#140 - Speaking Mess To Power
The phrase "speak truth to power" has a long history: Quakers, pacifists, Edward Said, and other users of the saying. My favorite variation thus far came in a recent conversation with a friend.
Culture Rover was praising a blog posting about gender, saying that it "spoke truth to power." After reading the blog, aforementioned friend responded: more like it "speaks mess to power."
I like this idea of "speaking mess to power." What other way is there to respond sometimes, but to make a mess in response to injustice and inequity or to the quandaries of power?
Articulateness, coherence, precision -- they're not the only effective ways of coping, analyzing, and trying to come to terms with the powers that be.
There is use, sometimes, not only in crying over spilled milk, but of spilling it in the first place.
14 January 2007