Like most musicians, I have a day job. I spend most my waking hours looking both half-busy and
half-asleep at a computer in an office with bad fluorescent yellow, eye-numbing lighting. And
like everyone else, I also am required to spend an inordinate amount of time with people I wouldn't
normally choose to associate with.... at all. Now, although I am basically your glass-is-half-empty
type of gal; am usually dubbed the anti-social, cynical, gothic-leaning sort; what's on my mind
these days is ultimately a direct cause of being forced, howling and wailing (perhaps kicking and
punching), to spend time with the likes of "regular folk".
At my core I am an observer. I like to watch other people; how they walk and talk and what they
choose to do. Nothing surprises me more when I notice time and time again at how people really
just don't seem to want to think. It seems to pervade all levels of human existence. After all
these years you'd think that it wouldn't surprise me, but it always does.
On one end is your basic harmless fun. Watching bad movies and dancing around the room listening to
NSYNC or Britney Spears. Stupid, perhaps, but there's probably still hope for you. Everyone needs
a mental break now and then.
Or do we?
There seems to be so much about current human existence that few ever care to question. Why is it
do you suppose, that both men and women in their 30's start getting enormously desperate and panicky
because they have not found "the one" who will instantly make their lives complete? Why are
there so many people not capable of spending time alone? Why do we seek companions out at all? Why
are we obsessed with our emotions and the idea of love? Why do we care about death? Why does the vast
majority of the planet believe in some sort of higher power? Why exactly does music move us? Why
does country music exist and thrive? What exactly DOES being moved really mean? Is every human
innately delusional? Can humans be compared to the image of a fish in a bowl gorging itself to
death? Why on EARTH does my nearest co-worker insist on listening to soft rock throughout the day?
why? why? why?
So, I can hear the responses already. And if I have to hear "That's just the way things are" one
more time, you can bet I'm going to go a little loony. You might as well say "You have to have
faith" or "It's destiny" or something equally as cliche. No matter how basic something seems, a smaller
piece of the puzzle is almost always found. Even if it takes scientists a few hundred years or so,
someone eventually finds it. And then suddenly, or not so suddenly, what we once considered
"natural", doesn't quite seem to make so much sense anymore. I know I don't have to cite the earth
revolving around the sun and all that other stuff, and yet some things are still considered
sacred when it comes to questioning.
To be fair, maybe there are no answers to many of life's questions, but I'm not so sure that's the
point. If everyone took a moment to, yes THINK, every once in a while, maybe everyone would be a
little better off.
So kiddies, your assignment for the day is twofold.
1. Pick a topic, any topic, and keep asking why. When you're convinced you have an answer, ask the
question again.
2. Write down a description of your idea of the perfect world. Would there be such things as families
and love? Would humans be biologically different than we are now? Use your imagination here.
When you're done read what you wrote over again and ask yourself, "What are we doing?"