[present manifesto] beat version

By Daniel Luxemburg

WHO IS RIGHT, WHO CAN TELL, AND WHO GIVES A DAMN RIGHT NOW? (1)

"And tonight something equally epoch-making is taking place.

See?

They're applauding the DJ.

Not the music,
not the musician,
not the creator,
but the medium.

This is it.

The birth of rave culture.
The beatification of the beat.
The dance age.
This is the moment when even the white man starts dancing.

Welcome to Manchester." (2)

And today, nothing as epoch-making ever takes place.

See?

We applaud the copy.

Not the present,
not the presenter
not the presenting
but the re-presented

This is it.
The death of aged culture.
The excommunication of the Beats,
The silent age,
This is the moment when everyone starts quoting.

Welcome to the present.

“That's not the way the world really works anymore. We're an empire now, and
when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that
reality--”judiciously, as you will--”we'll act again, creating other new realities,
which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's
actors ... and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do. (3)

That's not the way the words really work anymore. We're presenting now, and when we do, we play our own beat. And while you listen to that beat--”enthusiastically, as you might--”we'll do something again, creating other new beats, which you can hear or read too, and that's how things will sort out. We're the present's composers ... and you, all of you, obviously are as well.

(1) Disorder by Joy Division
(2) 24 Hour Party People
(3) Senior Bush Aide