Unclear Warfare
from Abyss of Time by James Paddock
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Full Digital Discography
Get all 40 James Paddock releases available on Bandcamp.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of SIGIL II - The MIDI Soundtrack, Abyss of Time, Abyss of Time (Instrumentals), Swallow [ft. The Final Event & Keagan Dunn] - SINGLE, Impossible - SINGLE, The Penalty [ft. Marian Paddock] - SINGLE, Destroyer of Worlds - SINGLE, Invasive EP, and 32 more.
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about
We're in the stranglehold of a culture war.
Politicians love to espouse sentiments and rhetoric on unimportant but divisive issues in order to keep us separated and in constant disagreement. They will have us clash heads over anything that remotely looks like a controversy, in order to boost their platform, accrue votes, and maximise engagement in social circles, both in practice and online. Minimalistic mantras like "stop the boats" and "build the wall" keep us at a consistent simmer of anger by boiling down complex issues to mindless statements. Outrage is farmed, people are radicalised, and in the worst cases, violence is stoked – through words alone.
Radical political organisations and demonstrations give the illusion of action being taken by staging protests over mere ideas, while the bad actors in the political seats, who cause repeat damage and erode our actual human rights, are seemingly allowed to live a consequence-free life.
Above all, there is a prevalent "slacktivist" mentality which is enabled and in fact *encouraged* by social media. Anyone with even the most threadbare understanding of politics can, without any thought or care, stage a public opinion about the controversial issue of the week, and feed more noise into the echo chamber of misinformation, all while under the illusion that they are putting in some meaningful effort and supporting an actual cause. Such a quantity of this is present now, that the educated and informed are drowned out, or outright ousted. The voices of reason dare not speak out, for fear of being hate-mobbed by the opposition. As for the rest of us, we can scream into the sea of noise as much as we like, only to be another drop in the ocean.
If we could only prioritise facts over opinion, action over reaction, and reality over mob mentality, perhaps we would reach our goals in a timely manner.
=====
Politicians love to espouse sentiments and rhetoric on unimportant but divisive issues in order to keep us separated and in constant disagreement. They will have us clash heads over anything that remotely looks like a controversy, in order to boost their platform, accrue votes, and maximise engagement in social circles, both in practice and online. Minimalistic mantras like "stop the boats" and "build the wall" keep us at a consistent simmer of anger by boiling down complex issues to mindless statements. Outrage is farmed, people are radicalised, and in the worst cases, violence is stoked – through words alone.
Radical political organisations and demonstrations give the illusion of action being taken by staging protests over mere ideas, while the bad actors in the political seats, who cause repeat damage and erode our actual human rights, are seemingly allowed to live a consequence-free life.
Above all, there is a prevalent "slacktivist" mentality which is enabled and in fact *encouraged* by social media. Anyone with even the most threadbare understanding of politics can, without any thought or care, stage a public opinion about the controversial issue of the week, and feed more noise into the echo chamber of misinformation, all while under the illusion that they are putting in some meaningful effort and supporting an actual cause. Such a quantity of this is present now, that the educated and informed are drowned out, or outright ousted. The voices of reason dare not speak out, for fear of being hate-mobbed by the opposition. As for the rest of us, we can scream into the sea of noise as much as we like, only to be another drop in the ocean.
If we could only prioritise facts over opinion, action over reaction, and reality over mob mentality, perhaps we would reach our goals in a timely manner.
=====
lyrics
A sea of constant consternation
Now's the time to pick your fights and facts right
A tide of tepid trepidation
Looks like society has reached a turning point
For every thinkpiece
And nebulous policy
You can't see the wood for the trees
And are your controversies
Swimming in honesty?
Or are we drowning in a salt-filled sea?
It's so hard not to get swept away
Amidst all the outrage
Testing the mettle of my pedals
But I'm stuck in a hydroplane
Careening towards disaster
Yeah I'm only slipping faster
The undertow is flowing over
And I'm driving with the insane!
Build your bridge across this ocean
Prop it up with "thoughts and prayers", and well-wishes
Farm your clicks and blind devotion
Before you move on to the next big "issues"
An unending challenge
To strike any balance
Ain't no "both sides" to this bullshit!
An overreaction
Feeds you the traction
We've gotta find the goddamn plug and pull it!
It's so hard not to get swept away
Amidst all the outrage
Testing the mettle of my pedals
But I'm stuck in a hydroplane
(I'm tiring, need rewiring –
Cannot see through the acid rain)
Careening towards disaster
Yeah, I'm only slipping faster
The undertow is flowing over
And I'm driving with the insane
(Don't leave me driving with the insane!)
And all your issues of importance?
Cloaks and daggers – "protecting the innocent"
Who really gains from this performance?
Smoke and mirrors – deceptive and abhorrent
When the truth is incorporeal
And we're reduced to scream and shout
It's time for a Viking funeral
For the benefit of the doubt
The climate's tempestuous
The discourse incestuous
Just can't get a word in edgeways
We're losing perceptiveness
And wander directionless
Gotta get out of this hedge maze!
It's so hard not to get swept away
Amidst all the outrage
Testing the mettle of my pedals
But I'm stuck in a hydroplane
(I'm tiring, need rewiring –
Cannot see through the acid rain)
Careening towards disaster
Yeah, I'm only slipping faster
The undertow is flowing over
And I'm driving with the insane
Don't leave me driving with the insane!
Yeah
Now's the time to pick your fights and facts right
A tide of tepid trepidation
Looks like society has reached a turning point
For every thinkpiece
And nebulous policy
You can't see the wood for the trees
And are your controversies
Swimming in honesty?
Or are we drowning in a salt-filled sea?
It's so hard not to get swept away
Amidst all the outrage
Testing the mettle of my pedals
But I'm stuck in a hydroplane
Careening towards disaster
Yeah I'm only slipping faster
The undertow is flowing over
And I'm driving with the insane!
Build your bridge across this ocean
Prop it up with "thoughts and prayers", and well-wishes
Farm your clicks and blind devotion
Before you move on to the next big "issues"
An unending challenge
To strike any balance
Ain't no "both sides" to this bullshit!
An overreaction
Feeds you the traction
We've gotta find the goddamn plug and pull it!
It's so hard not to get swept away
Amidst all the outrage
Testing the mettle of my pedals
But I'm stuck in a hydroplane
(I'm tiring, need rewiring –
Cannot see through the acid rain)
Careening towards disaster
Yeah, I'm only slipping faster
The undertow is flowing over
And I'm driving with the insane
(Don't leave me driving with the insane!)
And all your issues of importance?
Cloaks and daggers – "protecting the innocent"
Who really gains from this performance?
Smoke and mirrors – deceptive and abhorrent
When the truth is incorporeal
And we're reduced to scream and shout
It's time for a Viking funeral
For the benefit of the doubt
The climate's tempestuous
The discourse incestuous
Just can't get a word in edgeways
We're losing perceptiveness
And wander directionless
Gotta get out of this hedge maze!
It's so hard not to get swept away
Amidst all the outrage
Testing the mettle of my pedals
But I'm stuck in a hydroplane
(I'm tiring, need rewiring –
Cannot see through the acid rain)
Careening towards disaster
Yeah, I'm only slipping faster
The undertow is flowing over
And I'm driving with the insane
Don't leave me driving with the insane!
Yeah
credits
from Abyss of Time,
released November 3, 2023
license
all rights reserved
tags
about
James Paddock England, UK
Composer, singer, artist, and video game developer.
discography
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Nov 2023 -
Dec 2023 -
Aug 2023 -
Nov 2023
contact / help
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