The Luddite in the Corner

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A re gualr occurance in US folk culture is the story of a super human honest working man who is turfed out of his job by a machine; he fights the machine, wins but then keels over. I'm Talking Paul Bunyan, John Henry here.

What does it say about US culture, what is the message: 'The indomitable frontier spirit will win but is ultimately futile'; 'Work as hard as you like but you're useless anyway'; 'Stand aside for tha march of Progress'

Thought's please and any ore recent examples.

Oh and since the flavour of the day is facile sex threads:

TEHEHEHEHEHEE

But sertiously, I'd like to know.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 15 April 2004 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Because the 'frontier' also ends?

― suzy (suzy), Thursday, 15 April 2004 12:30 (twenty-two years ago)

It has a more oppressive sense than that. The futility of taking on 'the Man' and his progress.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 15 April 2004 12:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm trying to think if I know of any urban legends about people taking on computers, etc. But I can't think of any.

The closest I can think of is mentalist drummers who think they can out-do drum machines and go mental playing drill n bass. But they don't drop down dead, they go on to get signed and go on tour with Massive Attack or whoever it was. (I've heard this story about two different drummers.) So perhaps the myth has changed.

― Super-Kate (kate), Thursday, 15 April 2004 12:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Could this mythology equally be applied to British road protestors?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 15 April 2004 12:35 (twenty-two years ago)

No because road protestors are not being replaced by roads.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Thursday, 15 April 2004 12:44 (twenty-two years ago)

There's a certain celebration of this in US culture though.

Just looking for John Henry Lyrics I've turned up 15 different version of the song in 30seconds work.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 15 April 2004 12:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Remember in "Charly" (1968, Cliff Robertson, based on Flowers for Algernon) when he kept trying to beat the mouse at the maze? Remember?

― andy, Thursday, 15 April 2004 16:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Haha, I love those kinds of drummers! I wonder who toured with Massive Attack?

Look at JoJo Mayer, he was a relatively anonymous sounding jazz-fusion guy in the 80s/early 90s, and then he started using his chops for good playing hot fucking beats. Dave King and Jim Black too. They are modern folk heroes I guess.

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 15 April 2004 16:08 (twenty-two years ago)

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