When I thought about writing this blog post, it was a few days after the shooting suspect, Luigi Mangione, was arrested in Pennsylvania. I received a few memes and messages from friends, privately supporting the poetic justice of Luigi Mangione’s suspected crime, yet condemning the violence. What I do support is writing fiction and non-fiction stories, poems, sharing personal stories, conspiracy theories, exposing governmental injustices and exploitations, race and gender inequalities, along with take downs for crimes committed by members of the church. Those fictional stories that run parallel to reality and those human stories that expose the reality of the crimes. In visual art, as well as, music and film, artists have the freedom and power to express rage, confusion, joy and a whole slew of other emotions. Art in all capacities is one of the greatest forms of human expression and it is a gift for those of us that have found our non-violent format to express whatever crosses our minds.
It’s like being on top of a mountain and yelling out to the universe. It’s cathartic, releasing and powerful.
When those insecure and controlling few but powerful people want to ban books or art, what they are doing is stealing and silencing the human right of expression. Often, this leads to anger and frustration. Freedom of expression is a massive platform for sparking conversation, change, justice, joy and love. For some, their only means of getting information is through art mediums.
When I think about all of the amazing books, songs, movies and works of art that call out corporations, authorities, institutions, religions and governments, it makes me proud to be human. Think about Bob Marley. Those that don’t know the history of Jamaica can still relate to his words and music. Everyone can relate to pain, struggle, feeling exploited, as well as love and joy. The fact that we are all alive and human in this moment connects us all whether we’ve become desensitized from that fact or not.
When art is created, there is much more involved in getting it out to the world. From the bar owner that puts paintings up on the walls of their bar, a city building side that allows a mural, or an art gallery that displays controversial artwork, the bigger the village, the greater the reach. It goes all the way to a radio station or Dj choosing to play a controversial song, to a bookstore, shop or even an agent who believes in a controversial book and still chooses to promote it. It is a collective of people committed to getting all types of art out to the masses with the hope that it will entertain and possibly have an effect on people, big or small, and just maybe prompt unity, understanding and change. It also supports the artist for their creation which in a way, is the most important part.
When I wrote my debut novel, Scrapers, I started writing it in 1999 and had a completed draft within the year. It needed to be modified and changed several times because things in the story started happening. Scrapers became available in March of 2024. By the time the election was called, Scrapers went from being a near-future adventure thriller to a near, near, near potential reality. My purpose in writing Scrapers was to entertain, but also to explore some of my fears regarding where technology may take society.
The movie 2001 by Stanley Kubrick came out in April of 1968. The movie was for adventure and entertainment, but also to send a message of caution, exposing the possible dangers that future AI could present. The concept came from the short stories of Arthur C. Clarke, primarily, The Sentinel. The two men put together an amazing script, which Kubrick directed flawlessly. Stanley Kubrick was a master in the subtle exposure of the naivety of human desire and the ignorance of gluttony. He executed it on screen both powerfully and beautifully.
The list could go on forever, but here are a few examples of art that has had an impact, at least on me, by expressing, informing, sharing and/or making a statement whether subtle or loudly. If you aren’t familiar with them, search any of the titles listed or go on your own and search where your interest or intrigue sits.
Movies
- Erin Brockovich (environmental contamination cover-up)
- Roots (racism)
- We Care a Lot (healthcare exploitation)
- 2001 (computers AI)
- The Accused (injustice towards women)
- Boys Don’t Cry (LGBTQ prejudice and injustice)
- Blade Runner (Cloning and AI)
- The Ides of March (political)
- Hair (Protests/Vietnam War)
- Taxi Driver (political)
- Philadelphia (LGBTQ rights)
- Thank You for Smoking (cigarette industry)
- The Electric State (Machines, AI)
The TV show Mr. Robot came to mind when I heard about the United Healthcare CEO being murdered. Mr. Robot was a brilliantly written and produced show that covered so many modern-day issues, primarily frustration with corporate greed and their exploitation of the middle and lower class for their financial profit.
The upcoming film, The Electric State, is based on the graphic novel by Simon Stalenhag, which I highly recommend purchasing. It deals with a future world that each day is becoming closer to reality. On one of the opening pages, there is an excerpt from The Psychedelic Furs song, Love My Way. This is a direct example of a piece of art influencing, aiding, or adding to the creation of another piece of art. I write to music so I love hearing about other artists and what influences them.
Several films and TV shows have been made about Big Pharma and the opioid problem in America. Unfortunately, this begs the question of ‘why does big pharma have so much privilege and yet undocumented immigrants are often slandered as potential dealers at random?’ One of the biggest dealers in the world is Big Pharma and it’s not to say the scientists are bad or even every corporation. It’s the one’s that shut down successful research, push addictive drugs without warnings, and monopolize the market to inflate prices beyond realistic need. It’s those few that never should have gained the amount of power it takes to corrupt.
Protest & Powerful Art
- Norman Rockwell – The Problem We All Live With
- Barbara Kruger – We Don’t Need Another Hero
- Banksy -Flower Thrower
- Jean-Michel Basquiat – Rinso
- Jean-Rene (JR) Face2Face project,
- Andy Warhols – Big Electric Chair,
- Pablo Picasso’s – Massacre in Korea
When I was a little girl, my parents had a Monet, Renoir, and Norman Rockwell book, along with others. Being biracial, I have been on the outer edge of knowing what it feels like to be called the N word, teased about my hair, and teased about what I may have brought for lunch. I remember paging through the Norman Rockwell book and seeing his painting, The Problem We All Live With. In the picture a young black girl is being escorted to school by four US Marshalls, because during the desegregation period in the 60’s, African American children that were permitted to the all-white schools received threats of violence. This painting was just one of many that Rockwell did expressing his feelings about things like the Civil Rights Movement, poverty and the state of society. It is constantly empowering and inspiring to see what visual artists have done and continue to do with their visual voice and platform.
Songs
- The Times they are a-changing – Bob Dylan,
- Get up Stand up – Bob Marley
- Seconds – U2
- The Star-Spangled Banner- Jimi Hendrix
- California Uber Alles – The Disposable Heros of Hiphoprisy
- For What It’s Worth – Buffalo Springfield
- Talkin Bout a Revolution – Tracy Chapman
- When the shit hits the fan – the Circle Jerks
- This is America – Childish Gambino
- Biko – Peter Gabriel
- Sound of Da Police – Public Enemy
- Ohio – Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
- Meat Beat Manifesto – Placebo
- The Revolution Will Not Be Televised – Gil Scott Heron
- World Destruction – Time Zone
- Democracy – Killing Joke
- Backlash Blues – by the great Nina Simone
The Killing Jokes song Democracy was released in April of 1996. I was 24. George Bush Sr. had left office in 1993 and Bill Clinton took over in 1994, but as we know, the song could have been written at any time. I first heard the song a few years later. It was one of the first things that made me more curious about politics. A few lyrics:
“I’m not a slogan or a badge, or a cross in the ballot box. Neither values or objectives, you do not represent my deepest thoughts and wishes.
Education in obsolete skills, stereotyping and media projection, industrial psychologists, plan a campaign that is financed by big business, (Chorus) Sorry, democracy is changing”
It was one of the first times I realized the government shouldn’t be blindly trusted simply because it’s the government. It prompted me to pay more attention. While injustices are somewhat depressing, when art is created to exploit those injustices, it creates awareness and unity. It can become motivating to instigate change and keep hope.
Books
- Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood
- Kindred by Octavia Butler
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
- 1984 by George Orwell
- The Electric State by Simon Stalenhag
- Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- Scrapers by Remi Zorne (had to drop it in)
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Mia Angelo
- Beloved and The Blues Eye by Toni Morrison,
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
- Make Room! Make Room by Harry Harrison
- The Kite Runner by Khaleed Hosseini
- “The Revised Boy Scout Manual”-An Electric Revolution by William S. Burroughs
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
One of my first exposures to William Burroughs was on a beat poets spoken word cassette. The following quote is an excellent summation of much of his work. “Employing words, sounds, images — reordered and weaponized — Burroughs sought to demolish pernicious systems of repression and degradation, including social, civic, and religious dogmas.” -from the book William Burroughs & the Cult of Rock ‘n’ Roll by Casey Rae.
When I read The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison I was changed after just a few pages. Amazing books like this teach compassion, perspective and give those that have no idea, a small glimpse into what racism, sexism and other prejudices feel like and the devastating effects they have on individuals. Books help to broaden awareness and get us closer to stopping hate. The wildest part is that this book was Toni Morrisons debut novel.
With that, thank you for reading. I can’t say this post is amazing or boring or interesting, but it was what it needed to be for me and my hope is that you got something out of it for yourself, too. If you did, feel free to hit that like or share button. Be well and don’t forget to express yourself.
~Remi
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