What's a leftist to do when the word arises? Point out it's a propaganda word, or at most an empty signifier? I believe the word is gaining wider usage.
>From an August 20 & 27, 2001 New Yorker article on Radiohead:
"On the other side of the table, Yorke, whose meal consisted
of a bowl of bean soup, started complaining about pop-music
conglomerates. He and the rest of the band have become
politically outspoken, protesting globalization and corporate
capitalism. The previous night, he had dedicated "No Surprises"
--which contains the lines "Brind down the government / They
don't speak for us--to George W. Bush. this summer, Radiohead
have chosen to play a number of open-air venues---such as
Liberty State Park, in Jersey City, where they are appearing on
August 16th and 17th--because these sites have so far escaped
the tentacles of an aggressive promotion company called S.F.X.,
whose parent corporation, Clear Channel, also operates more than
a thousand radio stations.
"S.F.X. is a parasite that needs a host to feed on," Yorke said.
"It's effective only as long as it keeps growing," O'Brien [guitarist-pk] added. "At some point, it will cease growing, and then its reason to exist will disappear."
"No," Yorke replied, "it's a virus that's just going to keep spreading forever."
Chris Hufford, one of the band's managers, who has to negotiate with viruses on the phone, grew impatient. "This is reality, Thom," he said. "This is the marketplace we're in."
"No," Yorke replied, "the marketplace is where we sell records. This isn't the marketplace. It's an area of, I don't know, oversight."
"Come on," Hufford said, "it's capitalism, it's what we have to work with."
"Bollocks!"
"Capitalism!"
"Bollocks!" York yelled. He got up in a mock huff to go to the bathroom. Colin looked up from his steak and gestured toward the wine in the middle of the table. "Brilliant!" he exclaimed. "Booze in the afternoon!"
[clip]
Something about Radiohead inspires a disorienting kind of hope. Unlike so many professional cynics in the business, these musicians believe that their art can go still higher. They have promoted dozens of lesser-known, musically inventive acts, including Autechre, the Beta Band, Clinic, Kid Koala, Lali Puna, Sparklehorse, and, of course, Christoph de Babalon. They have also boosted their favorite authors, helping them to sell thousands of copies of Naomi Klein's anti-globalization screed "No Logo." -------- Peter