You are walking down a crowded street on a gloomy evening when you comeupon a mass of people listening intently to the preaching of a man. The man hasan up-side-down cross branded on his forehead. He is screeching his recitationat the people in a demented angry voice. His lessons consist of the following:Pathetic lives, every second someonedies. Delightful is the sight ofrepention. No destiny, just a certaindeath. In pain inducing lies salvation. Never repent… In the name of Satan I condemn thisimage of god… All christians are destroyed. Unguidedby the light. The Satanist rejoice.
Revocate me!… Revocate theagitator.1Perhaps most disturbing about the situation is the look of utterdevotion many of the young people in the crowd have in their eyes. They believethis mans thoughts and ideas and look to him for guidance. As the intensity of the situation elevates the mass of people begin toviolently slam into each other in a chaotic ceremonial dance. The purpose ofthe dance is to cause and endure as much physical pain as possible. The danceeventually gets so extreme that a young man in the crowd snaps his neck and dies. The man does not stop his ravings and the crowd doesn’t stop their dance.
Instead the man becomes entirely deranged, screaming at the body of the youngman that he is now going to hell where he rot in flames of agony for eternity. The crowd roars and the man laughs. What do you suppose would now transpire? At the very least the man andthe crowd would be arrested. More than likely there would be several charges ofthird degree murder laid, certainly with several convictions. The preacher wouldmost likely be taken to a hospital for a psychological examination, be diagnoseda paranoid schizophrenic, and be placed into an institution for the criminallyinsane for the rest of his life.
The event described above did occur, the man recounted does exist andthe ritual dance and corresponding death did transpire. However, no chargeswere pressed, no psychological evaluations were made, the victim was simplygiven a funeral and the matter was dropped. The account above was able to occur because it took place in a universecompletely apart from that of the civil universe – the entertainment universe. In the entertainment universe their is practically no law and no limitation. Anything and everything goes. Rape, murder, graphic torture scenes, childmolestation, all this and more are a common theme. The discourse of the artistsis exhibited to the mass populace in movie theaters, prime time television andauditoriums filled with thousands of people.
The lunacy is able to occur because we control it. It’s the masspopulace that buys the records, watches the movies and pays the salaries of theartists. It’s what we want to see, hear and feel because the entertainmentuniverse consists of our very own nightmares and dreams. It is that which wedesire most but can’t have. It is the freedom and anarchy we all long for. Themass populace at large are the ecclesia of the entertainment universe. The entertainment universe is spread and taught to the populace throughit’s own unique priesthood – the media. Without the media the universe would not have the ability to expand and influence at such an enormous level and hence,without the media the entertainment universe would not enjoy the freedom itrelishes in. The media also serve as the law enforcers of what little codeexists within the universe. The media tell the public the actions of the entertainers, watching their every move, mistake and good will and it is themedia alone who have the power to destroy an entertainer. Moreover, it is the media which influences the public and it is the public which sustains theuniverse and its ability to exist.
In conclusion a very powerful and bizarre universe has been revealed and labeled as the entertainment universe. The universe has within it the symbols offreedom, anarchy and the ability to portray the lives which we the populacedream of. Many rituals are present including the dance known as moshing and thedivine presence with which the public regard the entertainers. The universecreates the myth of paradise and perfection and hence creates a definite cosmoswhere those within it are able to live an existence entirely different from thatof any other universe. Moreover, the artists have a unique self-identity andself-perception from which they identify themselves and the public identify them.
A very powerful aspect of this universe is the media, which is not only adistinctive symbol, but also the enforcers and priesthood of the cosmos. Theuniverse is sustained and able to exist through the support of the mass populaceor it’s ecclesia, which is utterly reliant upon the media to decree what is goodand evil within the entertainment universe. The entertainment universe is athorough and complete example of how we as a species legitimate marginalsituations and relish in the freedom unavailable to the common man. However, thefreedom of the artist would not exist were it not for the dreams and wishes ofthe common man.
