Last night I had one of my recurring dreams that I was back in the military which, actually, is more of a nightmare with me chomping at the bits for a way out. When I awoke I was relieved but while I was lying there I thought, “I spent nearly five years of my life inside a machine that was designed expressly for destroying other machines and people.” What a strange thought…to live inside a machine of destruction like its your home and nest while it’s out hunting Russians or whatever. But then I thought I’m glad I was on a destroyer. Why beat around the bush? People hunt each other and vie for control over various dominions. There must be some atavistic drive there that’s been buried under layer after layer of deception. And what I’ve noticed is that the people who are most vehemently against war and violence are the ones who ply power in the most insidious manner possible. There is a whole crew of them who are connected through subtile symbols of sophistry and fashion, who run among the swift and clever, and whose deeds always appear reasonable and helpful despite the ultimately self serving outcome of their efforts. It really is such an amazing thing that has happened. Raw power has given way to this fascinating chess game that is conducted at little desks in front of computer screens. It’s like there is power flowing back and forth while deals are made and undone. But the participants seem to garner the same rewards whether they’re winning or losing. It’s just such a safe bet. The contemporary world is being turned into a huge computer game and a perpetual battle of wits. I guess it makes sense. Why move your body to earn a living if you can just play a game while sitting on your ass. I’m glad they’re doing it. I’m glad that they are becoming more entwined in this virtual world. With luck, there will come a day when all of these people are permanently ensconced in their pods where they can run through the virtual forests with one another chasing sparkles of electrons. It is, of course, unfortunate for nature because of the vast amount of highly refined energy used by these machines in order to recreate a world that is already here. But let’s face it, these people, despite their often strident advocacy of green, are most disconnected from nature. Yes, they are unnatural. But I guess that’s what people do… differentiate themselves. If nothing else, it’s fun to watch.
