What do newsgroup posters want? Answer: Unki
unki
From: Terry Wasserleben
<no_repl...@nowhere.youneed.toknow.net>
::1. unki is not exactly terrific at plot analyzations nor in
compassion
::2. unki is not exactly the woman any man in his right mind is
looking for
::3. unki is not exactly anything close to 'nice'
::4. unki is not exactly something of an intellectual
::5. unki is not exactly a man... or is she?
Unki Republic Info-bahn
Renegade USENET posters usually adopt the outlaw stance towards
newsgroups that Marlon Brando took in The Wild One: "What have you got?"
goes the famous answer, when asked what he was rebelling against. Even
determined ruffians like The Sex Pistols only seemed to be spewing a
charming but messy sort of anger with their God Save the Queen. It's the
rare fellow that takes as his mission sustained and pointed political
commentary - as does Unki, an artistically ambitious artist from the
Dublin, Ireland.
Soc.culture.irish documents the output of Uncle Arthur and the Unki
Republic (nee Eetal), an artistic collective dedicated to
investigating the connection between aesthetics and the totalitarian
state. Unki's shtick is talk like a fascist and a sexist, though he
espoused no political doctrine at all. As the motto of the Unki Republic
coldly announces "Life is dead, Humanity is dead, God is dead," Unki's
writing style contains echoes of a totalitarian aesthetic, as invented
by the famous Nazi propaganda film Triumph of the Will coupled with the
working class angst of Geoffrey Osborne's 'Don't Look Back in Anger'.
There's something really creepy and endearing about the image of Unki
Arthur. He is deadly serious about enacting totalitarian rituals and
exposing the complicity between aesthetics and the state. This may seem
a little fuzzy to typical newsgroup readers, who connect culture and
politics in only the most tangential way. But in Central Europe, where
the shadows of the Third Reich and dictatorships loom and where Unki
Arthur developed his theocratic/political doctrine of Confrontational
Irony, the connection, as Unki points out, is much more clear.
While totalitarian states have used art in the service of politics, Unki
points out that the Unki Republic (nee Eetal) uses politics in the
service of art. The propaganda broadcast on USENET involves exposing
something present but hidden. Unearthing the hidden
totalitarianism/censorship lurking in USENET administrators and FAQ's.
Unki's work has subtly and humor nonetheless. Uncle Arthur decided to
push the issue a step farther and actually declare himself a virtual
state-in-time Republic, with an embassy in Mayo, Ireland that issued
passports, all in the service of fulfilling their project of "designing"
a state. The Unki posting also chronicles the republic's interest in
resurrecting the modernist idea of the artistic collective. Uncle Arthur
is particularly fond of the Supremacist artist Kasimir Malevich, the
father of Abstraction.
The Unki Republic seems to have a flair for inventing challenging,
entertaining postings that an average newsgroup subscriber would
probably term "trolls". This is a self-consciously surface-level idea
that tends to get a little dense. The material itself is layered and
challenging, but ultimately, Unki's posting are a stylish, rewarding
documentary of modern social commentaries that presents an interesting
way of looking at the connections between art, culture and politics.
unki
NPDanahy
unki wrote:
[snipped most of The Unki Manefesto]
>
> The Unki Republic seems to have a flair for inventing challenging,
> entertaining postings that an average newsgroup subscriber would
> probably term "trolls". This is a self-consciously surface-level idea
> that tends to get a little dense. The material itself is layered and
> challenging, but ultimately, Unki's posting are a stylish, rewarding
> documentary of modern social commentaries that presents an interesting
> way of looking at the connections between art, culture and politics.
>
> unki
Amen, Hallelujah!
Greggers
NPDanahy <npda...@bestweb.net> wrote:
I bought into the Unkli ideological rollercoaster like a junkie looking
for shootable candy, I'm part of it body and soul. It's like
vegetarianism without the vegetables, it is the only ideology that makes
sense in West Belfast, "Violent pacifism" was an Unkli concept, his
thesis on non-sectarian alienation of the opposing tribal grouping is a
masterful polemic about disliking protestants without the downside of
being bigoted.
He is an amphetaminised shop window of ideas that are easy to grasp and
difficult to forget, it's almost Orangism for intelligent people but
without the drums. It's a wank without the friction burns. It's buggery
without the sore arse - it's the best deal in town.
Greggers
--
"It gets smaller sweetheart when it's cold, bigger when you do that"
Sheela
ta...@nildram.co.uk (Greggers) wrote:
>
>I bought into the Unkli ideological rollercoaster like a junkie looking
>for shootable candy, I'm part of it body and soul. It's like
>vegetarianism without the vegetables, it is the only ideology that makes
>sense in West Belfast, "Violent pacifism" was an Unkli concept, his
>thesis on non-sectarian alienation of the opposing tribal grouping is a
>masterful polemic about disliking protestants without the downside of
>being bigoted.
>
>He is an amphetaminised shop window of ideas that are easy to grasp and
>difficult to forget, it's almost Orangism for intelligent people but
>without the drums. It's a wank without the friction burns. It's buggery
>without the sore arse - it's the best deal in town.
>
>Greggers
That is enough would someone get this boy washed behind the ears and
in the house for his dinner? Greggers ya needs someone to slap ye a
big boy like you shouldna be so easily swayed and memberized as it
were I mean the leader of the army is one thing but the glassy eyed
stare. Soon you'll be wearing flannel flashing peace signs saying up
the unki republic it's all orange and green and a happy place to be.
You'll be inviting soldiers and protestant dogs to join. There is
danger about in the republic why just look around the enemies are
noticing you've gone flacid and you're smiling too much too.
_________________________________________________
"Respect to all who refuse to be mastered"
Seanchai 1997
ünki
Sheel...@christchurch.com (Sheela)
ta...@nildram.co.uk (Greggers) wrote:
>I bought into the Unkli ideological rollercoaster like a junkie looking
>for shootable candy, I'm part of it body and soul. It's like
>vegetarianism
:Greggers ya needs someone to slap ye a
:big boy like you shouldna be so easily swayed and memberized as it
:were I mean the leader of the army is one thing but the glassy eyed
:stare. Soon you'll be wearing flannel flashing peace signs saying up
:the unki republic it's all orange and green and a happy place to be.
He was wandering around the Imperial Palace the other night in a
terrible state. I took him down to the pub for a few pints to try and
cheer him up. But the drink only made him worse. Towards the end of the
night I started ordering glasses of brandy and he lost it completely. He
placed his arm around my shoulder and mumbling "you'll always be my
prince". I got pissed off after a while as the initial reason I went to
the pub was to see Chelsea beat Manchester United on Sky. In the end
Chelsea lost 5-3 and his sentimentality started to get on my tits.
But God love him all the same, he is the father and big brother I never
had and he has been always good at smuggling in prostitutes from Rawada.
--
unki
'No Sleep Till Ballymun'
Greggers
ünki <kfuz...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Unkli there are very few people on this NG I wouldn't like to get pig
drunk with, even that boring prat I've just killfiled as he's no doubt a
very nice person just outstandingly sanctimonious without entitlement
unlike yourself, there has been of course no serious challenge to your
sanctity.
I am putting together my post-American tour, that is taking a boat from
Wexford to Africa circa September, I might see you afore of course,
however if you are still in the Brit rocks off France maybe we can meet
in L'Orient or thereabouts.
Alice Cooper once said if you put a rat and a duck on Stage the rat is
gonna stand out. Well Unkli substitute bar, pub, hotel for stage and
think of me as your pet rat.
Your friend