Just to give some clarity towards my style of thought first: I am very critical. Why? Because more people aren't. I don't mean critical in the sense that I am going to speak poorly about someone's outfit if they don't share my style, or embrace negativity in every superficiality. I am critical of that which hinders us from living more meaningful lives. I warn you now. I will not sugar coat my message. I do not believe in being strictly politically correct. I studied politics, and found that there was not much correct about them. There is no room for racism, or closed minded bigotry, but as desensitized as our society is, it amazes me how quick everyone is to take offense to that which should be easily shrugged off as insignificant. We have successfully dumbed the overwhelming majority of our culture's mindset down to that of a junior high lunch room. At some point, soon, the American people are going to have to grow up.
That being said, I am the founder of the Re-Beats Project. During the conception of the idea I saw, and continually heard, an abundance of problems surrounding our generation, and began trying to sort them out while taking practical approaches to issues that constantly plague us. In my imagination I am alone in a quiet gallery. As I came around the last corner there was a nook with three walls: two long panels to my left (color) and right (black and white) lined with clear snapshots of chronological events, and one big picture hanging at the end in the center of it all. Immediately captivated, and confused by the last image, I never stop for the others. There is a title, "Provincial Division", but no artist's name, or caption. There is no uniform style, not even to the oddly shaped canvas. There is nothing right about it except for the perfectly symmetrical parting of the portraits seas. However, no one is being led down the center to liberation. It is blank. The opposite ends are the convoluted combination of the pictures I had previously passed. They are now cumbersome superimposed layers split, broken, and too disorganized from their original state to even be recognizable. It seems that the original creator lost creative focus, and handed it over to everyone who had no idea of what they were doing, or at the very least no concept of collaboration.
As a nation, we are divided. There is a middle ground, but no one wants to cordially cohabit amongst balance. The change we are all looking will not come from the left or right, and I do not have the patience to wait for politics to correct itself. Therefore, the most efficient path will be to change ourselves first. Maybe then we will be less ready to take offense to those who challenge the pretenses of counterfeit lives built on shallow foundations.
I am growing very critical of the times. We are inundated with, "in these times", "during these hard times", etc. like it is an excuse to complain, and host an apathetic pity party. The main mission of my Re-Beats theory is to establish what moves you, and go do that. I word it this way because it won't happen through stagnation. You have to get up and move, and shake the obstacles off. The new year is coming, and as we reflect on the lessons of former generations, we will see their revelations. If you figuratively find the same gallery I was in; hopefully it will be packed with critics, and you will be forced to take your time in the last corridor leading up to the big disheveled picture. You will see the unmistakable struggles of all of those who refused to settle for the hardships of their current times, and forged the path to their own meaningful lives. In regards to, "the times", the time is now to establish the advancement of... the new times.
