The twenty-second of the 26 songs is called "Insidious Trends". Scroll down below the following videos for the lyrics and a brief discussion of how this song ties into the project. A blog post which lists all 26 songs, including 1 video for each song can be found by clicking here.
A direct link to the above video is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCMe9uGs8iA
Way back in Song 4, "The Unseen Eye", the lyrics to that song touched upon the idea of all of us as quantum observers, each operating within our own observer-region, but also participating in a consensual reality:
But deep within us in every living creature
There’s a connection
To this shared consensus, of the world we know
The blog entry for song 9, "Senseless Violence", touched on this idea as well - we all recognize, and can even be drawn to, what we recognize as important cusps where an individual's life has been changed, and that is just as true whether we're looking at the latest jackpot winner or the latest car crash.
In the blog entry discussing song 15, "What Was Done Today", we took those ideas not in terms of the universe, not in terms of individuals, but in terms of our shared consensual reality here on planet earth. That song ended with these (inspiring/controversial depending upon your point of view) lyrics:
Big Money
Can’t hear you
Big Power
They don’t care
Big reasons
To change the system
Revolution’s in the air
In my book I expand on this idea a bit more:
So, in practice, consensual reality tends to be a binding force for each of us rather than a liberating one: there’s just too many quantum observers with their own idea of what reality should be, and as a result any really fantastical shifts are virtually impossible to happen at this present time.
In other words, “consensual reality” is why the wonderful options that might seem to be implied through the fifth dimension can be so difficult to achieve. Although each of us has a substantial amount of control, no one person can eliminate world hunger (as one example of many). With the odd exception of the psychopathic actions of a few notable smaller groups or individuals, most huge changes to our world reality require the participation of a large number of people on the planet, all participants in our consensual reality. Some are arguing now that mass merchandising of “brand images” is an insidious way of steering consensual reality on a path that will profit the investors and owners of those brands the most. While some may dismiss this viewpoint as paranoia, there is no question that any factor which changes the way of thinking of a large number of people must be significant. With the approach to the dimensions we are now exploring, we can easily imagine how these influences will cause our consensual reality to drift into a different fifth-dimensional path than it would have without that factor’s introduction.
Is it a big revelation to say that McDonald's has caused many generations of kids to clamor for burgers and fries and not some healthier alternative? Is it startling news that when Wal-Mart comes to town the local mom-and-pop retail operations are in trouble because Wal-Mart is going to undercut their prices? Of course not. Big money and big advertising budgets can mold public opinion, and change the probabilities of certain upcoming fifth-dimensional paths for our consensual reality.
"Insidious Trends" is about those insidious tools that are always being sharpened to try to figure out ways to manipulate public opinion to help generate a profit. In the twenty-first century, as modern consumers have become increasingly cynical about advertising, advertisers have gone more viral with their marketing ploys and more entertainment-driven with their campaigns. "Insidious Trends" is the oldest song of the 26 that we're looking at here, and in the 25 years since it was written there have been many many changes in the media landscape, but the cat and mouse game between the manipulators and the manipulated is just as strong as ever. The other thing that has changed, though, is that our modern world is allowing anyone with computer access to contribute their own insidious trends, and my own project is a perfect example of that - millions of people have seen my animation around the world, and are continuing to discuss and debate the ideas presented in my book, the website, and yes, even this blog. All of this has happened through the internet equivalent of word of mouth, and almost no advertising.
So. As it infers in the last line of "Insidious Trends", this process is not always bad: it's our nature to want to share experiences with each other, and sometimes when a new commercial or a new YouTube clip gets everyone talking it can add to our enjoyment of life, as much as some of us may hate to admit that. In the 60's, when people's media choices were much more limited, a large percentage would show up to work or school on Monday morning with opinions about what Hoss had done on Bonanza, or what Topo Gigio had said on Ed Sullivan. In modern terms, social networking through digg, stumbleupon, facebook, etc. allows a similar "word of mouth" experience, but across a much more geographically diverse web of connections through sets of shared interest.
Is there, as the last line of "What Was Done Today" suggests, a "revolution in the air" where big money may actually have to do more good to continue to generate its desired profit margins? There are signs that is coming true. Is there a revolution in the air where big money is no longer able to control the populace because social networking has become so pervasive and integrated that it operates independently of media manipulation? That dream, too, is gaining strength.
INSIDIOUS TRENDS
words and music (c) by Rob Bryanton (SOCAN)
(originally released on the Rob Bryanton album “Alcohol and Other Drugs”, 1983)
Step right up and try a few
These ones sure look good on you
Take one home and try it for a week
They’re the very latest fashion now
You can do without’em but I don’t know how
And of course they carry our money back guarantee
Yes there’s always somethin new
Tryin to get a hold on you
Yes there’s always somethin new
Tryin to sink its teeth in you
You can see it on your TV set
You can hear it on the radio
You can play it on your stereo
And you probably will (you know that you will)
And in every magazine and paper
They’ll play you the same old song
It’s big and new and made for you
And it’s the best thing to come along
Yes there’s always somethin new
Tryin to get a hold on you
Yes there’s always somethin new
Tryin to sink its teeth in you
They will break down your resistance
Like they were breakin down a door
They’ll just hit you again and again and again
Till you can’t take no more (you’ll give in for sure)
It’s a million dollar gamble for a billion dollar prize
Who can keep you the latest on the longest artificial high?
(Instrumental with collage of commercial clips/hype)
Hey!
Yes there’s always something new
Tryin to get a hold on you
Yes there’s always some big deal
Sayin nothing else is real
Yes there’s always something new
Tryin to get a hold on you
Yes there’s always something new
Tryin to get a hold on you
(Step right up and try a few
These ones sure look good on you
Take one home and try it for
They’re the very latest fashion now
You can do without em but I don’t know how
And of course they carry our money back guarantee)
Money back
Money back guarantee, money back
Money back guarantee, money back
Money back, money back
Oh, insidious trends are creepin through my life
Insidious trends are creepin through my life
Insidious trends are creepin through my life
Insidious trends are keeping me alive
Here are some other blog entries that touch upon ideas related to this song:
The Wii World
Conspiracies and Quantum Mechanics
What Do You Want to Change?
Selfish Genes and Selfish Memes
Facebook and Secret Societies
Next song: 23 of 26 - Secret Societies
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