Combatting Absurdity

[tyrannosaurus vex]

There's unrest in the hills.

There's an open wounds in the inner city, and it's bleeding contempt down Park Avenue.

There's a great clamouring mob marching down the mountain.  And they're sick and tired of where the assholes in City Hall are driving their town.  They're determined to make things right.

And they're destined to fail.

The Human Race has made up it's mind.  It's been centuries since we stopped pondering what to do and set out to make it a reality.  There is no more debate.  We're heading for the cliff and you're not gonna stop this herd of lemmings.

Quit writing your Senators.  Quit calling the late-night radio talk shows.  Quit signing petitions.  The fight was lost long before you were ever born.  Sure, we've got a lot of fight left in us, but it's all the wrong KIND of fight.  So just pack your bags and move to someplace at least 25 miles away from anything on a map.

A thousand years ago, we killed each other to get rid of INFIDELITY.

500 years ago, we killed each other to get rid of INJUSTICE.

50 years ago, we killed each other to get rid of INEQUALITY.

All of those things are STILL AROUND.  But do you think it's going to change our minds? FUCK NO, THERE'S A NEW WAR NOW.

Now we're killing each other to get rid of INCONVENIENCE.

And if you're asking anybody to lay down 5 minutes and THINK about what they're doing, well, you gotta expect what you get.  Because thinking about your actions can be pretty fucking INCONVENIENT.  It might have gotten somewhere 50 or 100 years ago, but that's before Inconvenience Itself was the ENEMY.

That herd of pissed off bipeds is going to be beaten.  Welcome to the Next American Century and age of the Last Primate Revolt.

[Dr. Cow Ass]

So do you want us to fight this, or simply acknowledge and laugh at it? I don't see what good fighting it would do, at least not in the traditional sense. Our world is absurd, that's just the way it is. PD was trying to make the point that people don't seem to grasp this and becuase of it, they become angry and frustrated.

If you can master nonsense as well as you have already learned to master sense, then each will expose the other for what it is: absurdity. From that moment of illumination, a man begins to be free regardless of his surroundings. He becomes free to play order games and change them at will. He becomes free to play disorder games just for the hell of it. He becomes free to play neither or both. And as the master of his own games, he plays without fear, and therefore without frustration, and therefore with good will in his soul and love in his being.

                                                                                                                                         ...shit makes me cry.

[tyrannosaurus vex]

the title means nothing, i just couldn't think of anything else.

as for what i want you to do, i don't really care.

have some cake.

[Darth Cupcake]

I like this post.

My personal feeling, however, is that rather than saying that the mob is destined to fail, nix that part and just segue into the concept of how we're now fighting to get rid of inconvenience. The mob is coming, because they want an easier lifestyle. If they're destined to fail, it's because they'll give up out of sheer laziness and the inconvenience of fighting against inconvenience. There aren't enough people pissed off about anything else (such as injustice or inequality) to really qualify as a "mob."

Or perhaps I'm just being cynical.

But I think you have something great going here. I think the five lines from "a thousand years ago..." through to "inconvenience" are a great set of lines. You have good rhythm going on there, and a very solid concept.

Let me know if my gripe up above is explained clearly. I'm trying to post all stealthy-like at work and I feel like this response wants more time. So I'll clarify when I get home if needed.

[Cramulus]

I dunno Vex. Inconvenience is a bigger problem in my life than inequality or injustice or infidelity. Seems to be a good cause.

Are you saying we should be fighting a different fight? If so, what?
Or are you just saying that no matter what we do it's useless and stupid? Which I agree with to some extent, but that road leads to inertia, not progress.


I mean, sometimes people get all riled up with their torches and pitchforks and go lynch the monster and when it's all said and done it was a damn good move.

[P3nT4gR4m]

Fight because that's what monkeys do with each other.

Any reason will do, just so long as it ends in bloodshed.

If you don't agree with all the fighting stand up and fight it.

You know you wanna!

[Darth Cupcake]

Fight because that's what monkeys do with each other.

Any reason will do, just so long as it ends in bloodshed.

If you don't agree with all the fighting stand up and fight it.

You know you wanna!

Wait, wait... Didn't you already say this...?

Fighting for peace is like fucking for virginity ...


... endless fun 

I AM STARTING TO THINK YOU LIKE FIGHTING SIR

[P3nT4gR4m]

Watching primates spank each other with ever increasing sticks?

What's not to like?

[LHX]

shrapnel



shrapnel is not to like

[tyrannosaurus vex]

i'd say i disagree with where this is going but
a) it isn't really going anywhere, and
b) it isn't like it can contradict my original point, since i didn't have one.

so carry on (or not).

[LHX]

getting hit by stray bullets is not enjoyable


save the kids
save the dolphins
save the trees
etc


but shit gets real when people literally or metaphorically catch a stray one in their guts

[AFK]

10/10 and spot on with the rant.  Especially the bit about INCONVENIENCE.  Society and Civilization, at least in the US, have become obsessed with speed and efficiency.  Anyone see that credit card ad that takes place in a cafeteria.  things moving like clockwork, everyone paying with plastic, until some guy pulls out some paper money.  Then everything goes to hell.  People get angry and give dirty looks.  It seems more and more people grow impatient and don't like to wait for things to happen. 

[P3nT4gR4m]

10/10 and spot on with the rant.  Especially the bit about INCONVENIENCE.  Society and Civilization, at least in the US, have become obsessed with speed and efficiency.  Anyone see that credit card ad that takes place in a cafeteria.  things moving like clockwork, everyone paying with plastic, until some guy pulls out some paper money.  Then everything goes to hell.  People get angry and give dirty looks.  It seems more and more people grow impatient and don't like to wait for things to happen. 

Defo - and that's down to conditioning.

Downsizing, outsourcing, productivity appraisals, league tables, continental shifts, targets, quotas.....

Poor bastards are being treated like robots, you gotta expect them to bitch and whine when their oil change is 2 mins late.

[AFK]

And then some of these same people will complain about how the day is flying by, or how fast the previous year went by.

Taking it Easy is a dying art. 

[Darth Cupcake]

And then some of these same people will complain about how the day is flying by, or how fast the previous year went by.

Taking it Easy is a dying art. 

I daresay it is time for a revival of that art.

The Taking It Easy Festival--sure we could organize it, but we'd rather just chill!