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2.0 out of 5 stars
parasitic cultural criticism, December 13, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: gasstationthoughts and The Daily Journal Of Wheeler Antabanez (Paperback)
In Gasstationthoughts, "author" Matt Kent adopts the writing style of a self-obsessed, sexually repressed, 20-something year old pervert committed to arousing the interest, and hence fanatical praise, of pubescent teenagers and disgruntled "adults" who have neither the intelligence nor patience to read works by this century's most notable and accomplished transgressive social critics and philosophers such as Bataille, Nietszche, and deSade. What does set Kent apart from others who share his discursive opinions on the nature of the individual's participation within a larger social community, is that he actually took the time to carefully pen down all of his random thoughts and to even create a website to further continue his self-grandizing.
Ironically, Kent wrote Wheeler Antabanez's "memoirs" while pumping gas at a local service station. From a literary perspective, the metaphor of the gas-station suits the contradictory nature of Kent's preoccupations with capitalism, religion, and democracy incredibly well and is perhaps the only aspect of his text worthy of thoughtful analysis. Yet, it is Kent's premeditated effort to pass the uneventful hours at his job writing anti-social monologues that is also most disturbing, as these ramblings clearly reflect Kent's conscious recognition of how easy it is to try and financially monopolize upon a specific demographic of readers who will eat up his verbal diarrhea as if it were the full-course meal that middle-American families regularly feed to their overstuffed, over-comforted, and under-educated teenagers.
In an historical period where the value of a liberal education in the humanities is no longer emphasized or appreciated, Kent exists as a representative for a generation of self- educated "students" who are incapable of effectively interpreting what they see around them except from within the confines of their severely limited intellectual and real-life experiences. Lacking exposure to ideas that have shaped our Western epistemological foundations, these "students" of pop-culture go about analyzing and expounding their thoughts on a world they know little about, except from what they gather in abbreviated format from newspapers, television and on the internet.
They, unlike the social transgressors of old, prefer to sit safely behind the computers their parents have purchased for them and pretend as if they have the power to inspire and lead a revolt. Yet, they are an embarrassment to the idea of true revolution, for they do not possess the intellectual tools by which to conceive of an alternate reality that they would prefer to the one they lobby against. Instead, they collect their paychecks from the powers that be, while cursing under their breath how everyone should be annihilated (except for themselves of course). As a result, Kent's ramblings are indicative of everything that a democratic nation produces in its dung heap of excess.
However, despite Gasstationthoughts mediocrity as a literary work, Kent (who never graduated from high school) exhibits an uncanny love, and even an occasional ear, for the potential power and beauty of the written word that is commendable for someone from his background. Had or should Kent come to the realization that all of his cultural criticism has been a waste of good brain power, he could potentially produce something of quality. Perhaps this work will not celebrate the hallmark accomplishments of mankind, but it may help to raise social awareness as to our country's structural and cultural shortcomings. Until that time, be looking for Gasstationthoughts in your local library's recycling bin after someone has mistaken it for scrap paper.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
If you Like This Book..., August 26, 2008
This review is from: gasstationthoughts and The Daily Journal Of Wheeler Antabanez (Paperback)
If you like Matt Kent's work, see the Weird New Jersey special issue recently released called "Nightshade on the Passaic." It is written by this same author and gives insight into abndoned structures and other features found along the banks of the Passaic River in New Jersey. [...]
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Memories..., September 30, 2004
This review is from: gasstationthoughts and The Daily Journal Of Wheeler Antabanez (Paperback)
I read this book when it first came out, a long, long time ago- in fact, I read most of it on the site before I read it in its book form, being that the name of the site had been spraypainted on the walls of the sanitarium in which I'd spent a good portion of my time before I moved.
The book does, indeed, provide good insight into the mind of a teenager outside of the mainstream subcultures. Although I wouldn't suggest taking the book as a whole and turning it into your personal philosophy, Matt makes a few good points about life in his writings.
Regardless of your views, I suggest reading this book. If it doesn't change your way of thinking, it will at least help you to understand the thoughts that go through the minds of us teenagers from time to time. ^.^
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