Today’s Inspiration: School Sucks!


Photo courtesy of Liese-Lotta

Valedictorian Speaks Out Against Schooling in Graduation Speech

(h/t Sign of the Times)

The following speech was delivered by top of the class student Erica Goldson during the graduation ceremony at Coxsackie-Athens High School on June 25, 2010

I am now accomplishing that goal. I am graduating. I should look at this as a positive experience, especially being at the top of my class. However, in retrospect, I cannot say that I am any more intelligent than my peers. I can attest that I am only the best at doing what I am told and working the system. Yet, here I stand, and I am supposed to be proud that I have completed this period of indoctrination. I will leave in the fall to go on to the next phase expected of me, in order to receive a paper document that certifies that I am capable of work. But I contest that I am a human being, a thinker, an adventurer – not a worker. A worker is someone who is trapped within repetition – a slave of the system set up before him. But now, I have successfully shown that I was the best slave. I did what I was told to the extreme. While others sat in class and doodled to later become great artists, I sat in class to take notes and become a great test-taker. While others would come to class without their homework done because they were reading about an interest of theirs, I never missed an assignment. While others were creating music and writing lyrics, I decided to do extra credit, even though I never needed it. So, I wonder, why did I even want this position? Sure, I earned it, but what will come of it? When I leave educational institutionalism, will I be successful or forever lost? I have no clue about what I want to do with my life; I have no interests because I saw every subject of study as work, and I excelled at every subject just for the purpose of excelling, not learning. And quite frankly, now I’m scared.

Read the whole speech here.

Favorite Song of 2009: If I Had a Heart


Fever Ray – If I Had a Heart (familjen remix)

If I Had A Heart

This will never end
Cause I want more
More, give me more, give me more

This will never end
Cause I want more
More, give me more, give me more

If I had a heart I could love you
If I had a voice I would sing
After the night when I wake up
I’ll see what tomorrow brings

If I had a voice I would sing

Dangling feet from window frame
Will I ever ever reach the floor?

Crushed and filled with all I found underneath and inside
Just to come around

atm-feverray021

The original video and song in all it’s chilling and nightmarish glory.

Fever Ray’s website.

Picks

granada_flamenco.jpg

I really doubt anyone reads this blog to find out about upcoming events but just in case, the following concerts/events are my picks for some diversionary fun.

Phantom Sightings: Art after the Chicano Movement, April 6, 2008-September 1, 2008. LACMA
Symposium, April 5, 2008 10am in the Bing Theater.

Forever Flamenco at the Fountain Theater, April 20, 2008 $25
The Fountain Theater debut of one of the best up and coming Flamenco dancers in Los Angeles, Cristina “La Tigresa” Lucio.

Robyn at the Wiltern, Saturday, May 17, 2008 8:00 PM $20
Ooo, I bet she puts on a good live show!

Gnarls Barkley, Youssou N’Dour, Deerhoof at the Hollywood Bowl July 27, 2008, $10-$96
I’d go to see Deehoof not sure about Gnarls Barkley.

Darn! Missed the tribute to Serge Gainsbourg at the Bordello.