Progress at Gunpoint

Words of Rebellion: The Collected Writings of J. Francis

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Progress at Gunpoint

(date unknown)

They’ll tell you slow progress is still progress, but that’s the language of the comfortable. The system counts on your patience—it thrives on it. But change doesn’t wait politely in line. It kicks the damn door down. If you’ve got something to say, say it loud. If you want to move, move like you mean it. The world doesn’t change by degrees—it burns, it breaks, it howls its way forward.

- J. Francis

On Floating, and Sinking

Words of Rebellion: The Collected Writings of J. Francis

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On Floating, and Sinking

August 11th, 1944

You think when you’re floating, you’ve escaped. But floating is just sinking in denial. It’s the illusion of safety while your legs go numb.

I remember the feeling of holding onto the hull—smoke rising, saltwater mixing with diesel, and my crew’s voices fading one by one. We weren’t brave. We were reduced.

We sank in parts: first the mission, then the myth, then the belief that any of it had meaning. Floating just meant we hadn’t gone under yet.

When they pulled us out, they gave us medals. But none of us had names for what we lost.

- J. Francis

Head Apart

MAILING TRANSFERRAL
April 12, 2025
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BARKER - Pinstriped Bikinis 02 (White) (3x5 wood postcard)

Riot Free

 MAILING TRANSFERRAL

April 10, 2025
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BARKER - Pinstriped Bikinis 01 (Red Stripes) (3x5 wood postcard)

Golf Pencils (Plurality)

The purity of the output rests inherently within the authenticity and sincerity of its intention, rendering its form sacred and untarnished in essence. Thus, even if the manifestation appears distorted or malformed—owing to the constraints imposed by temporal limitations and spatial displacements—its intrinsic purity remains untainted. The genuine intent behind the creation ensures that the output, irrespective of external imperfections or deviations, resonates with an inherent truthfulness, transcending the superficial realm of perfect formality into the profound and enigmatic depths of artistic sincerity.

This philosophical paradigm reflects closely upon the nature of the human eye, an imperfect yet profound instrument through which reality is interpreted. The eye, subject to biological limitations and perceptual distortions, nonetheless remains a sacred vessel of truthful intent—an imperfect yet genuine translator of the external world into the internal realm of understanding.

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LYNCH CONNECTION — This notion finds resonance in David Lynch's "Fire Walk With Me," particularly the cryptic airport scene involving the Blue Rose dancing girl clue. In Lynch’s cinematic lexicon, the Blue Rose symbolizes the mysterious intersection of reality and illusion, purity and corruption, intention and misinterpretation. The scene, distorted through layers of symbolic dislocation and temporal ambiguity, embodies precisely the interplay between authentic intention and perceptual malformation. It underscores the essential purity hidden within apparent confusion, pointing toward a deeper truth accessible only through artistic sincerity and esoteric perception.

The J. Francis/Kubrick Correspondences - 12.12.1957

J. Francis to Kubrick

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December 12, 1957

Stanley—

Sent the piece this morning—pages still stained from the Pacific. I never rewrote it. That feels like the honest way to let it live. 

Let me know if it says anything to you now, or if it just drifts.

—J.

The J. Francis/Kubrick Correspondences - 10.03.1957

Kubrick to J. Francis

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October 3, 1957

Francis,

The image of smiling to protect others stayed with me. 

I’ve started reading Vonnegut and Ballard again—authors who write the fracture line instead of the story.

I’d very much like to read that original piece on “floating” if you’re willing to share it.

Sincerely,
Stanley

The J. Francis/Kubrick Correspondences - 08.06.1957

J. Francis to Kubrick 

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August 6, 1957

Stanley—

“Floating” is what command does to memory. You numb to survive. You smile to protect others. Eventually, you forget the difference between pretending and belief.

If you're interested, I’ll send you the original piece where I tried to make sense of it—it's rough, but maybe you'll find something useful.

I’m working on new pieces. If I finish them before the world finishes me, I’ll send them.

—J.

The J. Francis/Kubrick Correspondences - 03.28.1957

Kubrick to J. Francis

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March 28, 1957

Francis,

Your letter meant more to me than any critic’s praise. Most war films use uniforms as props. You seem to know better.

Tell me more about “the floating.” That line stuck with me like shrapnel.

Sincerely,
Stanley