I was watching TV some time ago and in one of those shitty commercial network bullshit news there was a story about Adam Lambert or Lady Gaga... I don't know, I can't tell them apart... and referred to him/her as an artist. I laughed.
When I stopped laughing, about five hours later, I thought to myself "Gee, who am I to judge?". I mean, I've never been comfortable with the title "artist". Sure I draw, make a few jokes, drink a couple of beers and then call it a day, but do you qualify as an artist by just doing that?

I've never been the kind of person that worries too much about making statements. I live in Australia, a country blessed with one of the highest standards of living in the world. In fact, only second to Norway. So I've never felt the need to do anything more profound than draw tits, take the odd shot at capitalism or have a laugh or two. But lately, I dunno, maybe I'm starting to get old, I've been paying attention to things I used to simply ignore.

Growing up in Chile back in the 80's under dictatorship you only had exposure to U.S. and British pop culture (or the odd anime and Hong Kong movie). Listening to Chilean folkloric music was a risky affair as you could be labelled a communist or socialist. That meant getting arrested, tortured and in some cases "disappeared", never to be seen again and all traces of yourself gone from government databases as if you had never existed.

One day, on a whim, I decided to listen to VIctor Jara, a Chilean neo-folk singer. The song was called Plegaria A Un Labrador (A Worker's prayer).

(Rough translation from Spanish)

Stand up, look at the mountains
Source of the wind, the sun, the water
You, who change the course of rivers,
Who, with the seed, sow the flight of your soul,
Stand up, look at your hands,
Give to your hand to your brother so you can grow.
We'll go together, united by blood,
Today is the day
We can make the future.
Deliver us from the master
who keeps us in misery.
Thy kingdom of justice and equality come.
Blow, like the wind blows
the wild flowers of the mountain pass.

Clean the barrel of my gun like fire
Thy will on earth will be done
Give us your strength and courage to struggle.
Blow, like the wind blows
the wild flowers of the mountain pas

Clean the barrel of my gun like fire
Stand up, look at your hands,
Give to your hand to your brother so you can grow.
We'll go together, united by blood,
Now and in the hour of our death.
Amen.

Have ever felt something hit you so hard that is like getting run over by a semi-trailer? Victor Jara was murdered for writing lyrics like this. He was considered dangerous by the wealthy and powerful. He remained defiant till the very moment of his death. Some would say he remained defiant after death as well. You guys think Justin Bieber would do the same? Fuck, I know I could't.

What makes it even more excruciating is that probably most of you would have no idea or ability to comprehend where those lyrics came from. Who in the developed world knows what is like spend a whole day with a slice of bread with butter and a cup of tea as your meal for the day? Has anyone seen children in shanty houses playing in middle of freezing winter, their hands blue with cold, barefoot because they can't afford shoes while the wealthy happily ignore reality? How many know what is like to have family tortured and killed because they believed that everyone, not just the rich, should have a chance at a happy, secure life? how many can say they have experienced having secret police following them and tapping their phones?

Music by Violeta Parra, Quilapayun, Argentina's Mercedes Sosa. Singers, poets, writers... all working in their own way, trying to create a better place not just for themselves, but everyone.The more I listened, the more trivial I felt. Actually, almost everything felt trivial. Music I thought was so profound now sounds laughably pointless.
And here I am drawing tits.
Chile is now a democratic, prosperous and wealthy (by Latin American standards) nation where abject poverty is no longer an issue. But injustices are still plaguing the rest of the world.

I'd love to make a difference, but what can I do? Who will listen? Who could possibly understand about something they have never lived through?
I don't know. In the meantime I'll keep throwing rotten tomatoes at the TV whenever Lady Adam Gaga Lambert shows up.