Lunch time conversation really has become our battleground of choice. It typically begins as a time to just breathe deep and try to forget where you are but almost inevitably evolves into a skirmish between the forces of bland shallow filth-speak and some decent conversation and potential laughs.
Today we found ourselves smothered in what can be best described as ignorant, boarding racist, garbage speech from a woman who sounds like a slightly punch drunk wanna-be gangster who believes the misuse of a dictionary will help her sound ‘more smart like’.
Her loudspeaker of a face dominated most of the conversation that began with a simple inquiry into a friend’s trip to the Bahamas Bahamas
Peter [1:33 PM]:
we are too nice
we make one good point and the conversation is gobbled up by gross people
Frank [1:33 PM]:
hahaha
Peter [1:33 PM]:
with a hollow fact
then sequayed into a useless story about a rich friend
ya we listen too much ahahha
Frank [1:34 PM]:
she is always mentioning her fucking rich friends.
Peter [1:34 PM]:
ahahhaha
Frank [1:34 PM]:
boring. Next time I need to just start a side conversation overtop;
I am not sitting through another rich friend story.
Peter [1:36 PM]:
ahahhahah
ya we gotta avoid that at all costs
"do you understand that the people that go there are primarily richer than most people" - in regards to the state of the airport which she is furious there is only a wendys and no duty free
when if you look outside you see people in huts
unreal
As I was writing a response something clicked in my head as a colleague went to sit down at the desk behind me. I engaged him in what began as simple small talk. I reached out to someone I sit near and never spoke to. I don’t know why I had never spoken to him. The conversation evolved quickly as we both realized we shared viewpoints and a disdain for this environment and the world that bred it. We spoke about the shallow nature of this culture and the misleading notion that this corporate servitude is the path to happiness. We discussed our fears and limitations. We pondered our conditioning and how we can get outside this to help others. We even engaged one of the high five brothers from the other day. We may have even planted a seed in there somewhere. I was inspired and filled with renewed hope. I walked down to Peter’s desk to tell him.
Frank [2:02 PM]:
its brutal!
Sorry, I started one of those conversations I wanted to before
Peter [2:03 PM]:
no worries
Peter [2:14 PM]:
it is amazing seeing others work through ideas like that
especially if their eyes are opening for the first time
its like giving birth to a real conscious human
Frank [2:20 PM]:
its so much fun
taking them the next steps that they are afraid to ask why
Rob was talking about how his favourite thing is going to the bar and getting wasted and blowing like 600 bucks.
Then I asked him to stop and think if it’s the getting wasted and blowing 600 bucks that you enjoy or the crowds of people and interactions.
he stopped to think for a good few seconds which with him is an eternity
Peter [2:24 PM]:
ya man
you witnessed human growth
its perfect
Frank [2:24 PM]:
hopefully its not just shrugged off.
Peter [2:25 PM]:
it may be. Hell on some level I do that myself
but the more constant the message the deeper it seeps in
those soulless advertisers taught us that
Frank [2:27 PM]:
hahaha thats so true. Proven also by our wonderful route learning school system
Peter [2:27 PM]:
ahahha real things of beauty
Peter’s sarcasm was clear. But I had experienced something of true beauty. My day and likely life in some form or another was changed by stretching myself just outside my norm.
The conversation I had with this previously unknown intellectual and spiritual comrade drew in two more people after it started up again. We had at least 3 others listening while working. I could not have asked for better results. The conversation my brother and I had inspired me to speak up. My speaking up inspired others to engage and tackle these problems of modernity. We made progress and we reinforced our convictions. Imagine we could do this thing once a day. If we all could speak up just a little more we would realize we are not alone. The world is full of fat heads but it is also full of beautiful, inspiring people. We can’t shy away from confrontation and conversation.
I returned home with renewed exuberance. I sat with one of my roommates and listened to records and discussed all matters of life. We both learned a lot from each other. And the waves keep resonating out.
Do me a favor; just a small one. Take a couple minutes and watch this poetry reading.
If you catch the message near the end, take some steps to implement it in your life. I'll leave you with this quote from Saul Williams' song, Talk to Strangers. It might just help a few things click.
Talk to strangers when the family fails and friends lead you astray
When Buddha laughs and Jesus weeps and it turns out God is gay
'Cause angels and messiahs, love, can come in many forms
In the hallways of your projects or the fat girl in your dorm
And when you finally take the time to see what they're about
Perhaps you find them lonely or their wisdom trips you out
Maybe you'll find the cycles end you back where you began
But come this time around you'll have someone to hold your hand
Who prays for you who's there for you who sends you love and light
Exposes you to parts of you that you once tried to fight
And come this time around you'll choose to walk a different path
You'll embrace what you turned away and cry at what you laughed
'Cause that's the only way we're going to make it through this storm
Where ignorance is common sense and senselessness the norm
And flags wave high above the truth and the two never touch
And stolen goods are overpriced and freedom costs too much
And no one seems to recognize the symbols come to life
The bitten apple on the screen and Jesus had a wife
And she was his Messiah like that stranger may be yours
Who holds a subtle knife that carves through worlds like magic doors
And that's what I've been looking for, the bridge from then to now
Just watching BET like, "What the fuck, son? This is foul."
But that square box don't represent the sphere that we live in
The earth is not a flat screen, I ain't trying to fit in
But this ain't for the underground, this here is for the sun
A seed a stranger gave to me and planted on my tongue
And when I look at you, I know I'm not the only one
As a great man once said,
"There's nothing more powerful
than an idea
who's time
has come."
Came across and thought of you both and of this blog:
ReplyDelete"I think that one of the reasons we're so profoundly lonely, bored and stressed at work is that the manipulative logic of business is simply incompatible with our behaving as human beings in relation to each other. Another way to put this is that because the "answer" to life we have effectively been forced to choose - happiness through money and status - does not come close to answering our deepest needs but instead the deepest needs of the economic system into which we've been born, it's no wonder we experience such terrible boredom. The question becomes: what is that boredom telling us?" - David Edwards