The Sweet Hereafter August 5, 2006: looking for a light

Hey everyone,

In an article on pitchforkmedia.com, Chris Dahlen writes that pop culture does not have its Chronicler. The one voice that serves as a beacon to all things pop culture the way that Hunter S. Thompson (immortalized in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and in Duke, a character in Doonesbury) did in the drugs'n'other vices era of the 60's and 70's. He may be right. Or he may be wrong. Personally, I can't think of any voices that I listen for to guide me in the jungle of pop culture. I've got my contemporary authors like Malcolm Gladwell and Steven Johnston but they deal with issues that ultimately are related to societal phenomenas. To tell you the truth, my best source of pop culture discussions is you. And perhaps that's the point, with pop culture being so readily accessible these days, there is such a great emergence of different voices with different tastes that it is unlikely to be the One Voice that will tell it like it is. More than ever, there is no common culture that can be considered as Pop.

If you have certain authors and sources that you regularly enjoy, send them my way and i'll share them with the rest of the listeners.

Also as a reminder, the Wolfe Island Music Festival is this weekend (Friday and Saturday), featuring the Constantines, The Hidden Cameras, Holy Firetruck and Great Lake Swimmers among others. I'm not sure if I have a ticket to give away this time. I did last week and may have one today too. I'm just trying to say that you should listen without getting your hopes up, that's all.

Cheers,

Tuan