YOURSAY | ‘Anything that does not comply with the prescribed propaganda is dangerous.’

COMMENT | With bans and shutdowns, best to stare at a brick wall

The Wakandan: This comment piece was a bit melodramatic, Martin Vengadesan, but it’s alright. One needs to let a certain prickly issue off one’s chest, otherwise, it will consume and bleed us dry.

I like Monty Python, especially their ‘Life of Brian’, and no, it was before my time, so I guess you’d know my age, but the advent of YouTube allowed me to browse through them. Nice joke, though a bit of simple slapstick.

I know Christians would laugh at it rather than be offended. You have got to admire people with a high level of maturity who are big enough to take a self-depreciated joke. I have not seen “Jesus Christ Superstar” though; thanks for the reminder.

And here we are - our older politicians insist on bringing us back to the dark ages where we would be shielded from all kinds of alien cultures and thoughts which do not resonate with our own.

My daughter said I am of the Boomer generation, who, she said, are the hardest people to work with. She is Gen-Y. I said I might be a Boomer according to her evaluation, but I can understand young people's minds or at least try to understand them.

Little do such leaders realise that they actually cannot control our minds, what with our exposure to global information through modern-era communication technology.

What they can do is force silly censorship and maybe persecute offenders, but ultimately, they will not succeed by insisting on obsolete ideology. We will burst out from within their control.

What people want - it doesn’t matter whether it is in capitalist countries of the West or communist countries like China – is prosperity brought about by current modern technology.

They will not be able to brainwash all the young, not all of them, because mainstream modernism will catch up with us sooner or later.

Cogito Ergo Sum: Art, literature, books, music, comedy, ballads, poetry and plays are deemed a security threat if they make the audience think.

It is very reminiscent of an Orwellian dystopia, except this is not fiction but a reality today, here and now. Anything that does not comply with the prescribed propaganda text is dangerous.

Critical thinking, independent thought and asking questions is seditious. Music can also be dangerous. It can have lyrics, elements and instruments that are not quite kosher and thereby insult, belittle and threaten society’s well-being.

Author George Orwell would be quite impressed at how we have exceeded his efforts in ‘1984’ and ‘Animal Farm’, portraying a dysfunctional and absurd future.

Steven Ong: ''The fact that the backward Taliban lovers of PAS are part of this coterie is doubtless an accelerating factor, but we are clearly paying the price of allowing the corrupt, racist and stupid to set the pace and tone for this country’s future development,” said Martin.

Who are the “we” in this sentence? And who are those “allowing” the corrupt, racist and stupid? Do “they” even want to know this?

Once “conditioned” to support the corrupt, racist and stupid, allowing “them” to set the pace and tone is a “patriotic” act that comes with a great reward after one goes to sleep for the last time on earth.

What then after this lamentation? What can be done? Can anything be done?

But righteousness does not just look on. It will avenge those who are being oppressed if the oppressed repent, stop bribing those in authority and seek righteousness.

Sinan Belawan: I agree that the crackdown on comedians, musicians and such is a silly waste of resources and time. Our politicians from all political parties are ignorant of the most critical issues they should be concerned about and acting on them.

We have major concerns to worry about in matters such as dwindling water and food supplies in many parts of the world.

Bill McGuire, in his latest book ‘Hothouse Earth’ states, "There is now no chance of us avoiding a perilous, all-pervasive climate breakdown.

“We have passed the point of no return and can expect a future in which lethal heatwaves and temperatures in excess of 50 degrees Celcius are common in the tropics; where summers at temperate latitudes will invariably be baking hot, and where our oceans are destined to become warm and acidic.

“A child born in 2020 will face a far more hostile world than its grandparents did.”

I hope Malaysiakini will provide the latest information on issues related to climate change, food shortages, etc, to create greater awareness for all, especially politicians, as they lack knowledge of these critical areas.

And our actors, musicians, and performers could use the information for their shows.

Vgeorgemy: There will be no fun in our life and meaning in our existence if there are no ultra-right-wing politics and their ban on the arts and culture festivities.

We need special skills in resisting tyranny and oppression, while the oppressors only need to have the skills of being in power. They couldn’t impose their will on the population even with their political power regarding the Bon Odori festival in Selangor and Penang.

Our daily resistance to their surveillance system has given much hope to our humanity. The right-wingers thrive on continuous assault on matters involving our daily lives and the resultant hopelessness. We must thrive on continuous resistance.

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