101 Culture

This is a blog about the emergence of a digital culture. What might it look like? What can we see already?

And all my other details are kept at benmason.org.


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Downfall writer praises Hitler rant meme

'I find those parodies tremendously amusing' says the writer of the widely parodied film, Downfall.

Since 2006, there have been hundreds of parodies of the scene where Hitler shouts at his senior staff with alternate meanings added through subtitles.

It's nice to see the originator of a piece of content subject to so much copyright infringement show his appreciation. He even goes as far as discussing how the parody which focussed on Hitler's losses in the 2008 property market crash was historically relevant.

"Hitler's real crisis at the time was also about a gigantic real estate loss: the loss of all those territories he had conquered, fueled by false credit and driven by avarice, megalomania and barbaric ruthlessness. And then history's Dow Jones came crushing down on him… I find this parody so funny because it's historically relevant."

Full article at The Register
Found via @BenShaw

Another artist speaks out against Lily Allen

There have been some nice points from Steve and John since my two rants about music and the music industry. And Lily Allen has resigned from the cause, since her 'illegal' mixtapes were found on her website.

But I have to post this either way. An open letter in song, using an Allen track as the backing, from Dan Bull. "have a ban CDs appeal - then people would pay to see bands for real"

And while we're here, let's remind ourselves of The Amen Break, a mini-documentary about a 6 second drum break on which the whole genre of Jungle is based on and for which the list of the copyright owners stretches around the world but nowhere near the original creator. It's well worth a watch if you haven't seen it already.