'the mob begin to think and reason. poor reptiles! it is with them a vernal morning, they are struggling to cast off their winter's slough, they bask in the sunshine, and ere noon they will bite, depend upon it. the gentry fear this.'
one of the things horsemouth found interesting about occupy was their determination to reinvent politics away from the party form beginning with their commitment to consensus and debate - two things horsemouth hates especially as they usually take place in meetings (a third thing horsemouth hates). there were social technologies for these - the wavy hands (horsemouth hated those on principle) - the mic checking (horsemouth liked this) and an avoidance of voting.
david graeber in his account of occupy the democracy project expresses a clear contempt for the democratic party and its institutions seeing it as a party of the managerial, educational elite with little to offer ordinary working stiffs practically except an incomprehension of why they would vote republican - to graeber the republicans invite the people to contribute, to sacrifice, to do what is good for the community, they are not overtly cynical about the US and its policies - graeber is much more interested in the republican populists and their seeming anti-elitism.
in part horsemouth thinks this is why graeber has produced a historical account of democracy in america (he claims it was an accident - it was 6 months later, he says, he was on the steps of federal hall, the birthplace of the bill of rights, he hadn't expected to be called upon to speak). graeber is going back to its founding to reveal the putative ruling class's fear and distrust of democracy, the limited and unfamiliar meanings this term had at the time and until recent times, and yet the tradition of direct democracy among the people.
horsemouth will let you know more as he reads more.
horsemouth has an abridged de tocqueville round here somewhere. he remembers seeing a photo of a flood damaged copy of the same edition from red hook (some people had gone up to help out with the flood relief).
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it appears as if horsemouth will not be playing the next albino cafe bohemia shindig (gentlemen he wishes you all the best), shame it was just the right date too (though it does clash with the plinth/owl service gig -hmmm actually, no never mind) - he really should investigate playing elsewhere (as suggested by mr. nick) but he's a lazy sod (and a bit shy too).
of the 5 opportunities to play musicans of bremen have had 5 have come through horsemouth - 3 of these he's played as a duo with john smith, 2 solo (the first an impromptu 2 songs, the last a full set with guest spots from john smith and andrew minty). horsemouth needs to spread himself thinner, to find other musical investments/ engagements in addition to this.
ladies and gentleman the mule is available for work.
practically (and for himself) he should do more work on playing gentleman john - a fine ballad type song that highlights horsemouth's wordplay, as does the devil song (in need of a facelift), work up satan your kingdom must come down, still too short to be comfortable, as is legs (which is why he didn't play it), he should get a decent arrangement on the worldes blisse dirge, see if there's more to be had in fanfare for the common mule, develop more confidence in his singing of all my dreams, look back through the horsemouthfolk songbook and the songs he brought to musicians of bremen and see what can be rescued, continue writing clever boy, noah...
for satan... there's something between mic-check and lining out a hymn today.
yesterday horsemouth went t pick up his brother's youngest from after school club - he also went into the center of town to deal with some library fines.
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