The little church of Perry Mason week 8 responce
People are often bound by their tradition and ritual. In this chapter Dave Hickey describes his television show ritual as a way to relate to modern day religion. “Watching Perry Mason re-runs has gradually come to signify my not having a day job, to function as a sacrament in the church of unemployment.” He goes on to describe how it has influenced other rituals in his life that have been his form of “Church;” The church of higher education, of difficult art, of the small business guy, to name a few. I like this idea. Examining are lives rituals as our places of worship. I think about modern day ritual being infused with pop culture and have mixed feelings. I think it is only natural for people to explore and look for some thing greater then them selves and it makes sense that one would find this in the society that surrounds them. I am also disgusted that Hickey’s “church” is a television show and this is the way he connects to the big transformations that occur in his life. Why could it not be a right of passage that excites his passions or a call to a higher power? I understand the signifiers that go into his choice of this particular program. Perry Mason trusts people; most likely Hickey references his father while viewing this character. Making this into his sacred ritual is something I want to question.
My questions are: How can one make meaningful ritual out of their everyday experience?
What is your daily “church?”
Margaritte Knezek
