove, no power can prevent. [9] shall thy jealousy burn like fire? shall thy wrath burn like fire? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire. [12] 

You: Wilt bar paths where I might fall to death? [9]

Father: That’s the fire in my soul. [13]

You: They are dying of hunger. [14]

He decided to starve to death, but first he wrote her this letter of complaint: Ί saved you, because of me you wère saved, yet because of you I am dead.’”[15]

Father: Practically, this habit is dangerous to social order. [16] If you wish to respect your father, honor the good, and the io good alone. [17]

You: Why should the destruction of the one imply the destruction of the other? [18]

Father: And then a little after he goes on: "Though our Twelve Tables attached the penalty of death only to a very few offenses, yet among these few this was one: if any man should have sung a pasquinade, or have composed a satire calculated to bring infamy or disgrace on another person. [19] Desperation turned him to sarcasm. [120]

You: It is an error that appears to me unsustainable because these phenomena would have had to have been aroused in an extraordinary manner, either by God or by demons. [21] Towards this end, indeed, he had purposed to introduce, in this place, a dissertation touching the divine right of beadles, and elucidative of the position, that a beadle can do no wrong: which could not fail to have been both pleasurable and profitable to the right minded reader but which he is unfortunately compelled, by want of time and space, to postpone to some more convenient and fitting opportunity; on the arrival of which, he will be prepared to show, that a beadle properly constituted: that is to say, a parochial beadle, attached to a parochial workhouse, and attending in his official capacity the parochial church: is, in right and virtue of his office, possessed of all the excellences and best qualities of humanity; and that to none of those excellences, can mere companies' beadles, or court of law beadles, or even chapel of ease beadles (save the last, and they in a very lowly and inferior degree), lay the remotest sustainable claim. [22] Rejection is not ungratefulness, it's a beautiful and sincere longing for a sane and sustainable tomorrow. [23]

Father: It is copying nature. [9] Then I'd expose him to children, adults, mature men, old men, subjects of all ages, of both sexes, drawn from all walks oflife in a word, to every kind of nature. [24] Nature does not pardon him. [25] Mankind are benefited, human nature is ennobled by them. Both these passions are by nature the objects of our aversion. [26] We know from the line of thought in the preceding critiques that knowledge (Erkenntnis) does not have to do with human nature pure and simple, but with nature as conception, nature as fabrication, with unnatural nature. [27]

[9] Seneca, Complete Works

[10] The Young Pope -

[11] Aquinas, Summa Theologica

[12] King, James Bible

[13] Virgil, Aeneid -

[14] Marx, Capital Volume One -

[15] Demetrius, On Style

[16] Voegelin, Order and History 2

[17] Ficino, Platonic Theology Volume 3 Books IX XI

[18] Rousseau, Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

[19] Augustine, The City of God

[20] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology

[21] Bayle Bartlett, Various Thoughts on the Occasion of a Comet

[22] Dickens, Oliver Twist

[23] Hovestadt Buehlmann, Quantum City

[24] Harrison Wood Gaiger, Art in Theory 1648 1815

[25] Michelet, The History of France Vol 1

[26] Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments

[27] Sloterdijk, Critique of Cynical Reason

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

BOOKS I READ IN 2022 Mostly academic books I read for research purposes or to expand my knowledge of a topic, though this year was much more scattershot then 2021 in terms of topic, and I read a lot less. Indeed, this year, while there was a lot of books I loved and luxuriated in, or am proud I finished, there were a bunch of very frustrating or not particularly appealing academic works I almost regret reading, such as the Cavel & Noakes volume! Also, far more fiction - I somehow read sections from almost every volume of Christopher Tolkien's History of Middle Earth series. Generally, I read the majority of the book - monographs or collections where I read a single chapter or introduction aren’t included. I also included a few of the best or most interesting articles I read, though there are dozens and dozens more. Books marked with a cross are ones I particularly recommend. The first two entries are books I started reading in 2021 and the last three I’m still reading!

FIRST ROW:

Anne Guérin, Prisonniers en révolte: Quotidien carcéral, mutineries et politique pénitentiaire en France, 1970-1980  +

Larry Wolff, Venice and the Slavs: The Discovery of Dalmatia in the Age of Enlightenment

Murar Ergin, 'Is The Turk A White Man?': Race and Modernity in the Making of Turkish Identity

Douglas Hamilton and John McAleer, ed., Islands and the British Empire in the Age of Sail

Allain Millard, Communaute Des Egaux: Le Communisme Neo-Babouviste Dans La France Des Annees 1840 +

SECOND ROW:

Blaise Cendrars, L'Homme foudroyé

Victor Serge, Notebooks, 1934-1947 +

Peter Cole, Ben Fletcher: The Life and Times of a Black Wobbly +

John Deak, Forging a Multinational State: State-Making in Imperial Austria from the Enlightenment to the First World War

Brock Millman, ed., Polarity, Patriotism, and Dissent in Great War Canada, 1914–1919

THIRD ROW:

Elinor Barr, Silver Islet: Striking It Rich in Lake Superior

Gerry Boyce, Eldorado: Ontario's First Gold Rush

Nancy B. Bouchier & Ken Cruikshank, The People and the Bay: A Social and Environmental History of Hamilton Harbour

Franca Iacovetta, Roberto Perin & Angelo Principe, ed., Enemies Within: Italian and Other Internees in Canada and Abroad

Janice Cavell & Jeff Noakes, Acts of Occupation: Canada and Arctic Sovereignty, 1918-25

FOURTH ROW:

Élisabeth Vonarburg, The Maerlande Chronicles

J. R. R. Tolkien & Christopher Tolkien, Morgoth's Ring (and bits and pieces of the rest of the History of Middle Earth series)

Elizabeth Hand, Winterlight

Jonathan Haslam, The Spectre of War: International Communism and the Origins of World War II +

William Clare Roberts, Marx's Inferno: The Political Theory of Capital +

FIFTH ROW:

Ruth Bleasdale, Rough Work: Labourers on the Public Works of British North America and Canada, 1841-1882  +

Dale Gibson, Law, Life, and Government at Red River, Volume 1: Settlement and Governance, 1812-1872

Fabrice Grenard, Une légende du maquis: George Guingouin, du mythe à l'histoire

Jesper Vaczy Kragh, Lobotomy Nation: The History of Psychosurgery and Psychiatry in Denmark

Serge Chakotin, The Rape of the Masses: The Psychology of Totalitarian Political Propaganda (1940)

Select articles I read:

Matthew Pehl, “Between the Market and the State: The Problem of Prison Labor in the New Deal,”

Ernest Allen, “Waiting for Tojo: The Pro-Japan Vigil of Black Missourians, 1932-1943.”

Sarah Carter, “Two Acres and a Cow: 'Peasant’ Farming for the Indians of the Northwest, 1889-97.”

David Thompson, “Convalescent Comrades: The 1935 Siege of Winnipeg’s Deer Lodge Hospital.”

Benjamin D. Weber, “The Strange Career of the Convict Clause: US Prison Imperialism in the Panamá Canal Zone.”

Ernest Ming-Tak Leung, “The Japanese Factor in the Making of North Korean Socialism.”

Eugeny Morozov, “Critique of Techno-Feudal Reason.”

Mikkel Bolt Rasmussen, “Fascist Spectacle.”

Tiziana Terranova and Ravi Sundaram, “Colonial Infrastructures and Techno-social Networks.”

Looking forward to reading in 2023:

Ruan O'Donnell, Special Category: The IRA in English Prisons, Vol. 1 & 2

Garrett Felber, Those Who Know Don't Say: The Nation of Islam, the Black Freedom Movement, and the Carceral State

Gavin Walker, ed. The Red Years: Theory, Politics and Aesthetics in the Japanese '68

Cheryl D. Hicks, Talk with You Like a Woman: African American Women, Justice, and Reform in New York, 1890-1935

Sebastein Elsbach, Eiserne Front: Abwehrbundnis Gegen Rechts, 1931 Bis 1933

#books #reading #books 2022 #year end list #2022 reading list #canadian history #prison history #academic quote #academic research #academic books

[disillusioned41]

ON CONTACT with Chris Hedges Sep 23, 2021

Anti-Capitalist Chronicles, Part 1

On the show, the first in a two-part interview, Chris Hedges discusses with Professor David Harvey the reconfiguration of global capitalism, the contradictions of neoliberalism, the financialization of power, the commodification of spectacle, Rate Versus Mass of Surplus Value, and other issues fundamental to economic literary. 

David Harvey , Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, is a leading theorist in the field of urban studies. Library Journal calls Professor Harvey “one of the most influential geographers of the later twentieth century.” Professor Harvey earned his Ph.D. from Cambridge University and was formerly professor of geography at Johns Hopkins, a Miliband Fellow at the London School of Economics, and Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography at Oxford. He is a prolific author, including his books Rebel Cities: From the Right to the City to the Urban Revolution; A Companion to Marx’s Capital; Social Justice and the City and his classic, A Brief History of Neoliberalism. You can hear him on David Harvey’s Anti-Capitalist Chronicles, a bimonthly podcast that looks at capitalism through a Marxist lens. He also gives a series of lectures called Reading Marx's Capital with David Harvey on his web site DavidHarvey.org, which if you have not read volumes I and II of Marx’s Capital is an invaluable way to match your reading with insightful commentary on this classic work. His latest book is The Anti-Capitalist Chronicles.

ON CONTACT with Chris Hedges Sep 25, 2021

The Anti-Capitalist Chronicles, Part 2

On the show, the second in a two-part interview, Chris Hedges discusses with Professor David Harvey,  the social, political, and economic consequences of Neo-liberalism and globalization, exploring alienation, the rise of authoritarianism, the significance of China in the world economy, the geopolitics of capitalism, carbon dioxide emissions and climate change and our collective response. 

In our previous show we discussed central themes raised in The Anti-Capitalist Chronicles by Professor David Harvey, who is Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Library Journal calls Professor Harvey “one of the most influential geographers of the later twentieth century.” Professor Harvey earned his Ph.D. from Cambridge University and was formerly professor of geography at Johns Hopkins, a Miliband Fellow at the London School of Economics, and Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography at Oxford. You can hear him on David Harvey’s Anti-Capitalist Chronicles, a bimonthly podcast that looks at capitalism through a Marxist lens. He also gives a series of lectures called Reading Marx's Capital with David Harvey on his web site DavidHarvey.org, which if you have not read volumes I and II of Marx’s Capital is an invaluable way to match your reading with insightful commentary on this classic work.

#On Contact #us politics #Chris Hedges #capitalism #David Harvey #neoliberalism

[dherzogblog]

The Birth of The Daily Show: 25 Years of Fake News and Moments of Zen

It was July of 1995 and I had left MTV to become President of Comedy Central. It was the basic cable equivalent of going from the NY Yankees to an expansion team. I was on the job just two weeks when I received a call from Brillstein Grey the high powered managers of Bill Maher, host of one of the networks few original programs, "Politically Incorrect". We were informed Bill and his show would leave the network when his contract expired in 12 months. It was a done deal. Bill wanted to take his show to the "big leagues" at ABC where he would follow Night Line. Comedy Central was left jilted. Terrible news for a network still trying to establish itself. We had a year to figure out how to replace him and the clock was ticking. So began the path to The Daily Show.

It was very much a fledgling Comedy Central I joined, available in barely 35 million homes, desperately seeking an identity and an audience. It was just over three years old, born into a shot gun wedding that joined two struggling and competing comedy networks, HBO’s Comedy Channel and Viacom’s HA!, Watching them both stumble out of the gate, the cable operators forced them to merge, telling them: "We only need one comedy channel, you guys figure it out”. After some contentious negotiations the new channel was born and the red headed step child of MTV and HBO set out to find the pop culture zeitgeist its parents had already expertly navigated. The network had yet to define itself. The programming consisted mainly of old stand up specials from the likes of Gallagher (never underestimate the appeal of a man smashing watermelons), a hodgepodge of licensed movies (“The God’s Must be Crazy and The Cheech and Chong trilogy were mainstays) and Benny Hill reruns. The networks biggest hit by far was the UK import “Absolutely Fabulous”, better know as “AbFab”. Comedy Central boasted a handful of original shows, including the wonderfully sublime "SquiggleVision" of “Dr. Katz”, the sketch comedy "Exit 57" (starring the then unknown Amy Sedaris and Stephen Colbert) and of course Maher’s "Politically Incorrect". In retrospect I don’t think Bill got enough credit for pioneering the idea of political comedy on mainstream TV. Back then he was the only one doing it.

Politically Incorrect performed just fine, but got more critical attention than ratings. It was a panel show, and I had something a bit different in mind to replace it. I knew we needed a flagship, a network home base, something akin to ESPN's Sports Center where viewers could go at the end of a the day for our comedic take on everything that happened in the last 24 hours….."a daily show". I had broad idea for it in my head. I would describe it as part "Weekend Update", part Howard Stern, with a dash of "The Today Show" on drugs complete with a bare boned format to keep costs low so we could actually afford to produce it. We could open with the headlines covering the day's events (our version of a monologue), followed by a guest segment (we wouldn't need to write jokes...only questions!), and finish with a taped piece. Simple, right? We just needed someone to help flesh out our vision.

Comedy Central was a a second tier cable channel then and considered a bit of a joke (no pun intended). It had minuscule ratings, no heat and even less money to spend. Producers were not lining up to work with there. Eileen Katz ran programming for the channel and the two of us began pitching this idea to every producer who would listen. One of the first people we approached was Madeleine Smithberg, an ex Letterman producer and had overseen "The Jon Stewart Show" for us at MTV. We thought she was perfect for the role. “You can’t do this, you can’t afford this, you don't have the stomach for this, it will never work ” Madeliene said when we met with her. We could not convince her to take the gig. Ok then....we moved on. The problem was we heard that same refrain from everybody. No one wanted the job. So after weeks being turned down by literally EVERYONE, I said to Eileen: “We have to go back to Madeleine and convince her to do this with us"!

Part our pitch to her was we would go directly to series. There would be no pilot. The show was guaranteed to go on air. We had decided this show was our to be our destiny and we had to figure it out come hell or high water. As a 24 hour comedy channel, if we couldn't figure out a way to be funny and fresh every day...what good were we? We told Madeliene we were committed to putting the show on the air and keeping it there till we got it right (for at least a year anyway). That, plus some gentle arm twisting got her to sign on. Shortly after that, Lizz Winstead did too.

Madleiene and Lizz very quickly landed on their inspired notion of developing the show and format as a news parody. It brought an immediate focus and a point of view to the process . All of the sudden things started to take shape and coming to life. Great ideas started flowing fast and furious while an amazing collection of funny and talented began to come on board. Madeliene and Lizz were off to the races. Now all we needed was a host.

The prime time version of ESPN's Sports Center was hosted by Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann back then and it was must see cable TV. But I had recently started to notice another guy hosting the show's late night edition. He was funny, with a snarky delivery reminiscent of Dennis Miller. His name was Craig Kilborn. On the phone with CAA agent Jeff Jacobs one day, I asked if he knew happened to know who repped him? “I do" he said. "We just signed him”. Within days he was in my office along with Madeleine, Lizz, and Eileen who were all a bit skeptical about the tall blond guy with the frat boy vibes sitting across from them. After opening the meeting with a few off color comments that would probably get him cancelled today (an early warning sign fo sure), Craig ultimately won them over and we had our host.

FUN FAC#1: Minutes after the news of Craig's hiring went public, Keith Olberman's agent called me directly to ask why we hadn't considered hiring him?

Ok, we had a host and producers...but what to call it? After sifting through dozens of ideas for a title, Madeleine called me one day and said, "I think we should just call it what we've been calling it all along...."The Daily Show". As we approached our launch date we taped practice shows and took them out to focus groups to get real life feedback. The groups hated it.... I mean with a red hot hate. They hated Craig, the format, the jokes, everything. We were crushed and dejectedly looked around at the room at one another. "Now what?" “Either they’re wrong, or we are". I said I think they are...but it doesn’t matter, we're doing this!" We never looked back.

The show took off quickly garnering some quick buzz and attention, we felt like we had crashed the party. Well, sort of. We had no shortage of fun, growing pains and drama along the way. The Daily Show version 1.0 was about to unravel. In a December 1997 magazine interview Craig made some truly offensive and inappropriate remarks about Lizz and female members of the staff. Whether it was poor attempt at humor or just plain misogynist (or both) is beyond the point. It was all wrong, very wrong. Craig was suspended for a week without pay. Lizz left the show. In the moment I chose to protect the show and its talent more so than Lizz. That was wrong too. It's more than cringe worthy looking back now, and I regret not making some better decisions then. My loyalty to our host was later "rewarded" when in the Spring of 1998 Kilborn's team, a la Bill Maher, unceremoniously informed us he had signed a deal to follow Letterman on CBS when his contract expired at the end of the year. No discussion, a done deal. Comedy Central jilted again. Like Maher, Kilborn wanted his shot at the network big leagues and we had a little over six months to figure out how to replace him. We all know how that chapter ended. That search would eventually reunite us with Jon Stewart who along with The Daily Show took Comedy Central and basic cable to the "the big leagues" on their own terms, redefining late night comedy in the process The rest, as they say, is "Fake News" history.

Fun Fact #2: before approaching Jon (who I did not originally think would be interested) I initially offered the job to a chunkier, largely unknown Jimmy Kimmel, fresh off his co hosting duties on "Win Ben Stein's Money" ...only to have him turn us down.

My fascination with late night began as a kid. I remember how exciting it was to stay up to sneak a peek at the Carson monologue and watch him do spit takes with his chummy Hollywood guests. Later on I also loved the heady adult conversation Dick Cavett would have with everyone from Sly Stone to Groucho Marx. But it was the comedic revolution of Saturday night Live in 1975, followed by Letterman's game changing show in 1981 that truly established late night as the coolest place on the television landscape. I could only dream of one day being part of it.

25 years on, I couldn’t be more proud of The Daily Show and its legacy. Those days helping build it alongside Madeleine, Lizz, Eileen and the team were among the most satisfying (and fun) experiences I have ever had. It was thrilling to take a shot at the late night landscape and try and make our mark, especially when no one thought we could.

I am prouder still of what Trevor Noah and his staff have achieved since they took the hand off from Jon, evolving and growing the show through a new voice and lens. I think my personal "Moment Of Zen" will last as long as Trevor remains behind the desk, allowing me to selfishly boast of having hired every host this award winning and culture defining franchise has ever had.

25 years later. it remains as relevant as ever, a bona fide late night institution, standing shoulder to shoulder with all the great shows that inspired us to start.

#the daily show #jon stewart #trevor noah #comedy central