Demo-lition Placards: Protests Against the Education Cuts, London, 10/11/10

Any theory must always require a physical manifestation.  At some point, the theory needs to be put into practice, words into action.  I was proud to march against in the proposed education cuts by this government, to put my beliefs into physical form.  And I really believe this is necessary.  If one person to invests time and action, we can witness the effect of something more purposeful than words.  And from this we can be inspired to do, to emulate, to better what we have witnessed.  Actions always speak louder than words.  Actions provide inspiration.

I decided to create two placards, “In Two Years I Wouldn’t Be Able to Afford My Degree” and “To Cut My Education, To Fund My Ignorance”, to display on the protest march.  My friend and fellow protester and I proudly walked under symbols of what we believe to be right, we proudly showed our feelings about the proposed education cuts.  Despite the violent scenes at the Millbank Centre that marred the otherwise peaceful and purposeful protest, I still believe in our cause.  We cannot let the actions of a few decide the fate of many.  Actions speak louder than words, and nearly all the protesters marched peacefully with no hostility either towards the police, symbols of the power of the state, or aggression towards the buildings of an establishment that threatens the education of this country’s citizens.  We were right to march.  I let my actions define me.

Cast Quotations

There are people who have stated something so eloquently and simply that you cannot help but be touched by their statement.  Some have had a particular effect on my life.  “Say yes more”, taken from the book ‘Yes Man’ by Danny Wallace, inspired me to literally say ‘yes’ to (almost) every yes or no question that I was asked.  And it was brilliant.  I found myself in situations that I would have never had imagined myself in.  I found confidence I never thought I had.  I solved problems beyond what I thought I was capable of.  Because of “say yes more”, I realised what I was capable of doing, and though that, what everyone is capable of doing.  I continued saying ‘yes’ until I ran out of money.  It is quite an expensive business.  But now I feel I’m a much better person, more aware of others, more confident in myself.  It’s something everyone should do.  I used my friend’s cast to help spread this message, among other quotes that have inspired my friend and I.  “You should never have your best trousers on when you go out to fight for freedom and truth” by Henrik Ibsen reminds me that in order to fight for something you believe in, you may have to use strategies that aren’t conventional, maybe even legal.  I believe in the messages behind my art, and I realise that I shouldn’t be afraid to use unconventional strategies to show this art.  What is the risk of a fine when I could help the lives of hundreds of people, help to create a more tolerant, helpful, better society?  And if someone seeing these quotes are affected by them and change their attitudes for the better, isn’t that a great thing?  And lastly, “Defeated armies learn their lesson” reminds me that determining what is right to believe is a learning process, and you must be prepared to be defeated in order to learn.  After all, “you only get better by playing a better opponent”.

Liberty Is Precious - So Precious That It Must Be Rationed

There are several sayings that influence the way I treat other people.  Vladimir Ilyich Lenin’s “Liberty is precious – so precious that it must be rationed” has had a profound effect on me.  It reminded me that freedom is never absolute, and that it is important to put other people’s freedom first.  It is not just my political beliefs that determine goodwill to everyone I meet, it is a fact that good manners help us to socialise and avoid tension in society.  To say that liberty “must be rationed” is to say that we must all respect each other’s freedoms, and know when to curtail our own.  Realising that it is best to put others’ interests first is the first step to creating a tolerant, cohesive and helpful society.  I painted “Liberty is precious – so precious that it must be rationed” onto a t-shirt just to advertise this brilliant statement, and hopefully to get people to think about what liberty means.  We can’t all have total liberty.

Take Me, I'm Free

As in my book “The Importance of Being Naked”, I based my CD on the same ethic of raising awareness of our material lifestyle.  The songs are all about the hidden effects of capitalist structures.  I hid copies of the CD in the racks of HMV, waiting for people to take them home and listen to them.    The front cover simply states ‘Take Me, I’m Free. Let’s Be Free Together”, enticing people to take the CD surreptitiously.  I hope this act of taking almost felt like stealing for anyone who took one of the CDs.  The CD has 4 songs: “Fidel Castro Sits Upon My Mind”, “Advertise (My Life)”, “Material Girl” and “Anti-material Music”.  The lyrics for “Material Girl” are all taken from a single issue of the glossy magazine ‘Star’.  I intended to highlight that despite our material lifestyle, there are still meaningful issues we all care about, hence the love song that was formed.

'Fidel Castro Sits Upon My Mind' Lyrics

I come from where a life is always lived well

Milk and honey and grass is always green

Never a

Truth to bring tears to my eyes

Never a

Hurt and slow drawn out sigh

Ignorance is bliss or so they say so

Nagging doubts aren’t good for peace of mind

All that I

Own, what do I need

Is a life rich with

Goods, a life that succeeds

I tried to justify

All of the crap that I own

Crafted with sweatshop hands

A thought I tried to disown

A price is higher than which

I can justify

A price too dear for all

That I’d like to buy

All they made I never needed

Sits upon my mind

Fidel Castro Che Guevara fought for this

Championed a base equality

Brothers and

Sisters every time

A stab in their hearts

Is a stab into mine

I tried to justify

All of the crap that I own

Crafted with sweatshop hands

A thought I tried to disown

A price is higher than which

I can justify

A price too dear for all

That I’d like to buy

And if I were a Cuban Revolutionary

I would cry

'Advertise (My Life)' Lyrics

Advertise

My life

Post up the bills

Shout it from the hills

I tried

I realised

That money is my world

With open eyes

And faint surprise

With clenched fists now unfurled

That the man

Does what he can

To take it for his health

From all the land

The people ran

To show they are himself

Advertise my life

(I am my own)

Advertise my life

(But I’m not alone)

Advertise my life

(I stand anew)

Advertise my life

(I’m one of you)

I tried

To decide

On my own

I can’t be told

Advertise my life

(I am my own)

Advertise my life

(But I’m not alone)

Advertise my life

(I stand anew)

Advertise my life

(I’m one of you)

Ethical

Patience instilled

The consequence

Of money I spent

Advertise my life

(I am my own)

Advertise my life

(But I’m not alone)

Advertise my life

(I stand anew)

Advertise my life

(I’m one of you)

'Material Girl' Lyrics

The girl walked past me and I wanted to talk

I took her hand and she looked at me

Dramatic and stylish, this delicate red lace number

I started tearing up, I just couldn’t see

Arm in arm with a heart on either side

I want to see how far it can go

Need it, haven’t been there for such a long time

They’re the only places that I know

Even if I wanted just to clarify

We didn’t even have the time

I dropped, I didn’t even think twice

It’s daft to think you’re mine

And I say five things that I like you for

How can I resist

I love the vintage look you’re incredible

With those scarlet lips

I fell in love with a material girl

She put too much stock in the clothes that she wears

Sweet, shallow love of a material girl

Doesn’t care enough about her serious cares

Couldn’t see myself dancing with anyone else

She’s so insecure, she tried retail therapy

The earrings Joss Stone wore, she would love to wear

That green dress that hits the floor, she tried to convince me

With roast duck and sauerkraut when I went round hers that evening

A black bed to knock you out, textured paper on the walls

I said “You’re such a material girl.  Is this really what you wanted?”

She said it’s got her stamp on it, I mean just look at it all

Won’t you let your imagination run rampant

Only when you’re by yourself

And you just start to feel vulnerable

Got your mind on something else

But she said that’s no reason for her to change

She’s in a place and she likes it here

Yet she should embrace her deepest fear

I fell in love with a material girl

She put too much stock in the clothes that she wears

Sweet, shallow love of a material girl

Doesn’t care enough about her serious cares

The Importance of Being Naked

In the society I live in, I found that I am forced to conform to a material lifestyle.  The money I earn I wanted for myself and I resented having to give it away.  As much for me as anyone else, I wrote a book to remind me what money really stands for and the consequences of my material lifestyle, and if I look deeper, what I idealistically want society to aspire to.  Each stage is a step on for the one before, but even if I only make it past the first couple I think I will have lessened materialism’s grip on me.  The books I photocopied and placed among the shelves of my local Waterstone’s.  I hope people picked them up and read them, and at least thought about the issue of our material lifestyle.