Key 23 | Occulture Evolved

Key 23 | Occulture Evolved:

"...So here's my guess: you are different. There have always been some things that separated you from the general consensus... something must've gone wrong with you early on in your upbringing, or is it a matter of genetics? Whatever the reason, some bug, some glitch renders you unable to be satisfied with those bits of common wisdom to which everybody around you seems to subscribe. The righteous simplicity, in politics, of feeling that an elected official can represent and speak for you; the relief of knowing clearly what to feel and what to think; the daring of doing so -- in harmony with the others in your camp, of course; such staples of modern intellectual life are hopelessly lost on you. Instead you insist on picking issues apart by hand, like a child disassembling a toy; you are restless to know what really makes stuff tick, and feverish with the knowledge that what you see is only appearance; that behind it there's something else which in turn is yet something else in disguise, as in an endless series of Matryoshka dolls. You don't seem to care that nobody has the time, in a mediascape of sub-atomized information bits, to go after the true nature of things -- or whatever it is you think you're doing. Seriously, dude. That shit is so last century. Besides, just like everything that can be invented has been invented, all the interpretations of reality that are good for you have been discovered, and they're already being taught in schools -- you only endanger yourself and society by going for strolls in such mindfields.

And what are we to say of your cultural diet of choice! While others realize that life is already too short and nasty to dwell on depressing thoughts, well written though they may be, you simply must go and turn rocks all over the human spirit, right where the deadliest, most hideous creepy crawlies may be hiding. Your friends and neighbors have got to be wondering: what part of 'some things we just weren't meant to know' do you not understand? A classic tragedy is one thing, but the writers you're into are at least weird, and some range all the way to downright scary. Their words lead to strange, ugly places, and open windows onto all the abrasive realities that civilization has worked so hard to cushion us from. People died for your freedom to ignore the uncomfortable, and you deliberately go after it? These are dangerous thoughts you're entertaining, kid, and dangerous thoughts are scientifically proven to lead to dangerous behavior. You know, a bit like gateway drugs.

Then there's the whole business about your so-called spirituality. Uh, did you not get the memo or what? Didn't take that long for the droves of New Agers surrounding you to figure it out: a strong faith in the universe's utter benevolence and frequent saunas in a favorite health spa are next to godliness, nay, they are godliness. What's so complicated about spirituality that would require the kind of excruciating self-examination you put yourself through? What are you, a masochist or something? Don't worry, be happy, already! The cosmos loves you! Also, please stop being a complete downer with that trash about all beliefs being exchangeable and ultimately relative. I'm confused as to which One Truth to believe as it is!..."