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Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Puppets on Computer ( The Erica Crooks Show 2007 ) gif

The Erica Crooks Show
The Erica Crooks Show ( youtube.com/user/officialericcrooks/videos )

Anti-Capitalist Consumer

Anti-Capitalist Consumer
By
Erica Crooks

For more info on consumerism and Anarchism , I recommend this link.

In this blog post I’ll be talking about what I would consider the differences between healthy consumerism ( Buying things that mean something to ourselves deeply and moderately ) and
Obsessive , Impulsive consumerism due to some sort of fear that develops into mental illness.
And how this relates to my views as an Anti-capitalist left wing anarchist as well as a pop culture entertainment art fan. As well as mentioning my view on Comic Con a little bit.


I don’t know why I decided to write this blog subject but perhaps it’s because
I love pop culture. And when your an American who had a 1990s childhood and perhaps similar in other generations I suppose , you are used to the capitalist world of consumerism.
As an Anarcho-Communist ( Libertarian Socialist Anarchist ) I have reasons of hating capitalism. There’s the class war which people kill themselves over having the choice between a meaningless lousy job or dying on the street . If you were diagnosed with something you can receive SSI benefits and that tends to be political usually a bunch of right wing and American versos of Libertarian would hate you for it , just bitching about taxes and how they even though they can agree with you that perhaps you regarding what neurologists think of you , they would HATE you for it. Personal experience folks . I have my own politics regarding to a theory that people who are intuitive when it comes to personality type and perhaps perceivers as well are most likely to be diagnosed with something. Benefits is a positive side , a negative side is that it’s not really money from The Government but from the working class.
I’m sure people would feel better if I would just accept my diagnoses of Asperger’s Syndrome but I won’t ! 
First off , I was diagnosed as a kid and even diagnosed at age 30. My mother thinks I’m high functioning , I think there’s a conspiracy between minorities being diagnosed.
Even Libertarian Socialist Rants have addressed similar issues .
So when it comes to welfare / SSI related political issues , I go which what Anarchists point out.
 Because if people say NO and it was taken away , sure people can enjoy extra cash in their pocket where many people , especially minorities can’t find employment is most likely than not to die on the street !
As an Anarchist , this points out clearly that capitalism does not work !
And this isn’t the only chains that slave the working class but capitalism itself.
The other reason why I’m against capitalism relates to how I got into satire in the first place which relates to my interest in pop culture.
This would explain my satirical obsession to satirize bad television which is in a sense what The Erica Crooks Show’s format is partly about or at least that’s how the show started out.
When I started performing live puppet shows from 1999 - 2005 , 
The show was more in a Muppet Show kind of format where the characters were bad performers .
When I did public access television from 2006 - 2009 , I was doing things alternatively.
I filmed out of my own bedroom and then the basement , never using the studio they had because of the limitations of 2 hours filming time.
So it was really and truly independent film.
I still remember being in high school and slowly realizing that there was less and less good stuff on television for me and the commercials where getting more annoying , obnoxious , and the new tv shows were becoming more crass products then something ground breaking like I remember in the 1990s. So technically when I moved into my first apartment in 2010 ,
I decided NOT to get cable television. But also I very well understand the fact about myself
That I can not live without the internet access !

As a pop culture fan , I do love how there was toys and action figure membrobillia based on my favorite characters , but at the same time the real purpose was income.
If it was capitalists or even struggling artist companies like The Jim Henson Company.
I wish I could find a simple video clip from Henson’s Place but I’ll just have to describe it.
First of all Jim Henson had strong opinions regarding not merchandising his characters .
He experimented with it in the early days but even when he did , during his life time , he would check the quality of any toy relating to his characters , especially Sesame Street.
Jim Henson was against crass products. But as of 1984 , he sort of had to be more flexible against his will because his company was pretty much had money issues.
Sesame Street merchandise is pretty much what saved The Muppets as a company.
In the 1984 documentary Henson’s Place , Jim talks about the logic aspects of serving the needs of the audience as well as having the income go back into the productions.
“We’re living in the real world here. It would be nice if we could do without it but unfortunately that doesn’t seem to be the case.”
Jim Henson passed away in 1990 due to stress of the Disney Deal ( in my opinion ).
Jim Henson would have absolutely LOVED the internet and would probably use Kickstarter and Patreon like most artists today !

For me , I’m very selective when it comes to what collectibles I want to own and not get out of hand like many pop culture collectors out there.
I look for quality . 
I admire a toy in this sense as a work of art within itself. It was made as sort of a sculpture which people can actually admire and own in their very own home !
That’s what I like . Because whatever happens in my life , I can have something like this looking back to me and bringing a smile on my face as it has always done in childhood.

That’s the thing about fans. This is culture. It means something to us !
I’ve addressed similar opinions within a blog article I did last year relating to an idea of “ An Anti-Capitalist Comic Con “ 

Print shop websites such as Zazzle has a similar feel when it comes to Consuming.
But what’s great as well as living in an age of 3D printing is that it’s something that can be printed ON DEMAND !
Same with CreateSpace and digital media.
It’s available for those who want it.


Unfortunately, what’s really sad is just how easy it truly is for someone to go to jail.
And that’s just the so called “ Free Countries “ !
Say if I wanted to lie to the police about someone I did not like very much and get them into trouble . What no one knows can’t hurt them right ?
Well my conscious and soul can not handle such Ego and anti-humanitarian acts of anti-social crime such as that.
Or in this case. Say I was a capitalist bastard who seen a fan of my work
And they wanted to buy some fan art or make it themselves with Zazzle or something.
Or they saved my youtube videos and made a DVD for themselves and their friends.
And since I have more money than this fan. I sue them , the poor innocent fan doesn’t have the money to pay the copyright violations and they go to jail.
Again , I won’t have the heart to do something like that.

One of the things I love about Anarchism ,
Is that Anarchists are all for the good of human kind and Earth Kind.
In an Anarchist Society , nothing will ever go “ Out of Print “ !
Everything will be counterfeited professionally to the point where counterfeiting no longer exists. 
Who knows what Anarcho-Transhumanism could bring.
Science could give everyone their own mansion in a hologram where homes can change in size , shape , color , etc !

But also in an anarchist society , perhaps people won’t be as security worry warts.
Perhaps people would be more flexible when it comes to possessions , even knowing that thanks to Anarcho-Communism , if they need something , they can get it any time they want , no worries , no limitations like what capitalism does to people.

But one thing I will say is this.
I am an introvert. But it doesn’t mean I’m a hermit.
For me , I like to make my home , my home where ever I live.
I want it to feel like home, I like to own things. Even if it’s a book or movie I didn’t see in over a year. I know it’s there. I can see the title. Perhaps I like to look at that title and read it and smile at my favorite moments and say , “ Hey , I got time. “ and then I check it out reliving the memories.

My father was not only an abusive heartless bastard but also an obsessive consumer.
I have different views when it comes to consuming.

I may own a lot of stuff , but I’m extremely picky when it comes to things I want to own.
Pretty much any possessions I have , I use.
And if I lose electricity or the internet , I have something as a backup to keep me and even company entertained. :)


I think one of the things that educated me about consuming was something that Rocko’s Modern Life creator Joe Murray recommends when is something called “ The Story of Stuff “
It is liberal but Anarchists do share similar views. We just don’t think hierarchy is justified.

But anyway , I enjoy and get use of my libraries. :)

In fact , this week I have filmed some videos showing off my libraries which includes things that influence me as an artist in my field of work which I’d like to share with everyone really soon.
It’ll be related to my upcoming pop culture related blog videos .


_ Erica




#anarchism #anarchy #anarchist #anarchists #anarchocommunism #anticapitalism #anticonsumerism








Introvert and social life ( INFP )

Introvert and social life ( INFP )

Some things I pretty much mentioned in a previous blog post

https://www.facebook.com/notes/erica-crooks/infp-blog-like-minded-people-or-be-alone/1813578575409519/

I can only express my own experience on this. But as much as an extrovert as I seem to be on my blog videos and such ,
I’m in truth an introvert. I thought I was an ENFP for many years but I came to the realization that I am an INFP . My advice form life experience is you know your an introvert when you notice how extroverts can drain you and try to dig an answer out of you while your thinking. lol

I think the world I live in isn’t just sensor focused but also extroverted focused as well.
I tried to look up to see if introverts are indeed a minority but all I could find is just the usual crap from ignorant people trying to debunk MBTI as usual.
So to be fair , being an INFP is indeed rare.

So perhaps introverted intuitive are the one who’s most awkward when it comes to being social. I have an ISFP friend who can be introverted unless you bring something up of his interest , then he’ll get talking !
In fact , here’s his youtube channel.

Perhaps for sensors , it’s different than social life in the eye of an intuitive mainly because sensors are the majority.

My Twin Flame is an ESFP , according to my observation.
We are still working towards Union. ( For more info on Twin Flames , check out http://www.twinflames1111.com/blog ) 
Perhaps it’s this Ying and Yang sort of thing where both differences fit perfectly like a two piece puzzle.
But I’ve noticed during the times I knew my Twin Flame outside telepathy ,
She would always have a huge group of friends she would talk to and she had her Drag King act at the Pride Nightclubs. And technically that’s what I usually see regarding my local pride community is nightclubs , the big Pride Festival , these big events that draw in huge crowds.
And I always felt awkward whenever I went to them.
There could be music , there could be lights , everyone is dancing. And I’m just this awkward shadow knowing no one just walking around while trying to get past crowd after crowd just to observe and enjoy what I could get out of it.
I remember two years ago , there was this Goth night fundraiser which money was going to help transgender people who live in low income / poverty. I asked “ How can this benefit me ? “ It was this raffle thing . I guess there was another trans person looking for a roommate and I was even asked if I wanted to help volunteer by DJing . I think I was way more fascinated with the concept of Video DJing and thinking in my mind , perhaps this is another form of art I’d like to get into eventually. I always wanted to do things with music. My Twin Flame even knows about my ideas for musical theater.
So basically I was in my Goth makeup and clothes and just recording samples of songs playing that perhaps I’d like to look up on iTunes later.
I know , I’m such a weirdo huh ? lol

Again , I think introverts are the minority because everything is pretty much catered to Extroverted Sensors. 
Which is totally awkward for an introverted intuitive in my opinion.

For example , FACEBOOK and social media.
Every place has a comment box.
And it’s like people who have an opinion about something have the strong need for the other person to know about it. 
Love it or Hate it !
And perhaps that’s kind of foreign to me slightly.
If there’s something I REALLY REALLY REALLY like then ok. But it’s like the world is surrounded by a bunch of people who expect everyone outside of themselves to make them happy. Even NonCompete mentioned this.

My parents were both Extroverted Sensing Judgers.
Though my Father having many toxic personality disorders and being a narcissist ,
He could switch anywhere from ESTJ , ISTJ , ISTP and ESTP !
While my mother can switch from ISFJ to ESFJ .
But totally both are ESJs.


The thing about me is having a successful social life is not my strong points.
For a social life to work for me , it all depends on like minded people.
For the most part , as an introvert , I do admire my own space.
I don’t mind dead time not having a social life for awhile.
The rough aspect is when I do wish to have an intellectual conversation with a like minded person , where do you go ?


Here’s something I’d like to quote from introverted dear .
Here’s the link I am referencing from.

Human contact, not social contact
Being introverted, INFPs may shy away from large parties, networking events, and group activities. It’s not social contact INFPs crave — it’s mutual human understanding. They want to peek into another person’s world, thoughts, and emotions. They want to understand what other people are struggling with and what makes them tick. INFPs read people well, often quickly intuiting a person’s hidden feelings and motivations. (However, private by nature, INFPs rarely provide insight into their own.) Without close relationships based on mutual understanding, INFPs will be unhappy.

I find this very interesting.

Perhaps the internet is such a great tool for introverted intuitives such as myself.
I remember hearing that a majority of the content on the internet is from introverts.
So screw the FCC for wanting to shut the internet down , introverts need the internet.

I was just thinking last night watching classic Ernie & Bert sketches that the fact that Jim Henson is an INFP and Frank Oz being an INFJ , technically the comedy comes from them basically caricaturing how annoying extroverts and SJs can be. Lol
_ Erica 
#infp #infps #introvert #introverted #introverts #social #mbti #myersbriggs #infppersonalitytype #personalitytype #personality #personalitytypes #myersbriggspersonalitytypes #personalitytest #personalitytests #ericacrooks #officialericcrooks #intuition #intuitive #intuitives #introvertedintuitive #introvertedintuition