In the hustle and bustle of the big city that is Toronto, alot of people get caught up in the mindless, materialistic trends that consume most North American scenes. As time goes on people unknowingly support things that carry messages that corrupt our minds and the very things we believe in as artists and youth.

Like auto-tune, undercuts & straight-leg pants. The mainstream corrupts and hijacks any movement with positive values and turns them into a dull, played out faux pas.

The basic problem is that we are living in a virtual reality, we are living in a totally controlled environment, an environment that is being manipulated by mass media. Many people, especially young people accept without question that is presented by the mainstream. Popular culture, movies, television , music carry messages about how society works and how society should behave, so entertainment is not value free. It has ideological content, it presents a world view which influences the people targeted by the programing.

There is a reason why television networks and the music industry, which are made up of various companies. They have programing departments. The programing that we are constantly assaulted by throughout our lives conditions us, it programs us to a particular world view. Now we may consider it normal, because we were born into this system of lies and deception. In fact, deception has become apart of the social frame work of society, and because we were born into this situation and our parents were born into it, we don’t know any better. So, we don’t really necessarily see things as they really are, we see things as we are.

There are only a few primary means by which people are manipulated and controlled. One is very simple and very basic and that is simply the control of information. If we don’t have all of the facts about any particular topic, then our judgement is going to be no better then the quality of the information handed down.

In spite of the fact that we have an information overload, through all the information that is out on the Internet and other various sources, we have to have the presence of mind to evaluate the information that we have available. It is a simple matter of having to dig through and determine what’s true, what are the lies, the misinformation, ect. All under the one heading ‘information control’ where there has been a long held consolidation of ownership of the different medias, press, publishing, film, music and television. Consolidated ownership which puts power into the hands of very few people at the top. Today there are half a dozen multi-national corporations that are controlling the information and entertainment choices that people have.

As many people working within the media will tell you , it’s easy to see how simple it is to change the meaning of something through simple editing. Many people are very well aware of plastic and mold-able media reality. However, alot of people don’t understand the extent that we are all manipulated and controlled by the media, including the people who work in it.

Using the television as a prime example of how manipulation and mental programing works, television is the most powerful weapon of psychological war fare in history. Yet, for many people the television is a member of the family in the household. In fact, in many cases it is the primary member, it runs the household. Not only that, but it’s the primary source of information, and the television in effect represents an alter, a religious alter that the nation is worshiping.

Many people don’t understand what effects them subconsciously because they don’t know what to look for until someone comes around and starts pointing these things out for them and then they can see how we are all influenced by unseen forces without our conscious awareness.

The ultimate control is to control people without their conscious awareness. Television is a prime example.
Think back to whenever you have seen young children, or older adults sitting watching television, they have this glassy eyed vacant look in their eyes. They are in a trance state, a hypnotic state of mind. This is very important, very significant. That the television, has the capacity to do this and it doesn’t matter what you’re watching. The flickering effect of the television image, although it appears to be static and stationary, it is actually flickering. We don’t see this consciously, but subconsciously the repeating visual pattern of the flickering, induces the hypnotic state of mind.

This is the foundation, or platform for what is known as the culture creation business.

So what can people do to fight back ? What can the people with no thoughtful ammunition do ? For the people who don’t have any type of history being on the inside of the entertainment business, ect. What can they do ? Well alot of people don’t have the answers, but can identify the plan of action.

Rappers turning into robots, blending, de-humanizing the public with mainstream top 40 music and their favorite production tool ‘auto-tune.’ Taking a human voice and make it sound like a machine. While humanizing machines with iPod’s and movies like Transformers, ect. It is a dialectic that is going to end up in a synthesis among pop culture.

The future society.

The entertainment business is completely fraternal, if you look at famous rappers and their hand signals they throw up. They are paying homage to their frat. It’s that simple.

So how do we fight back ? How do we use their own tricks against them ? It’s very simple. Media with positive undertones. With true intention and drive to keep the cultural power with the people, not the establishment.

Remember that the first order of business as a propagandist or an advertiser, is to create the circumstances that will induce the state of mind that is favorable to the reception of the message. This makes all aspect of art a very important part of this entire process, making a unified mindset across the population.

Have you ever bought something and later on wondered why did you buy it ? This is something we have all experienced, quite a few times. This is a common everyday illustration of being triggered to make a purchase based on a conditioned response that has been built into us to have a preference to a particular product.

Now in fact that is the whole purpose of programing, whether it be by an advertiser or a propagandist. There’s really no difference between the two, one is selling products and the other is selling ideas. The whole point is to build into us. A conditioned response where we will respond automatically, without thinking, to a preference or particular idea, product or lifestyle.

Underground artists are popping up everywhere, all around the world creating ways to induce a positive conditioned response, using REAL TRUTH and speaking out on issues in and around our countries and cities.

One truth seeking artist worth mentioning goes by the hold ‘Peter Franco.’ Ironically inspired by Law & Order, Willis Ansong’s alias is actually more of an expression of the life that he wanted to lead.

For Ansong, “Peter Franco” became representative of an idea, a lifestyle, and a means of real artistic expression. PFS’ designs use bold imagery, created with the intention of being art rather than just being provocative to garner attention.

Ansong says. The shirts have been created in collaboration with artists (Wesley Lyn designed the “Voyeurism” and “Nude Model” tees, and Taya Cornett designed the “Thriller” tee), and are rooted in what Ansong magniloquently describes as a “racy, sassy manner” or an “inspiring, decadent, flossy manner.”

The Thriller tee is an example of “giving you pop culture and slapping it back to you on your face.” Although each design conveys a different message, Ansong hopes that all of the tees promote an over-arching feeling and idea. To him, PFS intersects high and low culture; it’s “modern, regal, nouveau avant-garde—an always polished look whether it’s on a rebellion tip, a decadence tip; whether it’s grunge [or] grime.”

As the collection expands, Ansong intends to draw on the TRUE and REAL colours, creeds, and ideologies in Toronto for inspiration.

Founded in 2006 in Toronto, Peter Franco Sneakers or simply “PFS” is an idea platform to host dreams and ambitions. The work is presented in Literature, Photography, Music, Spoken Word, Clothing and soon to come Accessories.

Fueled by an effortless contemplation provided by a trek through pavement cracks metropolis lights and big city dreams, stood a idea. It was to create a new fiction. Brought to you by the bravado, sophistication and high of ones views plays a film strip of rebellious reason. This is a brainstorm broadcasted to you in different frequencies. Welcome to the republic, stereo and lifestyle of Peter Franco Sneakers. Supporters and new friends are welcome this pimp walk. Time to fight back in style. (with love)