It is a masquerade of information: branded faces delivered over to the prostitution of the image, the image of an unintelligible distress. No images of the field of battle, but images of masks, of blind or defeated faces, images of falsification. --Jean Baudrillard, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place
A brief virtual struggle of images is over. Today we have a minority Conservative government. Four leaders are back in the House. A sweater-vest fought with poor stick-handling; another kind of strong took on the vote for tomorrow. Faces on television mouthed talking-points. Texts wrestled with other texts. Marks on ballots became speeches to the faithful.
Some images prevailed; others were erased. Canada had a conversation: sleepwalkers, passing each other on the cool sidewalks, exclaiming. Put comic balloons over their heads; write your own words in them.
There was no election. There was a blink, a flurry of movement, blurred screens.
The program resumes. We breathe again, and settle in to watch.
No comments:
Post a Comment