Human Society is defined as a group of people involved with each other through persistent relations subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. It is characterized by patterns of relationships between individuals who share a distinctive culture and institutions. Through the centuries of the development of civilization, the concept of society has ever been changing. Inventions revolutionized human way of life and with it came new definitions of political authority and dominant cultural expectations. At the dawn of the 19th century, the institution of monarchism, that is the Divine Right of Kings, was brought down by the rising power of capitalists and artisans of the Industrial Revolution, thus came the Age of Liberalism when the centre of power was taken from king to intelligentsia or the educated class. Yet the definition of “people” was still a question. Despite the term, the Age of Liberalism was marked by poor working conditions and exploitation in the factories. In the early 2oth century, a new institution challenged liberalism and swept across the world to wrest power from intelligentsia to the working class or labour. As liberals carved nations out of empires, the passion of nationalism resulted to the two most destructive wars in history.
In 1990, the walls of Berlin fell and marked a new era of globalization and hope for the final unity of humankind. But are we truly a single society? It has been said that the basic unit of the human polity is no longer the family but the individual. As such, even our so called nations and states are never truly one but a kaleidoscope of cultures and subcultures including those we perceive as ethnocentric.
Melbourne is a centre of ideas and creativity. Every wall of this old city has a piece of its own mind. They breathe and live. It is a kaleidoscope of subcultures with distinct patterns of words and institutions of their own. However, they speak a universal language of art and freedom of thought. Our endeavour is to seek out these societies and communicate them to our readers effectively.
Reporting live from the imperial courts of Melbourne. Welcome to the Melbourne Art and Underground Scene!
Best regards,
Josh Aviñante
The Editor
The Melbourne Art Scene 