Stuckness
Do you categorize yourself as a wanderer or a settler? After watching a movie about grandioss road trips, we came to the realization that, at 11 pm at night, we can not go anywhere. We can't just get in a car and start driving aimlessly - there is one road to the west, and one to the north. Both end in forest and eventually in water. The downside to being on an island - it's a island. We can see Vancouver and Port Angeles - but at the same time they are unknown places worlds away. Technology has gotten us to the point where the world is very small. Planes, trains, boats - connectedness (did I just make up a word?).
But what if that technology was cut off? At 11 pm, the ferrys don't run and the planes don't fly. Suppose we woke up tomorrow and none of it worked anymore. Life on the island forever. Trapped - that's all I can think of. While this is a beautiful place, there is so much more out there to discover. From the coffee stand on the side of the road, flavours of a succulent dish to understanding the cultural methodologies a world away, different languages saying the same thing. Would we be able to sustain life as we knew it disconnected? Separate worlds evolving at separate rates - remembering that the others existed but that memory gradually fading over time as reality returned to simply what we can see around us. Islands from the mainlands, countries from other countries, continents apart.
It scares me to have to live in the same place, day in day out for the rest of my life. To get up, go to work, return home and perpetuate the cycle. What would I miss? Who would I miss? How would I enrich my own life living in a societal bubble? Awareness and understanding would be limited. Yet so many people live this way everyday - born, live and die in the same place. What part of their perspective am I missing?
But what if that technology was cut off? At 11 pm, the ferrys don't run and the planes don't fly. Suppose we woke up tomorrow and none of it worked anymore. Life on the island forever. Trapped - that's all I can think of. While this is a beautiful place, there is so much more out there to discover. From the coffee stand on the side of the road, flavours of a succulent dish to understanding the cultural methodologies a world away, different languages saying the same thing. Would we be able to sustain life as we knew it disconnected? Separate worlds evolving at separate rates - remembering that the others existed but that memory gradually fading over time as reality returned to simply what we can see around us. Islands from the mainlands, countries from other countries, continents apart.
It scares me to have to live in the same place, day in day out for the rest of my life. To get up, go to work, return home and perpetuate the cycle. What would I miss? Who would I miss? How would I enrich my own life living in a societal bubble? Awareness and understanding would be limited. Yet so many people live this way everyday - born, live and die in the same place. What part of their perspective am I missing?
posted by meesh @ 11:01 p.m.
3 Comments:
At February 19, 2006 at 12:21:00 a.m. PST,
Christopher Robin said…
The better question is what part of your perspective are they missing.
To me it seems normal to move on to new places, jobs people. In some ways I think it's driven a bit by a fear of missing out. For other people though, those who stay in the same place, I feel that they may be driven by a fear as well. Though I think it would be more a fear of the unknown, or of change.
In my opinion my fear is the better one to have (go figure) I see no reason not to grow and move and change. That's how mankind got where we are today, so many would say that it's only natural to continue doing so.
At February 21, 2006 at 11:03:00 a.m. PST,
Elizabeth said…
You know, I used to be pretty happy being "stuck." For a long while, I wanted to do my masters at UofA, and then settle in Alberta. For me, it took actually getting out and seeing what happens when you leave your comfort zone to push me to continue growing and stretching. It's a cycle! :) Now, I'm hoping to spend the summer in BC, and the next 3 years in Halifax... a far cry from my "all alberta, all the time' attitude I had just 6 months ago. Let's hope Dal accepts me, and offers me lots of money... ;)
At February 21, 2006 at 1:07:00 p.m. PST,
Anonymous said…
Of course they'll accept you! And it would be awesome to have you on the island this summer! I don't know what I'm doing yet, but I'll likely be around.
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