>The point (for me) is how to use this medium as >a tool, and to analyze/counteract the prevailing
>sense of materialism/self destruction/whatever that folks fuss about.

True, see the other post I made. My thing is that there is a certain amount of elitism underneath this constant "cristal/ass shaking is wrong" complaint. Certain types of complacency gets pointed out while its ignored in other areas. Why is it okay for Lauryn Hill to spend a grip on a "conscious" video - money that could be better spent (imo), while its wrong to make a video with a bunch of flossin"? I've see Thought in Timberlands (expensive boots) - no he may not rhyme about them but who cares, they're on his feet...feel me. Isn't it all "flossin" but in a different way? A sense of community should extend to all & be expected of all..not just some.

>I know Tarantino could give a damn about me and >mines (why should he),

true, even more reason not to put money in his pocket but most of us have through support of that movie.

>I fully expect the powers in this society to
>uplift those images that will keep us all being >crabs in a bucket, but that don't mean i don't >have to ask the crab why they are willing to >sacrifice so much for so little.

The problem is everyone assumes the other person is the crab. >

>Forget finger pointing, let's concentrate on
>generation some kind of solutions to counteract >that which we see as a problem.

My solution would be to forget about what the next man is doing & that everyone ask themselves what they have personally sacrificed to assist our community as a whole (not including the things you do that help yourself). Then to pick 10 things they can do - like adopting a child, tutoring a student, sweeping your block every 2 days, offering to babysit for the working mom next door even though you're dead tired, etc.

Instead of waiting to see a positive light, be that light.