Post by numbuheightbitstar on Apr 12, 2007 4:07:29 GMT
Rick and Joe were meeting on a street corner, smoking cigarettes which they gleelessly threw out under the passing cars. It was sort of a game to them, to see who could throw the latest while still landing their burnt stubs on a street where they would get crushed by the wheels of passing motorists.
"Cigarettes have a short life," Rick said. "They come out of the box, they burn, they get smoked, they get tossed. Kinda reminds you of us, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," Joe said.
The two watched the sunrise over the glistening trees and many houses, but they saw no beauty in it. Or maybe they did--it was hard to tell--but Rick and Joe tried to imagine the world as it used to be, before man came and paved roads and industrialized everything and invented all these houses and machines and other odd things.
"You know," Rick said, "I don't get why people always wanna get rid of everything."
"Like what?"
"Like you know... smokestacks."
"Oh yeah. And cars, and electricity."
"And computers and roads and air conditioning and guns and all those other things everyone wants to get rid of."
"Yeah, what's up with that? I mean, they talk about how great the world used to be. But what was the world before we came and did stuff with it? It was like, all green and brown and monotone and depressing. And I mean, people want to live like that?"
"Yeah, and there's how hard everything used to be. Like you know, having to hunt for food. And then having to skin it and cook it. And like, practically all you did back then was skin and cook and that was your entire day. I mean, today we have art and literature. There's a point to living, it's not just eat food and have sex and raise kids so they can grow up and eat food and have sex and raise kids."
"Actually," Joe corrected, "That's exactly what the world is like. I mean yeah we have more things to do now, but when you think about it, what does it all amount to? I mean we still cook and eat and have sex and raise kids but now we've just got more time to slack off and read books or something and have fun with our imaginations. But you know, its fun, but its pointless, because I can see all the science fiction movies I want but it won't make those things real. Won't make life interesting."
"Would life really be interesting, though?" Rick answered, "I mean, now that I think about it, art and literature sucks. It's all about how screwed-up the human race is because we're stupid or close-minded or evil or some junk like that. It's like all the worlds artists and writers and film directors and music composers have decided that we suck as a race and that their job is to put us down. And you know, I think they succeeded. I think they're right. Because I mean, where's our unlimited human potential? What can we do but eat and burp and procreate and do random things that are cool but ultimately don't effect our lives that much? All we ever do is fight and argue and talk about how much everything sucks, and no one has discovered a higher purpose or anything.
"I mean," Rick continued, "Let's suppose that magic existed, what would you do with it? What's the first thing that comes to your mind?"
Joe answered unhesitantly, "Killing Steve."
"Exactly. You'd use it to kill Steve. I mean, what the frick kinda goal is that? You have this all-powerful force that can bend the universe and you want to use it to kill some guy who crossed you last week by cheating at Poker and robbing you blind. What the frick, man? I mean, we're talking about magic, something that's utterly beyond us, and if we human beings had it we'd be using it for all the stupidest fricking things, like getting money or avoiding work or getting revenge on people or trying to fix the world order or something. Personally, if I had magic, I would use it to move to an alternate universe where everything is cool and fun. And you know, that sounds stupid too."
"So what should we be doing with magic, if it exists?"
"I have no idea man, because the whole idea is something that the human brain can't comprehend." Rick sighed, and looked up. "Look at the sky, man. I mean, it seems to go on forever. But you know it has to end somewhere, right? So, what's past the sky? I mean, that's just incomprehensible, and if we could answer that we could think of real things to do with magic, things that don't suck."
Suddenly Joe laughed.
"What's funny, man?"
"I just wondered what people would think if they could hear this conversation. Cuz you know, when you talk to people about anything, they never hear the whole message, they just hear certain parts. Like you know, anyone hearing this would probably get too hung up on this magic stuff and forget that thing you said about the sky or art and literature or cigarettes or anything we're about to say in the future. I guess that's part of what you mean about the human mind--it has carpal tunnel vision that you can't do anything about. People would read this, and the next day all they'd remember is two guys who talked about magic."
"You sayin' we should talk about something else?"
"If you want. Doesn't matter to me what we talk about. I know, since we've been talking about fantastic things, let's talk about something real. Like money. What is it? It's just a bunch of little green pieces of paper."
"Actually, its cotton," Rick corrected.
"Yeah, cotton. And I don't get it. Everyone's like, money makes the world go round and all, but you know, money wouldn't even be here if we hadn't invented it. It's kinda funny when you think about it. We're slaves to our own creation."
"You know, I kinda understand that. I mean, when you create something you kinda have a pride about it. Money is like a cooperative effort for the whole human race, and it succeeded, and you know a cooperative effort on that scale almost never succeeds. So yeah, I guess the race as a whole is pretty damn proud of having money.
"What I don't get, though, is those people who insist on hoarding it. I mean dude, once your dead, it doesn't matter how much you have. You can't take it with you and your heirs will probably squander it all on alcohol or something."
"But that's not the point though," Joe said as he held up a hand, "The point is, it's a little green piece of cotton. Why do people care? I mean, it isn't even alive. You get it only so you can give it to someone else. I mean, its pointless. Just like eating is pointless because you just have to eat again later and learning is pointless because you can't really pass on your knowledge to future generations."
"Wait, what? No, there I disagree. Because that's what our textbooks and stuff are for--passing on knowledge."
"Yeah but, it doesn't work. I mean you can pass on mechanical stuff, like how to build a tricycle or something, but you can't pass on the really important stuff, like the cute little tricks that make your job easier or the rules of thumb when dealing with other people or that personal experience that finally convinced you that Santa Claus really doesn't exist. So in a lot of ways, each generation has to reinvent the wheel. And you know, the human race never really learns. People are circular--the surroundings change, but we keep making the same mistakes again and again. Like, look at a history of our presidents. It's always the same--some hothead comes along who almost totally effs up America and nobody likes him, then he's replaced by a more level-headed guy who undoes everything his predecessor did, and everything goes fine until another hothead enters the office. And of course we have corperations, bad laws, all those idiot Christians who want to censor everything... I mean first it was comics, then it was rock music, now its video games, and what's next?
"See, people keep doing the same junk over and over. It only changes superficially. The human race is simply not advancing, it isn't capable of advancement. We have reached our limit, there is no further point.
"We can't even think of something better! I mean, let's go back to what we were saying earlier about magic and science-fiction stuff being real. Okay, what if Star Wars was real and was really happening? What is Star Wars? It's just people fighting over government. I mean, its the same junk that's already going on in real life, just they're doing it with spaceships and lasers instead of airplanes and machine guns. And the Force would, as you said, be just another weapon. So really, if it was real, it would suck just as much as the real world already does."
"Dude, I don't think I'm ever gonna enjoy Star Wars again." Rick answered with a slight chuckle. "But I know what you mean. It's this vast alternate universe but we can't think of anything truly alien to put in it."
"Dude, I just figured it out." Joe suddenly said, "For the human race to really have a purpose, we have to invent technology, but it has to be a technology that has a purpose. But, it can't have anything to do with warfare, it can't have anything to do with medicine, it can't have anything to do with human convenience or comfort."
"The Chia Pet," Rick joked.
"No no, I said it has to have a purpose."
"Oh. I missed that part."
"Yeah. We have to think of something that could be invented--or magicked, if we assume that exists--that fits the criteria. The day we can, we've proven there's more to life than eating, having sex, and raising kids."
"And if we can't?"
Both looked silently at each other for a moment, then Joe asked "So, how does the road look to you?"
"Tempting, except for the part about my blood being on someone else's hands. Come on, let's go."
And Joe and Rick left the street corner.
"Cigarettes have a short life," Rick said. "They come out of the box, they burn, they get smoked, they get tossed. Kinda reminds you of us, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," Joe said.
The two watched the sunrise over the glistening trees and many houses, but they saw no beauty in it. Or maybe they did--it was hard to tell--but Rick and Joe tried to imagine the world as it used to be, before man came and paved roads and industrialized everything and invented all these houses and machines and other odd things.
"You know," Rick said, "I don't get why people always wanna get rid of everything."
"Like what?"
"Like you know... smokestacks."
"Oh yeah. And cars, and electricity."
"And computers and roads and air conditioning and guns and all those other things everyone wants to get rid of."
"Yeah, what's up with that? I mean, they talk about how great the world used to be. But what was the world before we came and did stuff with it? It was like, all green and brown and monotone and depressing. And I mean, people want to live like that?"
"Yeah, and there's how hard everything used to be. Like you know, having to hunt for food. And then having to skin it and cook it. And like, practically all you did back then was skin and cook and that was your entire day. I mean, today we have art and literature. There's a point to living, it's not just eat food and have sex and raise kids so they can grow up and eat food and have sex and raise kids."
"Actually," Joe corrected, "That's exactly what the world is like. I mean yeah we have more things to do now, but when you think about it, what does it all amount to? I mean we still cook and eat and have sex and raise kids but now we've just got more time to slack off and read books or something and have fun with our imaginations. But you know, its fun, but its pointless, because I can see all the science fiction movies I want but it won't make those things real. Won't make life interesting."
"Would life really be interesting, though?" Rick answered, "I mean, now that I think about it, art and literature sucks. It's all about how screwed-up the human race is because we're stupid or close-minded or evil or some junk like that. It's like all the worlds artists and writers and film directors and music composers have decided that we suck as a race and that their job is to put us down. And you know, I think they succeeded. I think they're right. Because I mean, where's our unlimited human potential? What can we do but eat and burp and procreate and do random things that are cool but ultimately don't effect our lives that much? All we ever do is fight and argue and talk about how much everything sucks, and no one has discovered a higher purpose or anything.
"I mean," Rick continued, "Let's suppose that magic existed, what would you do with it? What's the first thing that comes to your mind?"
Joe answered unhesitantly, "Killing Steve."
"Exactly. You'd use it to kill Steve. I mean, what the frick kinda goal is that? You have this all-powerful force that can bend the universe and you want to use it to kill some guy who crossed you last week by cheating at Poker and robbing you blind. What the frick, man? I mean, we're talking about magic, something that's utterly beyond us, and if we human beings had it we'd be using it for all the stupidest fricking things, like getting money or avoiding work or getting revenge on people or trying to fix the world order or something. Personally, if I had magic, I would use it to move to an alternate universe where everything is cool and fun. And you know, that sounds stupid too."
"So what should we be doing with magic, if it exists?"
"I have no idea man, because the whole idea is something that the human brain can't comprehend." Rick sighed, and looked up. "Look at the sky, man. I mean, it seems to go on forever. But you know it has to end somewhere, right? So, what's past the sky? I mean, that's just incomprehensible, and if we could answer that we could think of real things to do with magic, things that don't suck."
Suddenly Joe laughed.
"What's funny, man?"
"I just wondered what people would think if they could hear this conversation. Cuz you know, when you talk to people about anything, they never hear the whole message, they just hear certain parts. Like you know, anyone hearing this would probably get too hung up on this magic stuff and forget that thing you said about the sky or art and literature or cigarettes or anything we're about to say in the future. I guess that's part of what you mean about the human mind--it has carpal tunnel vision that you can't do anything about. People would read this, and the next day all they'd remember is two guys who talked about magic."
"You sayin' we should talk about something else?"
"If you want. Doesn't matter to me what we talk about. I know, since we've been talking about fantastic things, let's talk about something real. Like money. What is it? It's just a bunch of little green pieces of paper."
"Actually, its cotton," Rick corrected.
"Yeah, cotton. And I don't get it. Everyone's like, money makes the world go round and all, but you know, money wouldn't even be here if we hadn't invented it. It's kinda funny when you think about it. We're slaves to our own creation."
"You know, I kinda understand that. I mean, when you create something you kinda have a pride about it. Money is like a cooperative effort for the whole human race, and it succeeded, and you know a cooperative effort on that scale almost never succeeds. So yeah, I guess the race as a whole is pretty damn proud of having money.
"What I don't get, though, is those people who insist on hoarding it. I mean dude, once your dead, it doesn't matter how much you have. You can't take it with you and your heirs will probably squander it all on alcohol or something."
"But that's not the point though," Joe said as he held up a hand, "The point is, it's a little green piece of cotton. Why do people care? I mean, it isn't even alive. You get it only so you can give it to someone else. I mean, its pointless. Just like eating is pointless because you just have to eat again later and learning is pointless because you can't really pass on your knowledge to future generations."
"Wait, what? No, there I disagree. Because that's what our textbooks and stuff are for--passing on knowledge."
"Yeah but, it doesn't work. I mean you can pass on mechanical stuff, like how to build a tricycle or something, but you can't pass on the really important stuff, like the cute little tricks that make your job easier or the rules of thumb when dealing with other people or that personal experience that finally convinced you that Santa Claus really doesn't exist. So in a lot of ways, each generation has to reinvent the wheel. And you know, the human race never really learns. People are circular--the surroundings change, but we keep making the same mistakes again and again. Like, look at a history of our presidents. It's always the same--some hothead comes along who almost totally effs up America and nobody likes him, then he's replaced by a more level-headed guy who undoes everything his predecessor did, and everything goes fine until another hothead enters the office. And of course we have corperations, bad laws, all those idiot Christians who want to censor everything... I mean first it was comics, then it was rock music, now its video games, and what's next?
"See, people keep doing the same junk over and over. It only changes superficially. The human race is simply not advancing, it isn't capable of advancement. We have reached our limit, there is no further point.
"We can't even think of something better! I mean, let's go back to what we were saying earlier about magic and science-fiction stuff being real. Okay, what if Star Wars was real and was really happening? What is Star Wars? It's just people fighting over government. I mean, its the same junk that's already going on in real life, just they're doing it with spaceships and lasers instead of airplanes and machine guns. And the Force would, as you said, be just another weapon. So really, if it was real, it would suck just as much as the real world already does."
"Dude, I don't think I'm ever gonna enjoy Star Wars again." Rick answered with a slight chuckle. "But I know what you mean. It's this vast alternate universe but we can't think of anything truly alien to put in it."
"Dude, I just figured it out." Joe suddenly said, "For the human race to really have a purpose, we have to invent technology, but it has to be a technology that has a purpose. But, it can't have anything to do with warfare, it can't have anything to do with medicine, it can't have anything to do with human convenience or comfort."
"The Chia Pet," Rick joked.
"No no, I said it has to have a purpose."
"Oh. I missed that part."
"Yeah. We have to think of something that could be invented--or magicked, if we assume that exists--that fits the criteria. The day we can, we've proven there's more to life than eating, having sex, and raising kids."
"And if we can't?"
Both looked silently at each other for a moment, then Joe asked "So, how does the road look to you?"
"Tempting, except for the part about my blood being on someone else's hands. Come on, let's go."
And Joe and Rick left the street corner.