We are living in an increasingly turbulent world with a declining amount of empathy and sympathy toward other humans at the community, state and international levels. People committing atrocities of all sorts against other people with no regard of decency. For the affluent nations, the people took things for granted. For the rest of the world, the people are struggling to stay afloat. For war-torn regions, people are just trying to survive on a day-to-day basis. Where should we go, then, head space wise? To shut our eyes and turn away from all of the above and pretend that nothing is wrong and stay in our comfort zones and wait for all these to go away? Or should we go out there and do more, at the minimum, tell the next person that we should be more aware and show more emotional resonance with the world we live in? It has always been a dilemma.
Enough of my indulgent whine... But the Test Dept, one of the most important post-punk and industrial bands of the 1980s are back... Back with a book. A book to remind us that once upon a time, some people fought for others, for a just cause and even though they might have lost, they continue fighting and reminding us of the fight worth fighting. Even up to today. Or rather even more so, today. The coalminers' war against Thatcher. The growing apathy of the then coming "me" generation of the 1980s. The bigotry. The still on-going and REAL class war all over the world.
Ironically entitled TOTAL STATE MACHINE after one of their most prized tracks, the book is a gem, and a timely reminder. Perhaps, after reading it, when the time comes, let us throw it out, at the oppressors, the bigoted, the inhuman extremists and the powers that be and let them have a taste of their own medicine.
Read FACT magazine for a brief but informative write-up on the event.
Go to the PC Press FB page for information on the book.
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