F Posterity, issue 45: "Mass Ave Strut"

I've only composed a couple guitar rags in my life, and that's because they're hard to do well. Given, when ragtime swept the country with a fury at the turn of the last century, everything and anything was thrown into ragtime without regard for taste, form or flavor. There was money to be made! Ragtime, motherf*cker!!! That's the name of my next screenplay, "Ragtime Motherf*cker".

A perfect rag is four parts in 64 bars, of which each part typically repeats and may have an interlude or two between. Joplin is, of course, the master of the form, establishing the genre historically with "The Entertainer" and the "Maple Leaf Rag". People began to do scholarly interpretations of these on the guitar in the middle of last century, and one of the first was Dave Van Ronk. He was early enough in the folk/blues interpretive movement to be criticized for singing like a black man. Skeet-skat and all that.

He interpreted the classic "St. Louis Tickle" and plenty others, and wrote a few beauties as well. Somewhere he said people should begin writing rags straight for the guitar instead of laboring to interpret piano rags for six strings, and I took that to heart however many years ago I wrote this, probably in '99 or 2000.

This is a wandery and repetitive piece, and I must've finished it while living in Boston, because somehow it's been stuck with the name "Mass Ave Strut". Which I think is appropriate. I imagine the movements describing the hipsters, the homeless, the Berklee students and Christian Scientists (perhaps even respectively) and all the other hodge-podge of Boston living crammed into the Back Bay.

Oh, and obviously there're no lyrics. It's a guitar rag.


Download mp3s below by right-clicking on the links.

F Posterity, 2006
52. F Posterity (Getzschman) - May 16, 2007
51. Crazy (Burton/Callaway/Reverberi/Reverberi) - May 9, 2007
50. Persistence of Regret (Getzschman/Ryan/Sahm) - May 2, 2007
49. Breakin' Plates (Getzschman/Ruthsatz) - April 26, 2007
48. Trio for Vocal, Metronome, Wurlitzer (Getzschman) - April 18, 2007
47. She Hates It When I'm Right (Getzschman) - April 11, 2007
46. Beat It (Jackson) - April 4, 2007
45. Mass Ave Strut (Getzschman) - March 28, 2007
44. Let's Fall Asleep Like This (Getzschman) - March 21, 2007
43. 2010 Ain't What They Said It Would Be (Getzschman) - March 14, 2007
42. Three Red Stars (Getzschman) - March 7, 2007
41. Birdhouse In Your Soul (Flansburgh/Linnell) - February 28, 2007
40. Everybody Thinks They're Self-Aware (Getzschman) - February 21, 2007
39. Hysterical Woman (Getzschman) - February 14, 2007
38. Hollaback Savior (Getzschman) - February 7, 2007
37. White Collar (old Philly dollar) (Getzschman) - January 31, 2007
36. Bottle of Blues (B. Hansen) - January 24, 2007
35. Ask Somebody (Getzschman) - January 17, 2007
34. All Time High Score (Getzschman) - January 10, 2007
33. Bury Me In My Jetpack (Getzschman) - January 3, 2007
32. Eggnogg Is The Liquor Of This Household (Getzschman) - December 27, 2006
31. Like Spinning Plates (T.Yorke/J.Greenwood) - December 20, 2006
30. Jack or Jesus (Getzschman/Peterson) - December 13, 2006
29. Runes (Getzschman) - December 6, 2006
28. We Leave Just Like We Come (Getzschman) - November 29, 2006
27. Shampoo! (Getzschman) - November 22, 2006
26. Tomorrow Is A Long Time (Dylan) - November 15, 2006
25. Was That Seriously Your Plan? (Getzschman) - November 8, 2006
24. Understated Explosions (Getzschman) - November 1, 2006
23. Everything Sounds Better On Vinyl (Getzschman) - October 25, 2006
22. Take Heart (Getzschman) - October 18, 2006
21. Pigs (L. Freese, S. Reyes, L. Muggerud) - October 11, 2006
20. Upstart Casualties (Getzschman) - October 4, 2006
19. Troubling (Getzschman) - Sept 27, 2006
18. Tales of Woe (Getzschman/Getzschman/Booth) - Sept 20, 2006
17. Manual Labor Pains (Getzschman) - Sept 13, 2006
16. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight (Gibbard/Tamborello) - September 6, 2006
15. Postmodern Burlesque Review (Getzschman) - August 30, 2006
14. Neverending Love Affair (Getzschman) - August 23, 2006
13. Living On Credit (Getzschman) - August 16, 2006
12. Broke As A Muhfuh (Getzschman) - August 9, 20006
11. Josie (Becker/Fagan) - August 2, 2006
10. Cold Day at the Races (Getzschman) - July 26, 2006
9. Calaveras (Getzschman) - July 19, 2006
8. Narcissist Blues (Getzschman) - July 12, 2006
7. Advice to a Young Jedi (Getzschman) - July 5, 2006
6. God Only Knows (Wilson/Asher) - June 28, 2006
5. Miracle Hubcap (Getzschman) - June 21, 2006
4. A Paycheck Is All I Ask (Getzschman) - June 14, 2006
3. Halfway (Getzschman) - June 7, 2006
2. Summer Crazy (Getzschman) - May 31, 2006
1. Sunday Street (Van Ronk) - May 26, 2006

H.R. 1433 passes the House...

... and Bush's advisors are urging the President to veto it. There's a showdown brewing...



Gist
Analog Jepack
The Dance Party
Telemetrik



(from the Indie Roots blog)

F Posterity, issue 44: "Let's Fall Asleep Like This"

Beleaguered by creative failure today, I'm posting a song I recorded months ago but wasn't quite satisfied. After fighting a new song all morning, I'm pretty satisfied with this old one. I'm sure you'll think me a sentimental old fluff, one that plays the only three consecutive chords he can string together on an accordion, but here's one of those breathy, bassy-string touchy-feely numbers.

Let's Fall Asleep Like This

The streetlights meet like kaleidoscopes
Where they broke through windows in monochrome
And lit this scene of quiet
Suggested forms and outlines
Where your head lay on my chest
And I said, 'let's fall asleep like this

When we wake with the ache of arms and legs
Wrapped up around us like packing tape
The thoughts and dreams of the night
Tie us together likewise
So keep your head on my chest
When I say let's fall asleep like this

And when you say, 'will you make room for me?'
And I do and let you in close to me
It's like the fall of tyrants
Cause it's for all time
So keep your head on my chest
And I say let's fall asleep like this

Download mp3s below by right-clicking on the links.

F Posterity, 2006
52. F Posterity (Getzschman) - May 16, 2007
51. Crazy (Burton/Callaway/Reverberi/Reverberi) - May 9, 2007
50. Persistence of Regret (Getzschman/Ryan/Sahm) - May 2, 2007
49. Breakin' Plates (Getzschman/Ruthsatz) - April 26, 2007
48. Trio for Vocal, Metronome, Wurlitzer (Getzschman) - April 18, 2007
47. She Hates It When I'm Right (Getzschman) - April 11, 2007
46. Beat It (Jackson) - April 4, 2007
45. Mass Ave Strut (Getzschman) - March 28, 2007
44. Let's Fall Asleep Like This (Getzschman) - March 21, 2007
43. 2010 Ain't What They Said It Would Be (Getzschman) - March 14, 2007
42. Three Red Stars (Getzschman) - March 7, 2007
41. Birdhouse In Your Soul (Flansburgh/Linnell) - February 28, 2007
40. Everybody Thinks They're Self-Aware (Getzschman) - February 21, 2007
39. Hysterical Woman (Getzschman) - February 14, 2007
38. Hollaback Savior (Getzschman) - February 7, 2007
37. White Collar (old Philly dollar) (Getzschman) - January 31, 2007
36. Bottle of Blues (B. Hansen) - January 24, 2007
35. Ask Somebody (Getzschman) - January 17, 2007
34. All Time High Score (Getzschman) - January 10, 2007
33. Bury Me In My Jetpack (Getzschman) - January 3, 2007
32. Eggnogg Is The Liquor Of This Household (Getzschman) - December 27, 2006
31. Like Spinning Plates (T.Yorke/J.Greenwood) - December 20, 2006
30. Jack or Jesus (Getzschman/Peterson) - December 13, 2006
29. Runes (Getzschman) - December 6, 2006
28. We Leave Just Like We Come (Getzschman) - November 29, 2006
27. Shampoo! (Getzschman) - November 22, 2006
26. Tomorrow Is A Long Time (Dylan) - November 15, 2006
25. Was That Seriously Your Plan? (Getzschman) - November 8, 2006
24. Understated Explosions (Getzschman) - November 1, 2006
23. Everything Sounds Better On Vinyl (Getzschman) - October 25, 2006
22. Take Heart (Getzschman) - October 18, 2006
21. Pigs (L. Freese, S. Reyes, L. Muggerud) - October 11, 2006
20. Upstart Casualties (Getzschman) - October 4, 2006
19. Troubling (Getzschman) - Sept 27, 2006
18. Tales of Woe (Getzschman/Getzschman/Booth) - Sept 20, 2006
17. Manual Labor Pains (Getzschman) - Sept 13, 2006
16. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight (Gibbard/Tamborello) - September 6, 2006
15. Postmodern Burlesque Review (Getzschman) - August 30, 2006
14. Neverending Love Affair (Getzschman) - August 23, 2006
13. Living On Credit (Getzschman) - August 16, 2006
12. Broke As A Muhfuh (Getzschman) - August 9, 20006
11. Josie (Becker/Fagan) - August 2, 2006
10. Cold Day at the Races (Getzschman) - July 26, 2006
9. Calaveras (Getzschman) - July 19, 2006
8. Narcissist Blues (Getzschman) - July 12, 2006
7. Advice to a Young Jedi (Getzschman) - July 5, 2006
6. God Only Knows (Wilson/Asher) - June 28, 2006
5. Miracle Hubcap (Getzschman) - June 21, 2006
4. A Paycheck Is All I Ask (Getzschman) - June 14, 2006
3. Halfway (Getzschman) - June 7, 2006
2. Summer Crazy (Getzschman) - May 31, 2006
1. Sunday Street (Van Ronk) - May 26, 2006

Hear ye!

Dig a new song on the Indie Roots profile page, and all ye with ears to listen:

grazi to Pocheco for the design!

Our response to "DC is not a state"

The Bush administration intends to veto the House bill which would give DC citizens a vote in the house. To that, we say



grazi to Pocheco for the design!

Les Naturally 7 Dans Le Métro

This performance is great, particularly because the song is relevant again due to it being prominently featured in Grand Theft Auto "Vice City Stories". I'm pretty sure that's what Naturally 7 were thinking when they arranged it for the subway...

Concert sauvage dans le métro !

MySpams is the place to be.

Has anyone else noticed that the actual user base of MySpace has become almost exclusively spammers? It's gotten to the point that whenever I get a message, comment or friend request, I think, "Oh, a new porncam profile" or "hey, another iPhone hoax" or maybe "wow, a 48-point font rejoinder to see who is spying on my profile."

Perhaps it's not amazing that I'm more conditioned to expect spam than glad tidings from good fellows. With every new communication technology, there's a moment of celebration, followed by back to status quo, which is not bothering.

Even Alexander Graham Bell, who invented the telephone, made a rash of calls to friends and family with his latest innovation before realizing the conversation was lacking and resumed quietly rocking the latest dixieland burner on his phonograph.

At this *very* moment, I can jump on IM, text message, MySpace comments, blog comments, any of five email addresses, Skype, cell phone, hard-wired "telephone", send a package or kindly missive via postal service, or tie a love note to a passenger pigeon to exchange thoughts and sentiments with my peoples. But I usually don't.

It's not that I don't stay in touch, I do. I usually just let communication ferment until the expiration date is just past. Then I smell the missive, and if it doesn't have that aura of sour milk, I reply with laurels and tardy apologies. And for this standard of last-possible-ever communiqu.., I will be needing an iPhone.

It's all I want this year. It really is. While the Zune is crazy tempting in that obsolete-before-it-hits-the-shelves kind of way, I can forego it if it means attaining a device that offers communication the kind of ease of use one would expect from Apple or a generous dosage of ecstasy. Currently I have the choix de mob Moto Razr, which gave me great hope in its pursuit of elegant design. Turns out, I hate it. It is loaded with crippling Verizon software and responds like a sated feline in the afternoon sun. I'm eagerly anticipating introducing it to my tuckpointing hammer, which I will post on YouTube. (don't extend the cat metaphor to the hammer part)

The facts that a) all these spammers are phishing with iPhone promos and b) Apple doesn't seem to be stopping them, both cheapen the experience a little bit. And the fact that the iPhone won't improve the quality or quantity of my communications. But it will improve the experience with which I grudgingly communicate. And that makes it worthwhile.

This blog wasn't intended to be a paean for the iPhone, but rather, a torrent of zinging disrespect for the sad lot who friend me to check out my other site here. That's fine though. They seem to be doing just fine without my endorsement.

My brother scored an international picture of the year

My brother has a good story regarding his photo of Barack Obama that has garnered an Excellence award from Pictures of the Year International. The story is on his blog. Click on the link below to see POYi's official details.

http://www.poyi.org/64/18/ae01.php

F Posterity 43: "2010 Ain't What They Said It Would Be"

For the readers just yet, gonna make some changes before posting it to my profile:

2010 Ain't What They Said It Would Be

2010 ain't what they said it would be
The zero-sum utopian ideal
The anesthetic antiseptic
Blinding technologic ethic
Hypermodern futurist surreal

2010 ain't what they said it would be
The zero-sum dystopian ordeal
The latent core of Orwel hides
In freedom talk and somatized
Patriotic retail appeals

And all the futurists were wrong, cuz all the futurists were right
And for all the visionary flights, they were blinded

and 2010 ain't what they said it would be
the zero-sum utopian ideal
The kitchen of the future
Has still been the kitchen of the future for the last
Sixty-five thousand years

2010 ain't what they said it would be
the zero-sum dystopian ordeal
IED IUD IAEA DRM US UN EU
TK-421, can you feel?

And all the futurists were wrong, cuz all the futurists were right
And for all the visionary flights, they were blinded

2010 ain't what they said it would be
The zero-sum utopian ideal
Is locked in mortal combat with
the zero-sum dystopian
And this is just the future for the sake of future
Future for the sake of future for the sake future
For the sake of future, future for the sake of future ideals.

Download mp3s below by right-clicking on the links.

F Posterity, 2006
52. F Posterity (Getzschman) - May 16, 2007
51. Crazy (Burton/Callaway/Reverberi/Reverberi) - May 9, 2007
50. Persistence of Regret (Getzschman/Ryan/Sahm) - May 2, 2007
49. Breakin' Plates (Getzschman/Ruthsatz) - April 26, 2007
48. Trio for Vocal, Metronome, Wurlitzer (Getzschman) - April 18, 2007
47. She Hates It When I'm Right (Getzschman) - April 11, 2007
46. Beat It (Jackson) - April 4, 2007
45. Mass Ave Strut (Getzschman) - March 28, 2007
44. Let's Fall Asleep Like This (Getzschman) - March 21, 2007
43. 2010 Ain't What They Said It Would Be (Getzschman) - March 14, 2007
42. Three Red Stars (Getzschman) - March 7, 2007
41. Birdhouse In Your Soul (Flansburgh/Linnell) - February 28, 2007
40. Everybody Thinks They're Self-Aware (Getzschman) - February 21, 2007
39. Hysterical Woman (Getzschman) - February 14, 2007
38. Hollaback Savior (Getzschman) - February 7, 2007
37. White Collar (old Philly dollar) (Getzschman) - January 31, 2007
36. Bottle of Blues (B. Hansen) - January 24, 2007
35. Ask Somebody (Getzschman) - January 17, 2007
34. All Time High Score (Getzschman) - January 10, 2007
33. Bury Me In My Jetpack (Getzschman) - January 3, 2007
32. Eggnogg Is The Liquor Of This Household (Getzschman) - December 27, 2006
31. Like Spinning Plates (T.Yorke/J.Greenwood) - December 20, 2006
30. Jack or Jesus (Getzschman/Peterson) - December 13, 2006
29. Runes (Getzschman) - December 6, 2006
28. We Leave Just Like We Come (Getzschman) - November 29, 2006
27. Shampoo! (Getzschman) - November 22, 2006
26. Tomorrow Is A Long Time (Dylan) - November 15, 2006
25. Was That Seriously Your Plan? (Getzschman) - November 8, 2006
24. Understated Explosions (Getzschman) - November 1, 2006
23. Everything Sounds Better On Vinyl (Getzschman) - October 25, 2006
22. Take Heart (Getzschman) - October 18, 2006
21. Pigs (L. Freese, S. Reyes, L. Muggerud) - October 11, 2006
20. Upstart Casualties (Getzschman) - October 4, 2006
19. Troubling (Getzschman) - Sept 27, 2006
18. Tales of Woe (Getzschman/Getzschman/Booth) - Sept 20, 2006
17. Manual Labor Pains (Getzschman) - Sept 13, 2006
16. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight (Gibbard/Tamborello) - September 6, 2006
15. Postmodern Burlesque Review (Getzschman) - August 30, 2006
14. Neverending Love Affair (Getzschman) - August 23, 2006
13. Living On Credit (Getzschman) - August 16, 2006
12. Broke As A Muhfuh (Getzschman) - August 9, 20006
11. Josie (Becker/Fagan) - August 2, 2006
10. Cold Day at the Races (Getzschman) - July 26, 2006
9. Calaveras (Getzschman) - July 19, 2006
8. Narcissist Blues (Getzschman) - July 12, 2006
7. Advice to a Young Jedi (Getzschman) - July 5, 2006
6. God Only Knows (Wilson/Asher) - June 28, 2006
5. Miracle Hubcap (Getzschman) - June 21, 2006
4. A Paycheck Is All I Ask (Getzschman) - June 14, 2006
3. Halfway (Getzschman) - June 7, 2006
2. Summer Crazy (Getzschman) - May 31, 2006
1. Sunday Street (Van Ronk) - May 26, 2006

F Posterity, issue 42: "Three Red Stars"

Here's a new song I've been trying to write for a long time, and the process has reminded me yet again of the need to stare at a blank page for a very long time, letting the essence of what you're trying to communicate distill into something reasonable to sing. The best songs are idea driven, because you have a specific destination you're seeking out, and you know when you're there. And when you're not.

This song is a specific anthem, which are usually pretty contrived, but the need for this expression has pushed me past self-conscious censorship. The concept of the tour I'm developing with some DC friends revolves around spreading the word that citizens of the District of Columbia don't have a vote in Congress. They haven't since 1801, when Congress stripped them of the right to vote in Maryland or Virginia.

This phenomenon is the most mind-blowing thing in American history. It really belies the fact that politics drive this nation -- because no politician can stand by stripping tax-paying, military-serving, law-abiding citizens of their fundamental right to vote. Most unbelievably, DC citizens couldn't vote for president until 1960! Only because Nikita Khrushchev criticized it did we hasten to rectify that matter in an anti-communistic flurry. Until then, DC citizens called election day "humiliation day." Really, it still is, and should be for all of America, because we know that our democracy is a hoax when people who live in Washington, DC don't have a Congressman or Senator.

I was dying to lay some drums and bass on this, but I don't have time at this point. I'm looking forward to filling it out with the band. Until then, here's a demo for an anthem.

For those that don't know, the image (less the ?) is the District of Columbia flag.

Three Red Stars

Three red stars over two red bars
Over ten square miles on the map
Seats of power lined up on a manufactured diamond
And the pressure of all time to make them crack

This place ails like a poker tell
Like a cautionary tale or joke
Destiny is manifest so how have all these hypocrites
Drawn salary, professed and left it broke?

These three red stars over two red bars
Are the only marks we have to call it ours

It's been two centuries, you have to think eventually
We'd bid this legal peasantry farewell
'Cause there's no argument against what they called self-evident
But evidently they meant someplace else

These three red stars over two red bars
Are the only marks we have to call it ours

The District of Columbia, with a distant roll of thunder
Resistance crumbles under you, but you can't fix yourself

So ink it into your virgin skin
To mark what's been and what's not
I'm not one to castigate, but this one has to take the cake
'Cause we haven't had a vote to buy or break or rock

And these three red stars over two red bars
Are the only marks we have to call it ours

The District of Columbia, with a distant roll of thunder
Resistance crumbles under you, but you can't fix yourself

Download mp3s below by right-clicking on the links.

F Posterity, 2006
52. F Posterity (Getzschman) - May 16, 2007
51. Crazy (Burton/Callaway/Reverberi/Reverberi) - May 9, 2007
50. Persistence of Regret (Getzschman/Ryan/Sahm) - May 2, 2007
49. Breakin' Plates (Getzschman/Ruthsatz) - April 26, 2007
48. Trio for Vocal, Metronome, Wurlitzer (Getzschman) - April 18, 2007
47. She Hates It When I'm Right (Getzschman) - April 11, 2007
46. Beat It (Jackson) - April 4, 2007
45. Mass Ave Strut (Getzschman) - March 28, 2007
44. Let's Fall Asleep Like This (Getzschman) - March 21, 2007
43. 2010 Ain't What They Said It Would Be (Getzschman) - March 14, 2007
42. Three Red Stars (Getzschman) - March 7, 2007
41. Birdhouse In Your Soul (Flansburgh/Linnell) - February 28, 2007
40. Everybody Thinks They're Self-Aware (Getzschman) - February 21, 2007
39. Hysterical Woman (Getzschman) - February 14, 2007
38. Hollaback Savior (Getzschman) - February 7, 2007
37. White Collar (old Philly dollar) (Getzschman) - January 31, 2007
36. Bottle of Blues (B. Hansen) - January 24, 2007
35. Ask Somebody (Getzschman) - January 17, 2007
34. All Time High Score (Getzschman) - January 10, 2007
33. Bury Me In My Jetpack (Getzschman) - January 3, 2007
32. Eggnogg Is The Liquor Of This Household (Getzschman) - December 27, 2006
31. Like Spinning Plates (T.Yorke/J.Greenwood) - December 20, 2006
30. Jack or Jesus (Getzschman/Peterson) - December 13, 2006
29. Runes (Getzschman) - December 6, 2006
28. We Leave Just Like We Come (Getzschman) - November 29, 2006
27. Shampoo! (Getzschman) - November 22, 2006
26. Tomorrow Is A Long Time (Dylan) - November 15, 2006
25. Was That Seriously Your Plan? (Getzschman) - November 8, 2006
24. Understated Explosions (Getzschman) - November 1, 2006
23. Everything Sounds Better On Vinyl (Getzschman) - October 25, 2006
22. Take Heart (Getzschman) - October 18, 2006
21. Pigs (L. Freese, S. Reyes, L. Muggerud) - October 11, 2006
20. Upstart Casualties (Getzschman) - October 4, 2006
19. Troubling (Getzschman) - Sept 27, 2006
18. Tales of Woe (Getzschman/Getzschman/Booth) - Sept 20, 2006
17. Manual Labor Pains (Getzschman) - Sept 13, 2006
16. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight (Gibbard/Tamborello) - September 6, 2006
15. Postmodern Burlesque Review (Getzschman) - August 30, 2006
14. Neverending Love Affair (Getzschman) - August 23, 2006
13. Living On Credit (Getzschman) - August 16, 2006
12. Broke As A Muhfuh (Getzschman) - August 9, 20006
11. Josie (Becker/Fagan) - August 2, 2006
10. Cold Day at the Races (Getzschman) - July 26, 2006
9. Calaveras (Getzschman) - July 19, 2006
8. Narcissist Blues (Getzschman) - July 12, 2006
7. Advice to a Young Jedi (Getzschman) - July 5, 2006
6. God Only Knows (Wilson/Asher) - June 28, 2006
5. Miracle Hubcap (Getzschman) - June 21, 2006
4. A Paycheck Is All I Ask (Getzschman) - June 14, 2006
3. Halfway (Getzschman) - June 7, 2006
2. Summer Crazy (Getzschman) - May 31, 2006
1. Sunday Street (Van Ronk) - May 26, 2006

Hey MySpace narcissist!

The Christian Science Monitor called you out today, in Has Generation Y overdosed on self-esteem?:

The "all about me" shift means much more than lots of traffic at self-revelatory websites such as YouTube and Facebook. It points, says the study's author, to a generation's lack of empathy, its inability to form relationships – and worse ...

For some, the study validates their suspicions of educational and parenting techniques that put undue emphasis on the positive: tot-level self-esteem boosterism, luxury-as-necessity entitlement, and what one calls "instant fame-ification ...

... feeling good about oneself without demonstrating competence, he adds, does lead to narcissism.

Damn those tot-level self-esteem boosters. I knew it would come to a generation of virtual mirror gazers and instant celebritites when they could say nothing but "Good job!!!!" to their tots.

Is narcissism a new thing? The eponym comes from a classical Grecian prettyboy, so it's been around awhile, and all the holy books specifically reference social networking. The Koran says, "surely Allah does not love any self-conceited boaster on Facebook" (Luqman 31:18), the Bible says "In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a MySpace fool" (NIV, 2 Corinthians 11:17), and the Bhagavad-Gita says, "Shameful and vain. Existing for himself, Self-concentrated, serving self alone, No part hath he in aught; nothing achieved, ever gazing at his own Friendster profile pics" (Chapter III, 56).

Has it been a generational thing before? Consider the timeless prose of Kraftwerk from 1977, back when Generation Y were being conceived: "The young man stepped into the hall of mirrors / Where he discovered a reflection of himself / Even the greatest stars / Discover themselves in the looking glass ... We are showroom dummies". Right?! "Trans Europe Express ... Trans Europe Express ..." I think that's relevant, but I'm thrown off by their unwitting parody of German philosophy.

While online tools have given the anyman an edge in the pursuit of self, a quick survey of history's rulers confirms the long, winding chain of tot-level self-esteem boosters. King David, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Attila the Hun, Napoleon, Hitler — good or bad, I think they were all enabled by a parent who told them they were capable of anything. Narcissism is certainly a driving factor, but it's a free moral agent, guided by the principles of its carrier.

I've come to wonder if even art and love amount to narcissism. With art, we produce essentially a graphic profile of ourselves and our thoughts for all to see ... throughout history. More of ourselves to admire throughout the centuries. In the case of love, we search endlessly for what? Someone who thinks, loves, and appreciates just like we do. We want a mirror in a partner. What the Bleep Do We Know? pointed out the irony of falling in love with someone else: we're falling in love with ourselves — which we see in that other person.

The real question is, should we be concerned at the toxic levels of self-love brewing on social networking sites? I don't think so. It says in Proverbs, "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control" (NIV 25:28). But my profile pics are pretty good, and as of today my profile has had 18851 views. I see no downside to this equation. Wait, what were we talking about?

Oh yeah, Kraftwerk. They were so awesome. "Endless endless ..."