Author: Edmund Wilson

Musician

life, death, and the fear of true love

i live my life in constant fear not of loss i accept that as readily a star going supernova, in the corner of a galaxy as the morning dew or the summer’s twilight blue but of death this I fear more than anything that in sleep when my guard is down the panthers hyenas devils … Continue reading life, death, and the fear of true love →

Stuck in the middle: A class analysis of J. Cole’s ‘G.O.M.D.’ music video

Is hip hop just a euphemism for a new religion The soul music of the slaves that the youth is missing? — Kanye West, ‘Gorgeous’, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy ‘Middle Child.’ This is one of J. Cole’s song titles, but it applies to the music video to ‘G.O.M.D.’ in an economic rather than a … Continue reading Stuck in the middle: A class analysis of J. Cole’s ‘G.O.M.D.’ music video →

Ultratotalitarianism: The great evil of our times, and why we must fight it

Our era is characterised by a phenomenon I term ultratotalitarianism. It is the culmination of the logic of modernity, a long process of surpassing the unity of Christianity with capitalist anarchy, backed up by state authority. The dynamism of the market economy and the stability of the modern state constitute the two pillars of modern … Continue reading Ultratotalitarianism: The great evil of our times, and why we must fight it →

The uniqueness of genius

I’ve been thinking about genius. It is often said that genius is unique. But what does this mean? On the origins of genius: Plato and Aristotle in Raphael’s School of Athens. The uniqueness of a genius lies precisely, I argue, in their ability to see past their own uniqueness. While everyone else looks at the … Continue reading The uniqueness of genius →

The wisdom of Wittgenstein: Why ‘linguistic violence’ is a good thing — and perhaps the best remedy to real, physical violence

‘Linguistic violence’, or the breaking of barriers concerning words with emotional consequences, may or may not have a foundation analogous to the foundation of physical violence, or the breaking of barriers concerning deeds with physical consequences. But even if it does, that makes linguistic violence a good thing — as it diverts energy from physical … Continue reading The wisdom of Wittgenstein: Why ‘linguistic violence’ is a good thing — and perhaps the best remedy to real, physical violence →

A message for 2023: Stop imitating past greats, I want something new

I am getting tired. I hear the same music again and again and again. The charts are driving me crazy. Because I like this kind of music. In the shadow of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and The Fame Monster, the 2010s saw the reinvention of music through R&B (Anti) and alternative pop music (WHEN … Continue reading A message for 2023: Stop imitating past greats, I want something new →

The monopolist: Elon Musk’s delicate balancing act

First published on 31 October 2022. It is often said that Elon Musk is reckless. Is he? Middle-class people sometimes claim it’s strange to ‘Tweet’ if you are that famous. Isn’t all the online advice to avoid controversy — to stick to the party line? Even get-rich-quick schemes maintain controversy is the fastest way to … Continue reading The monopolist: Elon Musk’s delicate balancing act →

How to pimp a caterpillar: The illusory masculinity of Andrew Tate

Disclaimer 1: At least some of this post is satirical. Thanks. Andrew Tate is a bad boy — a bad, bad boy. Presumably that’s why the whole world is suddenly infatuated with him. I mean, who wouldn’t love a conniving, deceitful, abusive bully from Chicago, Illinois? (Answer: no-one, hopefully, from the east side of Chicago … Continue reading How to pimp a caterpillar: The illusory masculinity of Andrew Tate →