shallowly, into the future. They have sold or given up their souls and hearts to 5 1/2″ screens, technology, machines and abandoned consciousness, ideas, language, depth, sensibility, and authentic, physical presence, live-in person-living.
“I am a part of all that I have met.”–Tennyson, “Ulysses”
I, on the other hand, choose to live in the ever-disappearing, ephemeral here-and-now, ever-conscious of who and what I am, how these have arisen naturally, organically, process-ly from ever-changing contexts, but contexts nonetheless, of the ever-growing, ever-receding, important, and relevant past. I respect and revere the past, the best and what has been (as Matthew Arnold termed it), that made Western civilization what it is, or rather once was, at its zenith.
“Context is all.”–John Updike
Everything that is good, memorable, meaningful, and truly significant arises in the contexts we choose. Anyone with real depth, empathy, sympathy, kindness, full consciousness arises in and is simultaneously aware of the best of the past and the great thinkers and spirits of Western civilization, not just some dumb app or computer expert.
And so the shallowness of the e-age washes over and trivializes our time and young minds, dumbly removing much of what is still good, true, and beneficial of the past. Institutions are deconstructed and torn apart daily. The truly good and great people and authorities ignored, missed, or forgotten in the prevailing e-haze. The vacant souls and minds stare shallowly at and glibly emote about the latest hollow screen technology.
“…and almost hear a meaning in their noise [and flickering screens.]–Thom Gunn, “On the Move” [with personal amendment]
It was Sven Birkerts who warned us on the incoming shallow screen seas and wisely opined “Resist it.” Ironically, this blog dares to speak against the same, soul-less, direction-nless e-bandwagon as it careens madly over a Calvin and Hobbes-like cliff.
“Colored lights can hypnotize/Sparkle someone else’s eyes”–Bachman & Cummings, “American Woman”