(Psyfluence) This video delves into The Apocalypse of the Mind: The Age of Idiocracy and Idolatry, a deep analysis of how contemporary [American] society is caught in an unprecedented intellectual and spiritual crisis.
We reflect on the decline of critical thinking, the glorification of [idiocy and] superficiality, and the worship of false idols—from celebrities to empty ideologies.
This content invites us to question our dominant culture, its values, and how this reality impacts our inner and collective freedom. Through current examples and philosophical reflections, we are invited to awaken and seek an authentic path amid the noise and confusion of the modern age.
Are we ready to challenge our own beliefs and open our minds? Some are. Everyone else can return to consuming corn and cattle, body parts and synthetic plastic contamination.
Cartoon characters may age right in front of our eyes and eventually die, like The Simpson, Family Guy, and South Park, but we never will. That kind of mortality is only in animation and just for laughs. Can you imagine if radical impermanence applied to our lives? Why, our youth, beauty, and joys might evaporate right in front of our eyes, like good ol' Beavis and Butthead. Of course, the ancient sages of India warned of just such a thing in this story of the past by the Buddha:
Odd that the supremely enlightened Buddha mentions the teachings of another teacher? No, Araka is the Bodhisatta (in a past life, i.e., the Buddha before enlightenment). He is recalling what a good teacher taught before "supreme" (samma-sam) awakening.
"Once long ago, meditators, there was a teacher named Araka, a leader of a school who was free of lust for sensual pleasures. He had hundreds of students and he taught them dhamma [his Doctrine] in this way:
"'Next to nothing, students (Brahmins), is this human life — limited, a trifling, a mass of disappointment and distress. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, and lead a purified life. For one who is reborn there is no freedom from death.
"'Just as a dewdrop on a blade of grass soon vanishes with the rising of the sun, in the same way, students, human life is like that dewdrop — limited, a trifling, a mass of disappointment and despair. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, and lead a pure life. For one who is reborn there is no freedom from death.
"'Just as when the weather-devas send rain in large droplets that hit and form a water bubble that soon vanishes, in the same way, students, human life is like that water bubble — limited, a trifling, a mass of disappointment and despair. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, and lead a pure life. For one who is born there is no freedom from death.
"'Just as a line drawn on water with a stick soon vanishes, in the same way, students, human life is like that line — limited, a trifling, a mass of disappointment and despair. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, and lead a pure life. For one who is reborn there is no freedom from death.
Subject to aging, I should seek the ageless.
"'Just as a river flows down from the mountains, goes far in a swift current, and carries everything with it, so that there is not a second, not a moment, not an instant when it stands still, but instead it flows, and moves and rushes. In the same way, students, human life is like that river — limited, a trifling, a mass of disappointment and despair. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, and lead a pure life. For one who is reborn there is no freedom from death.
"'Just as a strong person might form spit on the tip of the tongue then spit it out with little effort, in the same way, students, human life is like that spit — limited, a trifling, a mass of disappointment and despair. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, and lead a pure life. For one who is reborn there is no freedom from death.
Huh huh huh, you look old. Here's a cane.
"'Just as a shred of flesh tossed onto an iron pan that has been heated all day soon vanishes, in the same way, students, human life is like that shred of flesh — limited, a trifling, a mass of disappointment and despair. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, and lead a pure life. For one who is reborn there is no freedom from death.
"'Just as a doomed cow being led to a slaughterhouse stumbles with every step as it moves closer to slaughter and closer to death, in the same way, students, human life is like that doomed cow — limited, a trifling, a mass of disappointment and despair. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, and lead a pure life. For one who is reborn there is no freedom from death.'
Old Cornholio (new Beavis & Butt-Head)
"Now at that time, meditators, the average human life span was 60,000 years, with females marriageable at 500. And at that time there were [only] six afflictions: [touch of] cold, heat, hunger, thirst, [and the need for] defecation and urination. Yet even though humans were so long-lived, long-lasting, with so few afflictions, the Sage Araka taught dhamma to his disciples in this way:
"'Next to nothing, students, is human life — limited, a trifling, a mass of disappointment and despair. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, and lead a pure life. For one who is reborn there is no freedom from death.'
"At present, meditators, one speaking rightly might say, 'Next to nothing is human life — limited, a trifling, a mass of disappointment and despair. One should touch this [truth] like a sage, do what is skillful, and lead a pure life. For one who is reborn there is no freedom from death.'
How many moons would we have seen? 36,500?
At present, meditators, one who lives a long time is 100 years old or a little more. Living 100 years, one lives for 300 seasons: 100 seasons of cold, 100 seasons of heat, 100 seasons of rain.
Living for 300 seasons, one lives for 1,200 months: 400 months of cold, 400 months of heat, 400 months of rain.
Living for 1,200 months, one lives for 2,400 fortnights: 800 fortnights of cold, 800 fortnights of heat, 800 fortnights of rain.
Living for 2,400 fortnights, one lives for 36,000 days: 12,000 days of cold, 12,000 days of heat, 12,000 days of rain.
Living for 36,000 days, one eats 72,000 meals: 24,000 meals in the cold, 24,000 meals in the heat, 24,000 meals in the rain — counting the taking of mother's milk and obstacles to eating.
Obstacles to eating? There are these: when one does not eat due to anger, when one does not eat due to distress, when one does not eat due to illness, when one does not eat due to an observance [Uposatha] day, when one does not eat due to poverty.
Turn, turn, turn, how the season turn.
"Meditators, reckoning the life of a human being who lives for 100 years, there is the lifespan, the seasons, the years, the months, the fortnights, the nights, the days, the meals, the obstacles to eating.
"Whatever a teacher would do in seeking the welfare of disciples, out of sympathy for them, have I done for you.
"Over there, there are the roots of trees; over there, empty dwellings. Practice meditative absorptions (the jhanas), meditators. Be not heedless, such that you might fall into regret later. This is our message."
Mike Judge, Beavis & Butt-Head (MTV via Paramount+); Dhr. Seven (ed.), Arakenanusasani Sutta (AN 7.70, PTS: A iv 136) based on Ven. Thanissaro (trans), Wisdom Quarterly
The Onion; Team Men, Ashley Wells (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly
Dating for men is not easy, which is putting it mildly. Who to listen to, Dr. Wendy Walsh (KFI) or PUAs who get results? It's a mad, mad world. Look what has happened to poor Mike G. Who better to trust in matters of such importance than ONN, the Onion News Network? In this investigative piece, the network looks into Mike's case to see where he went wrong and what we can all learn from him.
In The Know; Brooke Gladstone, On the Media; CC Liu, Sheldon S. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
In The Know | official trailer | Peacock original
(Peacock) Jan. 4, 2024: In The Know is streaming Jan. 25th on Peacock: pck.tv/3vuBPly.SYNOPSIS: Lauren Caspian is NPR’s third most popular host. He’s a well-meaning, hypocritical nimrod, just like you and me. He’s also a stop motion puppet. Each episode follows the making of an episode of Lauren’s show In the Know, in which Lauren conducts in-depth interviews with real world human guests. Lauren collaborates with a diverse crew of NPR staff. They are also puppets and nimrods.
ABOUT: Peacock is a go-to for hit movies, TV, live sports, and more. With the streaming service from NBCUniversal, you can watch new movies from theaters, current hits from NBC and Bravo, nonstop action from WWE, Premier League, Big Ten, and tons of other sports. Plus, stream exclusive originals, NBC News, and faves like The Office, Suits, Modern Family, and Yellowstone. Peacock is currently available to stream within the United States. #Peacock #OfficialTrailer #InTheKnow
In the KnowOn the Media (1/26/24): Hear about the new parody of National Public Radio (NPR) by the maker of Beavis & Butt-Head, Idiocracy, and Office Space Mike Judge and the team Woods and Gardner, two guys whose idea it was.
3. Zach Woods, an actor best known for his role of "Gabe Lewis" on The Office, and improviser and writer Brandon Gardner [@BrandonJGardner] talk about their new Peacock show In the Know, which parodies public radio and reflects our current culture wars. LISTEN
Plus, what gets lost in the blow-by-blow coverage of Trump's idiotic legal woes -- losing civil suits and facing four felony criminal trials.
After New Hampshire and Iowa, the GOP field is narrowing to Donald Trump's benefit once again. DeSantis' failed campaign has lessons for the political press: How did Florida Governor DeSantis go from right-wing media darling to loser and party outcast?
2. Dahlia Lithwick [@Dahlialithwick], lawyer and writer at Slate, on how our legal system isn't designed to save our democracy, and what's wrong with mainstream media's coverage of Trump's legal losses and upcoming trials. Listen.
1. Nick Nehamas [@NickNehamas], politics reporter for the New York Times, Mary Ellen Klas [@MaryEllenKlas], opinion writer at Bloomberg and former capital bureau chief for the Miami Herald, and Tom Scocca [@tomscocca], creator of the Indignity newsletter, on the rise and fall of Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign and the lessons it offers about how to cover elections. Listen.
MTV International; YellowFlash 2 (WTF Are They Doing? video, July 1, 2020); Jordana Ossad (MTV.com/news, July 1, 2020); Seth Auberon, Pfc. Sandoval, Sheldon S.(eds.), Wisdom Quarterly Beavis & Butt-Head reboot focusing on Generation Z? Can it survive the Puritans? Comedy Central is bringing back MTV'sshow. Can it work today? Or will it follow South Park's example and not care?
Comedy Central lands re-imagined Beavis and Butt-Head: The iconic duo is back!
Jordana Ossad
Uh huh huh huh huh, smack: Beavis and Butt-Head is back! Comedy Central has announced an expansive deal with Emmy Award-winning creator of the show Mike Judge to re-imagine MTV’s seminal, Gen X-defining Beavis and Butt-Head, as well as additional spin-offs and specials.
If B&B were in Slayer
It's time to rock out -- and put our shirts over our heads. Beavis and Butt-Head, which premiered on MTV back in 1993, quickly became a force in pop culture and started a television revolution with its pure, unadulterated, satirical commentary on youth and adolescence.
The unprecedented concept, featuring two awkward teenage couch potatoes, immediately became part of the vernacular in a way no other adult animated series had before.
Will MTV be winning any awards for this?
Known for tackling social issues including bad music videos, teen obesity, workers’ rights, and media trends, the show connected with an entire generation, laying claim as one of the most innovative series in the modern-day zeitgeist.
In this new iteration Beavis and Butt-Head are entering a whole new Gen Z world. Comedy Central has ordered two seasons of the new series with meta-themes relatable to both new and old fans, Gen X parents and their Gen Z kids. B&B are parents with kids!
Judge is set to write, produce, and provide voice-over for both iconic characters, just as he originally did. Check MTV News for more Beavis and Butt-Head updates.More
After its spectacular and notorious run in the 1990s, "Beavis & Butt-Head" tried to return to MTV in 2011. But that ended up being a big failure. What happened? They're coming back again.
Beavis and Butt-Head was controversial in the 90s. It upset a lot of people thanks to its crude, rude, destructive, and antisocial characters.
Beavis' love of playing with fire and its supposed role in a real-life copycat act, in which a kid burned down his family home, led MTV to ban all references to fire in the series. A legislator even criticized the show on the floor of the U.S. Senate.
What if they join the military and kill people?
That all just made "Beavis & Butt-Head" seem super edgy. If not for the series testing the public's appetite for sick and twisted themes and animation, there might never have been shows like "South Park" and "Family Guy" following in its wake.
"Beavis & Butt-Head" made room for a vast TV landscape full of adult animation, so much so that by the time it reappeared on MTV in 2011, it didn't feel very provocative or edgy anymore. If anything, it felt like a cynical cash-grab to some viewers.
What if they go see Slayer and many metal shows?
USA Today interviewed students at the University of North Carolina at Asheville about that revival, and many of them felt the show was just playing into rampant '90s nostalgia. As one student put it, "I think it's a poor way for [creator] Mike Judge to try and capitalize on the memories of kids who grew up in the 90s."
Not only was the whole vibe of "Beavis & Butt-Head" possibly played out by 2011, but so was the show's nostalgic content. It struck a chord in the early 90s because, despite being crudely animated, it felt like a slice of real life.
The 2011 revival failed, so can the 2020 reboot do any better? What if they're parents with kids now?More
The title characters are a couple of bored teens who watch TV, hate school, and busy themselves with troublemaking, mischief, and vandalism. That made them seem far more realistic than any other portrayal of young adults on TV, like the ones on "Beverly Hills, 90210" or "Saved by the Bell."
No longer edgy | 0:13
Stuck in the 90s | 1:23
Tweaked format | 2:08
Poor ratings | 2:56
A changing of the guard | 3:52
#BeavisAndButthead
Why would ANYONE watch this cr@p? Because they make fun of bad music videos!
Host Alex Cohen, activist Amanda Fairey, actor Terry Crews (TakeTwo.org); creator Mike Judge, Conan O'Brien (Conan); CC Liu, Dhr. Seven, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
DUMB IS OVER! (IF YOU WANT IT) #MakeAmericaSmartAgain (govotemasa.com)
What "Idiocracy" can teach us about the 2016 election
Mike Judge created "Beavis & Butthead"
The film "Idiocracy" debuted 10 years ago this month. It stars Luke Wilson as an Army librarian picked for an experiment: to be sealed in a chamber for a year.
The experiment is abandoned and Wilson wakes up in the year 2505 to find a world that is radically different. Crops are dead because they’ve been fed electrolyte drinks instead of water. Americans speak a dumbed-down version of English, where every other word is an obscenity. Then there’s the president, Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho, played by actor Terry Crews. He's a gun-toting, motorcycle-riding former wrestler.
Actor Terry Crews will appear at a special screening of "Idiocracy" live with Mike Judge at the Echo Park Tennis and Recreation Center, along with director Mike Judge and co-star Dax Shepard. It's all part of a movement called #MakeAmericaSmartAgain, thought up by Shepherd and Amanda Fairey (shown at left), which aims to increase non-partisan voter education and participation. Crews and Fairey joined host Alex Cohen to talk about the event.
What is the purpose of #MakeAmericaSmartAgain, and how does "Idiocracy" fit into this movement?
Amanda Fairey: "My husband Shepherd Fairey and I one day were watching TV, and 'Idiocracy' was on. I looked over at him and I said, 'Make America great again? Make America smart again? What the heck is going on?' This movie is so relevant now and we've been watching it for about 10 years... It just made us realize that there is a lot of voter apathy, and the spread of a lot of miscommunication among the American citizens. Our concern for this lead us to create this call to action that would encourage voter education and motivate voter turn out.
It's a non-partisan movement to promote education on all issues and not align with or disparage any candidates. So, really, we just want to make American smart again, and we thought doing screenings of 'Idiocracy' would be the perfect way to get people fired up over this and to go out there and find out for themselves what everybody's talking about, what all the candidates are talking about, and make a real decision on their own without being swayed by misinformation." More
(US Chronicle/InfoWars) Mike Judge invited Alex Jones to his Austin, Texas home for a one-on-one interview. Judge covered an IRS scandal, Jones' epic interview on Piers Morgan, and the Second Amendment debate, giving insights into his groundbreaking animation, movies (like "Office Space," "Idiocracy" and the very disappointing "Beavis & Butthead" feature, but now he wants to make a live action version to make up for it), and style of satire that is proving to be prophetic. He discloses the origins of Beavis and Butthead, Dale Gribble, and behind the scenes of the movie that Hollywood tried to kill, "Idiocracy."
Meet the Goode family. They're zealous vegans, they drive a hybrid, and they recycle everything possible. But despite their best efforts, something always goes haywire with their politically-correct plans. Now airing Wednesdays @ 9/8:00 pm central on ABC.
Creator of “Beavis and Butt-Head” and “King of the Hill” has a new focus: Environmentalists
Director Mike Judge’s new animated TV series “The Goode Family” is a send-up of a clan of environmentalists who live by the words “What would Al Gore do?” Gerald and Helen Goode want nothing more than to minimize their carbon footprint. They feed their dog, Che, only veggies (much to the pet’s dismay) and Mr. Goode dutifully separates sheets of toilet paper when his wife accidentally buys two-ply. And, of course, the family drives a hybrid.More>>
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