UNITED INDEPENDENT MIND

Once in a while out of the followers of the written word of society arises one that rebels and thinks differently.  Alternative journalism has taken a collective stance to represent that individual and be the voice in the half of the oppressed, depressed, and repressed.  The alternative voice is guided by consciousness, not merely by the law or definitions of what others perceive as embedded in concrete.  The united independent mind of journalism represents new thought, and the half that is left untold within the media.  I have evolved from ADD and a rebellious nature myself and was considered most of my life as lazy or unfocused.  The truth was I wasn’t interested in what was considered mainstream of which often demoted independent thought and advocated conservative boundaries and regulations.  I crossed the boundaries and cut the ropes and learned that I wasn’t lazy or unfocused but I was living under others expectations.  I established my own code of morals and conduct that align with individual freedom of speech, thought and life.  

As a kid I was deeply involved with music and grew up in California surfing, and skateboarding.  I moved to Utah when I was 9, and resorted to snowboarding and wakeboarding.  I mention this because I believe counter culture, along with other influences have greatly sharpened and opened my mind to thrive in the field of imagination and innovative thought.  As I grew older, I desired to travel and was able to finance my way to live in the Middle East, Northern Africa, The Alps, Caribbean, and Hawaiian Islands, Central America and South America.  During my adventures, I sampled distinct cultural customs and ways of life.  After graduation from the University of Utah with a B.A. in Spanish Literature, I received a scholarship to Hawaii Pacific University for their MBA program.  I learned from business ethics and philosophy, but struggled to feel right about my career decision.  I didn’t want to fall into the cracks of Corporate America.  

My experience and association with sky larkers, drifters, dregs of society, mentally unbalanced, and humble people from all walks of life aided in my understanding that as humans we share similar emotions, thoughts and the basic needs of life.  The issues of, for example, the Palestinian and Israeli political unrest is a complication of thousands of years.  It is important to reset thoughts, see the whole picture, release pre-judgments, re-define, question opposing viewpoints, and recognize that we are predisposed to being ethnocentric and biased.  Reality isn’t just one’s surrounding or national setting, reality is international as it is also historical, current and up in coming…

*United Independent Mind*2006

Day Dreams, Inc. 2002

Under the above name flow many different ideas from the voice of counter culture, experience, every day observations, and psychology.  D.D.I. focuses on conscientiousness, consumer awareness, business ethics, creativity, the questioning of authority, and the flaunting the stupidity of pop culture, model and actor worship.

I’m interested in working for today’s artistic society.  I come from a business oriented family and a conservative community in Salt Lake City, Utah.  I was an 8th grade special education teacher in Atlanta, Georgia for a year.  My students ranged from ADD, ADHD, to emotional and mentally challenged children.  In that position, I discovered, no matter the I.Q. these youth were very strong in vision and creativity.  I also observed their following and idolization of MTV, tabloids and what’s on TV.  I was raised amongst similar adversity and in hind sight recognize those blinding influences.  The positives in my growing up were skateboarding, snow and wake boarding, really most sports, traveling abroad and positive music and education.  I mention this because I believe it has sharpened and opened my mind to open the doors to a new type of entertainment and creativity.

It’s time to write our own book and take an artistic stand against the lack of creativity going on television and the radio.  The following paragraphs were written in hope of inspiring viewers, and listeners to move in an independent direction breaking trough today’s pop society.  Today’s creative society is being drained by franchises and cooperate brainwashing and bullshit reality TV.  It’s the plastic ages.  What happened to the blues, funk, and roots classics?  Isn’t anyone sick of pop culture?  Psychology and sociology would always be a major point with in the program along with the wrongs of the system and the rules, restrictions, diets, and self-righteousness.  All leftist, anti, pro and right extremists would be categorized as the same kind, just different latitudes.  

Nonetheless, the mockery of game show host, talk shows, plastic surgery, and $ driven mad society, there would also be positive a positive message of consumer awareness, business ethics and the importance to think for oneself.  The show, all together would grow and branch out new dimensions to TV and radio.  Pop-culture rules the TV world; which leaves open an untouched market for different ideas that would capture a different group of viewers.  The still to be invented show would expose or question why advertisement uses sex, money and popularity to magnet the youth towards consumption and would go the extra mile to attack such followings.  It would additionally open new doors to what is considered underground for writers, singers and all creative artist/  Television/Internet/radio (the news is repetitive and one sided), news (show other side of stories) Also include mock talk shows and radio advertisements along with creative music choices similar to volunteer radio but more firebrand and outspoken, as to what Peter Tosh and Dee Jay Free-I were in process of accomplishing before they were violently murdered…

Travis Swaner

(801) 884-7475

travisswaner@yahoo.com