#benjamin barber

[raisongardee]

"Les marchands modernes ne veulent pas non plus que Peter grandisse. Mais ce n’est pas pour préserver son innocence, ni pour le protéger du monde du commerce ; ils veulent faire de lui leur fidèle client, exploiter sa séparation d’avec sa mère et sa famille pour mettre la main sur lui, pour le pousser à acheter cet "amusement" auquel sa jeunesse, autrefois, lui donnait accès gratuitement. Envole-toi pour le Pays imaginaire, Peter, nous t’y attendons avec tout ce que le petit garçon en toi a toujours voulu – mais attention : tu devras l’acheter avec des dollars d’adultes. Ou achète-le, dans ce pays imaginaire perverti qu’a fabriqué la marque Michael Jackson, en vendant à la fois ta famille et ton innocence. Laisse tes parents derrière toi, mais surtout n'oublie pas d’emporter ton porte-monnaie et ton érotisme corrompu."

Benjamin Barber, Comment le capitalisme nous infantilise, trad. Lise et Paul Chemla, 2007.

[lewis-mumfords-ghost]

Where democracy in its classical form meant quite literally rule by the demos, by the plebes, by the people themselves, it now often seems to mean little more than elite rule sanctioned (through the device of representation) by the people. Competing elites vie for the support of a public, whose popular sovereignty is reduced to the pathetic right to participate in choosing the tyrant who will rule it.

Benjamin R. Barber

[davidpotash]

Thick Democracy: In and Out of the Light

We would be well served by reading, or re-reading, Benjamin Barber’s Strong Democracy: Participatory Politics for a New Age. Yes, it is not a recent publication. That said, it’s as relevant as ever, perhaps even more so today than it was when first published nearly four decades ago. Barber, who passed away in 2017, was a political scientist, a political theorist, and a scholar. He wrote…

[ashleyslorens]

[susandsnell]

A spooky season treat for the Sweeneyheads: an incredible audio of the first preview of the Final Scene of Sweeney Todd, featuring the massive, massive tearjerker that is Sweeney reprising Not While I'm Around to Lucy's body in the place of The Barber and His Wife. Lordy.

[finleyforevermore]

🌟CASTING MY MUTUALS IN: SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET!🌟

Side note: I cast based on if the character reminds me of the moot, or if I can see the moot playing the character! If you get cast as a bad guy, of course I don't think of you that way! The reason I casted you is the second reason, I can just see you in that role! Cool? Cool! Now grab your razors, and let's get to cutting!

For those who paid attention to my blog, you all saw this first one coming 😅:

Finley as Sweeney Todd and Zeep (@ziipzeepzop-eez) as Mrs. Lovett

Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for...me!: Sweeney is an actual dream role of mine! Not to mention it'd be a blast to get to play a not nice guy for 2 hours >:)

Reasons for Zeep: I wholeheartedly believe Zee has the comedic chops to play Lovett, and would absolutely sell the serious moments as well. In Zee we trust 😌

Mari (@heylittlestellbird) as Johanna

Maria Bilbao as Johanna in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Stella: Johanna is associated with birds. Who's got "bird" in their username? Mari! I rest my case! XD /silly

Atlas (@literatureisdying) as Anthony Hope

Jordan Fisher as Anthony in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Atlas: Anthony's number one character trait is yearning for Johanna. Atlas' number one trait is yearning for Auden. Simple! /silly

Mikey (@mushroom-hoodie) as The Beggar Woman

Ruthie Ann Miles as The Beggar Woman in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Mikey: Admittedly at first I had casted you as the Beggar Woman, because one, I just couldn't turn down your offer to be included, and two, I was struggling to think of skmeone else to cast you as but the more I thought about it the more I genuinely liked it! I think you'd do a really good job in this role! ^^

Frog (@ofthefrogs) as Tobias "Toby" Ragg

Joe Locke as Toby in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Froggy: I mean....just look at you and then look at Toby and tell me you don't look alike.

But also! Toby is a sweetheart! Froggy is also a sweetheart! I rest my case.

Ender (@ender-outlaw) as Adolfo Pirelli

Nicholas Christopher as Pirelli in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Ender: While you and Pirelli really couldn't be any more different, you're already a very charming person (Pirelli is in fact not that XD) and I think you'd have a great time playing him! Also, this is Tumblr! Who gives a hoot about gender? We can have a female Pirelli if we want!! >:D

Greaseball (@gb-diesellok) as Judge Turpin

Jamie Jackson as Turpin in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Greaseball: Just like Ender and Pirelli, you and Turpin really couldn't be any more different XD but your voice definitely fits comfortably into all of Turpin's vocal parts! ^^

Rook (@rook-specter) as Beadle Bamford

John Rapson as Bamford in the picture. (2023 Broadway)

Reasons for Crepuscule: Just like Ender and Pirelli AND Geebs and Turpin, you and Bamford aren't very much alike either! Who woulda guessed? XD

But I think your portrayal would be absolutely delightful and very funny (very much like his portrayal in the 2023 Broadway revival funnily enough)

And last, but most certainly not least..

What's a musical without it's Ensemble? :D

From left to right, we have:

@sandsmand, Troy (@the-fag-with-the-swag), Ash (@ripash), Wolf (@electricfied-wolf), Razzle (@whistlingstarlight), Ash (@idk-what-to-make-user), Charlie (@gently-decaying-flowers), Cal (@treasure-goblin), Amor (@nuncscioquidsitamor-14), Gabi (@splendidred05), Finn (@lordcatwich), & Eli (@theelispace)!

[little-lovett]

yes i’m fine sorry i was just zoning out but right before sweeney kills lucy he says “the judge… i have no time!” and mrs. lovett represents the virtue of patience in the show and she had sang a whole song telling him to wait and take things slow and relax and think through his decisions.

the thing that destroys everyone in this show is impatience. if anthony had waited before intruding on sweeney and the judge, if sweeney had stopped obsessing when and where and how he could kill the beadle and judge, if sweeney hadn’t felt suffocated by the crushing, endless force of time and looked his own little girl and his wife in the eye and really thought and reached into the soul that was still in him, sweeney todd wouldn’t be the tragedy that it is. human nature bitches human nature

[anthonysfingerlessgloves]

sweeney tweets, pt 1/?

[vinnystaysawake]

ATTEND THE TALE OF SWEENY TODD

[johannabarkerstan]

Maria Bilbao’s Johanna and Jordan Fisher’s Anthony are literally perfect I LOVE THEM. *starts sobbing violently*

[raisongardee]

"L’égoïsme ne se drape plus dans la religion : il est devenu religion. La cupidité n’est pas seulement bonne pour moi. Le nouvel éthos veut nous faire croire qu’elle est bonne en soi, et que c’est cela qui fait son attrait, pas l’avidité."

Benjamin Barber, Comment le capitalisme nous infantilise, trad. Lise et Paul Chemla, 2007.

[can-of-w0rmz]

“And she was beautiful, and she was virtuous, and he was nïave.”

More rough Sweeney Todd doodles

[nick-the-queer-artist]

normalize being co-dependent and evil

[agathasstrap]

heyyyy not sure if you've ever watched Sweeney Todd but can we have character icons?

Amelia Lovett, Sweeney Todd, Anthony Hope, Johanna Barker, & William Turpin — Icons

[madamephantom]

my contribution to the Sweeney Todd fandom

[cowboycannibalism]

ughhh people just don't dance around a room with a knife pressed to their partner's neck anymore