THE BLOG OF O-ROD
The Sterilization of Civilization
By Olivia Maxwell
We live in the modern world. The modern era past volumes of operetta's, albums, comics, wars, revolutions, political triumphs, civil rights, technological advancement, and medical breakthroughs. It's 2008 and we might be on verge of electing a black president; quite a tribute to the late Martin Luther King Jr. We fly private, we dry our hair, nail polish drys in minutes and we've landed on Mars. But guess what! Guess what guys! WE HAVE STOPPED COMMUNICATING. I am not referring to the media, they somehow have become the exclusive elite that gets away with this natural expression.
It's a problem on a social, romantic and cultural level. I had a crush on a guy. Or you can say he had a crush on me. There was a courtship of some sort, two nights of lust over two months. We as a collective, enjoyed it immensly. There were little whimpy text messages(which are a very pussified way of speaking non directly) exchanged and a phone call a week, maybe two. It dissolved. Not sure why. My point is, it does not matter why, because of the lack of communication, you would never know the difference. He could be madly in love, pining, tortured, or he could hate you. Who knows! Who cares! Your friend doesn't, cause she's too busy worried about her own parrallel story having just taken place. And the nonsensical fucking torment that goes along with it, and the little TEXTS, "Oh, he messaged me today! He said, "What's up!" Wow! Iam drooling over two words! Wow! two fucking words out of the entire English language! Shakespeare folks is rolling in his grave.
To mention Shakespeare, Yeats, Shelley, Joyce, Bukowski, Oats just to name a few have contributed volumes of their tremendous brains and whit paving the advancement of expression and socialization. We have broken through stereotypes in the sixties and through the great musical achievements been able to share in our love, lust, joy, sorrow and anguish. Words, the English language was invented friends for a reason. We are in the modern era and have arrived to a dead halt at disregarding our literary fellows and Van Goghs of our past. We must pay homage and continue the art of communication and feeling or else over the last three hundred years or so, since the cave paintings in Lascaux, France, WHAT WAS THE POINT?
I highly doubt if there was another Jim Morrison, or Janis they would have never been heard of because on their very first performance they would have been thrown out of the bar.
I was thrown out of a bar recently in the oppressed, materialistic state of New Jersey at a well known popular corporate owned chain restaurant because I was QUIETLY discussing politics. The bartender was having a blast agreeing with me, whilst the head bartender was getting NERVOUS. I was subtly asked to stop speaking politics and so was the nice charming bartender I was speaking with and asked to leave. NEED I SAY MORE. I am speechless, and if you are a savvy cat, I do not need to expand on this subject. CNN was on the TV above the bar feeding us all this information, as we are constantly fed, but how dare we react.
"Fatal Atraction" starring Glenn Close and Michael Douglas was a popular film in the 1980's. It was a culture bomb on all relationships. "Play Misty for me," starring Clint Eastwood also did not help. I believe there are films which contribute to culture and some which hurt, even damage social awareness, actually pervert. So now instead of writing the guy a two word text message, call him on the telephone and tell him the most natural, honest romantic thing you can say from the heart, " I have been thinking of you all day!" and he'll either think you are are a stalker, or completely insane. Well, it was not like this when our parents fell in love in the 60's or 50's. And they thought that was an oppressed era! Ha! We are so Goddamn oppressed with the aid of all this technology, cyberspace, and cell phones that people almost feel encroached upon, having 24/7 access to almost anyone you've ever known! I won't make it that easy! Us Homo Sapiens are passionate by nature, unless we are drugged or not in touch and we NEED to express ourselves. It is OUR fault, not technology. We have accepted a laissez-faire irresponsible unshaped approach of communication. We have become an America devoid of passion and fearful to express anything. What are we waiting for? Another crisis? Are we waiting till after we are dead?
I was in Dublin, Ireland a year ago. I hit it off with a guy. I was going to meet him on the Quays near a night club( a bridge over the river). When he met up with me, he walked up to me very happy with a smile on his face. He then in his excitement to see me, lifted me up and twirled me around. I remember this as one of my favorite moments over the last ten years. It was spontaneous, uncalculated and FREE!
There is only one life. We need to enjoy it. We need to be more free. We have become in this America an oppressed land of pussies who cannot be bold and unedited. We might offend the other person of might "look weird." well bring it on people. Be bold. Take risks, be human. Tell me you love me, be free, in the land of???
