DIY Knowledge Oracle
 

COMMUNION #2

The pros and cons of being DIY, from the following points of view.

The Realist |The Idealist | The Businessman | The Noble | The Loser | The Warrior | The Survivor

The Loser:
"Punctured bycicle, on a hillside desolate.." -The Smiths

"We may not get any money from the pirates but at least the music/message is heard."

True enough , but the message also includes the fact that we are another bunch of suckers waiting to be abused like all the rest; aren't we all supposed to stand against all forms of exploitation? How can we do that when our own backyard is being violated again and again? Why don't we find ways to stop this self-mutilation?
The Warrior:
"1,2,3,4.....who's punk ? what's the score?" -Jawbreaker .

"But selling your music at the normal store is NOT DIY, and when it's not DIY, it's not punk! And when you're not punk, you're a piece of shit! I spit on you!"

The stores around us are not our real enemy, they exist because of the system we are living in. They are a necessity created by people's needs. To reach the very same people, we have to go to their areas of convergence and use their space for our purposes. Aren't they the people which we all want to reach?

Look around . We don't have anything that resembles a real DIY-friendly store that shares our interest and ideals. This [Malaysia] is NOT the US or Europe where they have a huge network of DIY distribution and stores. Don't get too blinded by so much "imported" rhetoric that we fail to realise the reality we are facing.

Just like punk, DIY is about self-empowerment and freedom , realising your potential to the fullest by pushing beyond the many boundaries created by the system.To achieve that we need to address the many areas which we can utilise yet still maintain creative control, ideals and integrity. Let's not sell ourselves short. If there's a will, there's always a way. All we need to do is find it.

The Survivor:
"I will Survive!" -Gloria Gaynor

"All this pure DIY thingy is fine and dandy when you have the dole, a good job or your parents propping you up. But when it comes to the real crunch of surviving in this REAL world, without such means, you'll be clawing your way through the bullshit, ready for anything for a bite or a roof over your head. At that time, that brand of staunch DIY is a luxury we cant afford."

In an ideal world we would be able to live and survive as we want to and not rely on others. Punk rock and DIY would be our 24-hour commitment, NOT some shitty job that has nothing to do with our interests and aspirations. BUT we are not living in a punk rock utopia (heaven). Every single one of us is trapped in its clutches, however hard we try to minimise our participation. What we need to find is that workable, practical balance which enables us to be what we can be without losing our ideals.

[ No one said it would be easy! What Joe is trying to say here is, get a job that can provide you with a decent living, and dedicate your off-time to your DIY label, band, distro and related. Music works as a stress-valve; the moment you turn music into a job, it will turn itself into stress too.]

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