The River

Thursday, October 19, 2006



Driving into work this morning, I was listening to Bruce Springsteen's latest CD, "We Shall Overcome." Just lettin it flow over me as the sun came up and the cars moved along the proscribed track.

I was enjoying CD's live sound, the traditional music performed by a talented, tight band obviously enjoying themselves. I was also having, you know, "deep thoughts" about how nobody really likes working for big business. We learn to pretend to like it though, because it provides the comfortable life. In exchange for your submission, you will receive a fat paycheck. Until such time, that is, that you start having independent thoughts. Soon we forget that we've been bought off, that we accepted the fitting for a straightjacket.

So the sky was getting lighter, an orange glow was spreading behind me. I'm almost at my exit, when the title track comes on. In that instant, I look up, over my right shoulder, at the sky, and see a rainbow. In seconds, my countenance moves from agape to grinning.

The other day, someone asked me if I believe in God. An answer I thought of later was, "it's the only way I know how to explain music."

I parked in my usual spot as the first track succeeded the last. I went on in.

Comments:
Sometimes everything just sort of works to dispell the malaise. I had a similar experience walking to work one day when I worked for an insurance company (big business) and I saw seagulls, envying them for thier freedom. Made me think of the Jonathan Livingston Seagull, and for a moment I smiled like an idiot.

So, in short, I understand, I really do.
 
the fitting for a straight jacket - keep in mind, the dylan lyrics, you gotta serve somebody, ignoring the near bipolar interpretations following the citing ("I choose Christ!", sheesh). keeps me sane in meetings. a little game. the apparent self serving are indeed serving someone else, someone other, other than themselves I've never developed this beyond a diversion, but behind every control freak boss is a control freak wife, she trying to please control freak daddy, control freak daddy trying to appease the free hand of the market etc. There is a neat symmetry to it all. where we shall overcome offers hope the dylan offers some cynical resignation. no way out, you're gonna have to serve, there is no choice. off the auction block and into the job market. very egalitarian.
 
I don't believe in god, but I do believe in the "collective unconscious", and that is how I explain music.

Speaking of, you missed a great parade yesterday! Wish you could have stayed. :)

P.S. I reactivated my Curry St. John blog - maybe I'll update it sometime.
 
beautiful.
 
Thanks one and all for the responses.

bmo, the Dylan song works for me as a gentle reminder not to be an asshole, cynically resigned or not (and I can be all of the above).

Curry, yeah, the G word is a weak stand-in for the collective unconcious, the all in all, the mystery of existence, etc, etc. The first few words of the Tao Te Ching say:

"The tao that can be described
is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be spoken
is not the eternal Name."

(wish I could have stayed for the parade too)
 
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