Just for something new I thought I would introduce the forum to a bloke named Spanian.

He certainly will get a few noses out of joint and if you are offended by high level swearing including the frequent use of the 'c' word perhaps you might want to give him a miss. However as a commentary on Australian themes such as culture, drugs, crime, capitalism, redemption amongst other things, his life and the stories and the perspective he delivers make for interesting viewing.

An example would be his “Hood Logic” piece on crime and drugs.
http://youtu.be/DQoI_jKv_BI

To give an idea of his youth this is his School Siege story.
http://youtu.be/nyKDRfU6zy8

Talking about corrupt Sydney Cops
http://youtu.be/slI7kZG6NqI

This is one of his rap songs.
http://youtu.be/Q5di6YvSY6M

He afforded me a look into a side of Australian life that I had very little knowledge about and there is some pithy messages that come with it.

SteeleRedux,
A crystal clear example of plain wrong ! It's clear that he was led onto the wrong path & let loose by the "system" ! System=incompetent bureaucracy !
He sees other peoples' wrongs but not his own !

Hi Steele,

What an amazing story. Kicking a heroin habit I
imagine is no easy task. Yet this guy has gone
"cold turkey" on all substance abuse by the
sound of it. And not only that - he's influencing
others to do the same. Kudos to him. Well done!
Cases like his are rare - it seems that his time
in jail was well spent. Changed his life - and
hopefully he'll be able to influence others in
doing the same thing.

Dear individual,

I think he is well aware of his wrongs but is calling out those who would judge those who have chosen a life of crime. He is also calling out the system. Financial advisers thieving off our elderly or payday lenders preying on our financially insecure might be examples. As he explains virtually everyone has a 'hustle'. While society might judge what is legally right or wrong he questions the underlying morality of those distinctions.

Dear Foxy,

I think it is a fair bit darker than that. The fact that he was able to get off drugs in his early 20s but go on to create a substantial dealing network throws up some interesting questions. The type of nihilism wound up in his take on life can be seen as an obvious result of the increasingly 'economic' drivers for our system of values.

To be good looking, healthy and own 'mad' things. That really sums up the economic rationalism that has infected our society through the think tanks behind the LNP. Spanian and others like him is a product of what they have sown. That dystopia is expressed through his songs.

This chap does a bit of a breakdown of Spanian's lyrics of the song Six. It misses a lot but will give you a bit of an idea. The name of the song is Six which repeated three times as he does gives us the mark of the beast. Through the song he references Mohammad, the Second Coming, the Apocalypse.

“The meek, the blessed
The dreams, the death
You breathe
You slip into the beast
The Six, the Six, the Six”

But also references consumerism.

“You talking heart
I am man
Down to my true fabric
You talking brands
I am Gant
Down to my two Asics”

I don't know but I think both Marx and Nietzsche would have found him interesting.

Sorry. Here is the link mentioned last post.

http://youtu.be/6JZc5As9HOA

Hi Steele,

A totally different world from mine and I have to
admit I find it difficult to fully understand what's
going on with Spanian.

I was raised to always look for the
positive in life and to believe that people are
basically good. Some of them just go astray.
I was taught to be responsible and that it's up
to you how you react to things.

Anyway, thanks for pointing out that there's much
more here than what I'm obviously seeing

Dear Foxy,

There is no doubt he is looking very much on the bright side of life just like you. However I'm not sure he is all that complex.

While he does sometimes take a Trump like approach to his rationialisations about his behaviour there is a sense he is a has a notably more robust moral compass. He is also capable of self reflection.

“To give ya a bit of an insight about myself ya know, and speaking to it to give myself a bit of insight ya know what I mean.”
http://youtu.be/GjtAVhaiO3g

In my opinion he is a concentrated version of a modern Australian male and perhaps given our convict past an earlier reflection too.

Does he claim Zenadth Kez heritage ? It's the accent that makes me think he is.

Dear individual,

I don't think so, more likely Lebanese I feel. In on of the linked videos he specifically told an Aboriginal Legal Aid lawyer he didn't qualify so ended up representing himself in a court case.

SteeleRedux,
Many years ago in a northern community a workmate was asked by some locals which 'Mob' he came from. When he told them he wasn't Aborigine, he was Maltese, the locals accused him of being ashamed of his Aboriginality & ended up belting him but he got a few good punches in also.

Dear Steele,

I guess I did not delve that deeply into this man's
persona but you are right. He is capable of self-
reflection and he does appear to have a moral compass.
People can surprise us at times.

Hi Steele,

I can't wait to read the Old Farts comments once they get a gob full of this bloke! He's everything they hate, their hearts are palpitating already! Come clean you put Spanian up for a sh!t-stir, am I not right? Under all that self justification the bloke speaks the truth of sorts.

Paul1405,
Your son ?

Never heard so much bulldust expelled in trying to rationalise his criminality, & they was in the first couple of minutes.

Yes Paul a total waste of space.

Nah Indy,

A prime candidate for your national service, maybe you could make him platoon leader. Truthfully my years of working in and around Redfern I didn't come across many like Spanian. It was in those days a mixed bag of social problems, alcohol, drugs and violence were not uncommon. I mainly worked in the field of emergency and/or housing relocation, mostly for older Australians, blokes like you Indy.

Had a odd experience up north in New Zealand once with members of the 'Mongrel Mob', blokes who would have Spanian for breakfast. We had just buried the sister-in-law and gone back to the house for the traditional blessing and touching with the minister and others, a ceremony to get rid of evil spirts. I'm out the front of the house on my own, when up come a car with 4 blokes who looked like extras from a Mad Max movie. In typical accent; :Ha bro what' go'en on?"..I explain about the deceased sister-in-law..."Ah! bro got any piss in there?"...I explain no, no alcohol, we are about to fire up the BBQ and have breakfast. I asked the gentlemen if they would like to join us for kai (a bite to eat) and a cup of tea, they declined, and with a "kia ora" I bid them farewell. My relos were beside themselves when I told them about the 4 fellas with tattooed faces and dressed in leathers. "Those Mongrel Mob could have killed you." I didn't know, and fortunately for me things worked out just fine.

A prime candidate for your national service
Paul1405,
He reminds of those pig shooters who claim they go out with dogs & knives because they want to get rid of the feral pests.
Nothing at all to do with mindless lust !