Drawn back here by the primaries. Where else is a guy going to go for news/opinion in this world? MSNBC? FOX! Moo hoo ha ha ha HA!
Anyway. I voted in the primary yesterday. I was a surprise voter. Because I had (prior to a sudden inspiration on Tuesday morning) completely abandoned politics as hopeless. But I got to vote for someone I actually wanted to vote for — for the first time since before 2000 I think (the last 8 years or so spent as a “strategic voter,” you might say). Too bad my candidate is not allowed to stand on the soap-box of network and cable television (except as comic relief, in cartoons where he is depicted as a midget). No matter. Democracy worked on Tuesday. I checked his name. Near the bottom of the ballot. Below “uncommitted.” And he was off. To his 4% point night. And I was off, to remember, how I had been trained as a soldier to fight against the true evil empire. Those awful Soviets. The existential threat of our time. That threat is, of course, now, so ’80s. And I remembered how I’d been told of elections where there was only one real candidate in this land of our enemy. How the state controlled the media. Corrupt leadership in the hands of just a few. To deny the people the truth. Because no people could willingly abide such a system. Unless they were grossly misinformed and horribly oppressed.
Ah, how the world has changed. Busy, busy, busy. We.
I have come to believe, quite seriously, that the only true answer for our society — should we wish to obtain some meaning — is to follow the example of San Lorenzo. The examples of Bokonon. To invent a myth based on lies, so as to come to a contented truth.
As the scripture says:
I wanted all things
To seem to make sense,
So we all could be happy, yes,
Instead of tense.
And I made up lies
So that they all fit nice,
And I made this sad world
A par-a-dise.
Imagine. Living in a world where fabulous, harmless half-truths (foma), allowed one to live a life without the pain of suffering. It would, of course, only differ from our own world, in that the lies were less than malicious.
So in flailing around on the Internet. Trying to come to terms with the way the world is. And asking, “Why” — whereas, the late and current visionaries would astutely advise me to correctly ask “Why not?” — I came to this disturbing, yet refreshing, piece of art. Inspired by the good Daniel Quinn. Which I felt compelled to share with my fellow travelers.
May you all awake from this dream to a par-a-dise. Dozens of virgins. Any sex or species you like. All quite willing to play boko-maru. Enjoy!
Thanks Joe – my 2nd favorite American book.
“Who is number one?” you ask – “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” – F. Scott himself.
See you in San Lorenzo. What do you suppose the weather’s like?
I am presently slogging through Ulysses. Joyce. The original Fitzgerald, in my humble opinion. I think they are respectively the most beautiful weavers of their native tongues. At least in their time.
So many wonderful books. So little candlelight to read them by.
bj, it took me almost 20 years from my first attempt, and multiple starts and stops, to finally get thru Ulysses…hang in there. it’s a masterpiece and worth the effort.
good to see you not blogging
peace
lTMF’sA
Good to see you too dada. Thanks for the encouragement.