Friday, April 22, 2011

Random Transmissions from Ye Olde Zinester

Some thoughts about the “zine community” from an outside observer—Ye Olde DJ Frederick


1. A “punk” lifestyle of roaming aimlessly, having a series of temporary and menial jobs (if you work at all and are not being a parasite on others), using drugs and/or alcohol to numb out, not getting any sleep, smoking cigarettes, worshiping friends who come and go with no real connectedness, avoiding responsibility, substituting sex for intimacy, seeing yourself as a victim, having a tunnel-vision view of "good" music (if its not loud and punk, it sucks), calling yourself a "queer" or an "anarchist" without even knowing how to define the words, eating vegan and dumpster diving is not the only “cool” way to exist on the planet, some of it can in fact be destructive to one’s self and inner spirit.


2. Heterosexuals are not the enemy. Nor are all white males the enemy. Striving to create the change you desire & making connections and allies in the struggle against oppression is infinitely healthier than damning those you believe to be the cause of the dysfunction of our culture.


3. Zines are a form of self expression and therefore if one writes a perzine, please give us some insight into yourself with honesty and integrity.


4. Every zine maker and ever zine reader is not a teenager. I’ve been on the planet for 51 years and I still read and make zines because they are a beautiful form of communication and media and celebrate freedom of expression in a completely authentic way.


5. The revolution will not be televised or blogged. It is something you participate in. Personal & cultural revolution / evolution is not passive.Create a meaningful life, connect with others, heal the earth, DO SOMETHING.



1 comment:

. said...

This list points out that there doesn't have to be limitations in home publishing and the zine has more potential than we give it credit for (both things i strongly believe). And this lack of potential is oftentimes largely based on what people have done with it in the past, rather than what out own imaginations can dream up.