The world's pretty much worn out. The only argument for keeping it going is based on the fact that it exists. A poor argument, given the far better arguments to the contrary. It no longer has a function or a purpose. What's there left for it to do?
And even should the world, out of sheer stubborn force of habit, manage to go on materially existing, will this existence be superior to simply throwing in the towel and heading for the hills -- the hills where everything interesting stopped happening centuries, maybe light years ago?
Who'd possibly be interested in all that history?
Am I saying everything will collapse and those of us left alive will wander the ruins, hunting down our next meal? No, we're already doing that. And we're proving not so good at it.
The problem is we're simply too feeble, we've lost whatever it was may once have enabled our ancestors to survive in the rough. The subtle enduring energies and intuitive cunning skills: the world has Americanized them out of existence in the name of technological progress. The American idea of progress has atrophied the spirit of the world.
We dreamt our brilliant utopias and played out our overwhelming conquests of nature, mounted our marvelous religious wars in the name of paper gods. The outcome will betray the dream, the conquest be reversed, the wars lost over and over.
Our claim to earth ended with the decline of primogeniture. What will be left for the eldest son, no longer the elected one, to do, save to exact revenge by stealing the sustenance of hungry young animals? But even that won't be the worst thing that happens.
(after Baudelaire's Fusées)
Bee seeking Jatropha interrima nectar: photo by Sanba 38, 2007
Bee pollinating a Neomarica candida: photo by M.A.P. Accardo Filho, 2004
Aglais urticae: photo by Luc Viatour, 2006
Hummingbird hawkmoth drinking from Dianthus: photo by Yummifruitbat, 2005
Bumblebee pollinating an echinacea flower: photo by Mgimelfarb, 2008
E. popovi, Javalcluz, Jaen: photo by Jose M. Gomez, 2008
A bee pollinating a water-lily flower: photo by KayEss, 2005
Hibernaculum sweepings: photo by PixOnTrax, 2006
1 comment:
Very appropriate! and very thought provoking!
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