Why did they box us in?

When I grow up, I wanna sit in an office 8 hours a day, watching the clock go by as I contribute nothing that really matters to the world.

Said no one ever.

When we look back in the history books, you can see civilisations that were built from scratch, where everyone had a clear role to play. A role that was vital to survival, not just for you, but for your clan.

Look I’m no scholar, but here goes my ramble.

How fucking weird is it, that the roles we played in civilisation, the humble roles of the farmer, the labourer, the healer, the hard-working integral people to our livelihood, are almost painted as a failure in the modern schooling system.

That academia, going to university to learn to work for someone else in an office is the real goal to strive for.

That being chained to a rhythm that doesn’t match out own, is somehow a success, and that keeping our world moving, keeping our streets clean, our trains and buses moving, growing and selling our vegetables, literally feeding us, that’s a failure. That’s when you didn’t make it.

But shaking your ass, or copying someone’s dance and making it big on an algorithm is.

Bleaching your hair.

Bleaching your teeth.

Getting your botox and your filler.

Getting your fast fashion.

So you all start to look the same, so you’ve met the standard of beauty required of you but we can’t even tell who YOU are any more.

That’s success.

You’ve made it.

You’ve given so much, you’ve achieved.

Well done.

You don’t need to read articles any more, there’s a 5 word headline.

You don’t need to watch a video any more, there’s a 30 second clip.

You don’t need to read a book any more, just scroll on your phone instead.

Being successful is great.

It feels so good, I feel so capable, so fulfilled, I’m really getting the most out of life.

What would it have been like without all of this convenience.

What would have happened if I had to care for and grow my own food?

What would have happened if I had to talk to people, instead of listening to a constant stream of podcasts and music.

If I had to listen, instead of block my ears from hearing anything around me.

Anything.

I don’t need to listen, I don’t need to look at you. Someone could collapse, some imminent danger would arise and I wouldn’t have a fucking clue.

Because I don’t want to listen anymore.

I disconnected.

I don’t want to know anything about anything or anyone anymore.

Because it’s all too fucking much.

Too much information.

Too much despair.

Too much heartbreak.

Too much disaster.

Too much death and decay all around.

I’m simply fucking over it.

I’m simply fucking done.

And I wonder, what would it be like, if it was back to simpler times.

If I didn’t have so much time to think and consider how much time I don’t want to have to think or consider anything.

I wonder.

What did they think back then? What did they worry about or fear?

Or were they just happy to get through the fucking day fed and watered.

What happened when we utilised the things around us and didn’t take, take, take from everyone else.

What was it like for those people who have had so many things taken, before it was taken.

What was their clan doing? How did they survive?

Did they suffer, like others suffer now.

Like so many in the world are in pain, in imminent danger.

Are crying, begging, pleading for mercy or dignity in this life.

And no one listens.

What was it like when they owned what they own?

What was it like when they got to listen to their land, to their clan.

To feel joy, to just feel.

Because right now they probably disconnected.

And they disconnected, because we didn’t hear their pleas from all of the disconnection.