That’s why it seems we’re stuck in a loop. Andy Warhol, in my view, was less a post modernist than he was a prophet foretelling the post modernism to come and already in action: he showed in earnest what he saw. This is a metaphor for the world as it is: A Campbell’s Soup Can. A religious devotion to brand and narrative over truth and kinship.

Andy Warhol is to postmodernism what Jesus is to Christianity: Jesus was a Jew, not a Christian. He was not Christ like –he was Christ.  Andy is a modernist, not a post modernist. He is the end and beginning of an era. The modernists showed our humanity in earnest. Andy said, “Just look at us, now.” That the art world fell in line was not an emulation of him so much as it was the playing out of what he foretold. The influencers of today are not paying tribute to Andy Warhol. Most do not know who he is. We are not stuck in a postmodern artistic loop because we like it here.

We’re stuck because corporations have a vested interest in people not thinking of themselves as individual human beings with a light and spark all their own. They want you to see yourself as a signifyer, a brand, a member of a gang. They want you confused (“What do words even MEAN?”), segregated (pay no attention to the humanity of the piece! But notice the power dynamics and how in fact they are signifyers of a group naturally at odds with you.”), self loathing (isn’t everything you love so stupid?), poor (the only responsible thing to do is sell out), self destructive (remove your ego, do not plead your case,  and it is virtuous to withstand constant insult. Do not take it personally. Taking things personally is ego), and beholden (“we can fix it with our product.”)

We are all trapped inside a Campbell’s Soup can and we feel uncomfortable when offered a homemade dish (“Do I have to eat this?”). We believe now that we are incapable of trusting our own perceptions.

The reaction to the modernists was a reaction made by corporations, not artists, who wanted art dead. Postmodernism was not the inevitable conclusion of modernism. It was still more branding. “Forget everything you thought you knew about truth telling! This ain’t your grandma’s”modernism. This is POST modernism!”

More futuristic bullshit from the corporations with a vested interest in making sure TECH leads the future– and nobody else. This is why we have all been told since childhood, “One day there will be flying cars and you will live your life in a space suit or some shit!”

You got a crystal fucking ball? Who are you to say? Maybe the guy from Grizzly Man had it right and one day we’ll all be one with bears. You don’t know. Aren’t we ALL building the future?

In their minds, no. That’s how they are able to make such predictions. Because they built a propaganda machine and fused with governments and centralized us all and mindfucked us all for decades to ensure precisely that would happen.

Postmodern=post truth. 

This has always been about undoing democracy. Always.

Be earnest . Seek and show truth. If people are talking in jargon that obscures, call horseshit. If they won’t stop, talk over them.

This is an ideological war, which is why their propaganda machine is so important.

Destroy the machine and we win the war. Trust yourself to hold the mirror up to life in this moment–until we see what we are, we cannot build a brave new world.

Just look at us, now.