Pre- Class reading- Lyotard 9/23

Lyotard poses the question as to what post modernity is. Some of the themes that I picked up on in this reading are (a period of) slackering, terror and more specifically references to realism and totality. Realism refers to interest in or concern for the actual or real, as distinguished from the abstract. Lytorad points out that thinkers spread reign of terror in their use of language. He speaks of artist and or writers and many more. Although if you even think of that is reference to song writers, there are many post modern themes that we may notice in popular culture music. One of the points that I found easiest to connect to "a post modern artist or writers in position of a philosopher.. the writer, then, are working without rules in order to formulate the rules of what will have been done" (46) Citizen Cope is an American singer song writer who I connected with here, he speaks of American's foreign policy, post 9/11 in "bullet and a target." More importantly the girl he speaks of throughout the song represents the past and present of the US. It questions our current self destructive tendencies as a society, questions the governments and suggests our priorities are off. Cope proposes ,much like Lyotard, advises us that one must offer works that the public will recognize- know what they are about and understand what is signified. Thus the idea of realism. This type of realism provokes images that act as a remedy for the anxiety and depression we may feel. Lyotard declares that artists who question the rules are deemed to have little credibility; they have no guarantee of an audience. Interestingly enough Cope recently declined new contracts with major labels in 2010,deciding to create his own label. This was due to ideas that he should change the content and provocative messages in his songs. Similar songs include "Penitentiary" and more famously "Let the drummer kick"