Apr 26 2007
Son of Sheep
I attended several court hearings this morning in which I finally withdrew as legal counsel of record on cases I had been working as part of a side project. It was, I hope, the last time I have to wear a suit and tie for a long, long time.
As a pragmatist, and a very superstitious one at that, I loathe to say that too loudly for fear of tempting the wrath of the whatever from high atop the thing.
Nonetheless, it was an interesting event.
In particular, I haven't driven in rush-hour traffic for over a month (and significant rush-hour traffic for much, much longer), and I have not been in close association with any practicing attorneys for much longer than that.
After having driven through said traffic, and after having walked through a courthouse filled with scores of attorneys all dressed in the exact same black suit, I realized the distance that I've already traveled - mentally, albeit not yet physically - is staggering.
All the scene required were bowler hats.
Not to be judgmental, or in any way condescending to anyone who may otherwise fit into that mold, in one form or another, but all I could think was:
"What a bunch of fucking sheep."
I have only had but a taste of the possibilities out there, and I am already struck by the absurdity of many good people who have resigned themselves to waste countless hours of their lives — time which can never be restored — waiting in traffic, waiting in line, trapped in jobs and careers and marriages they find unsatisfying, or being proud of those things which should not warrant pride.
I was awestruck.
And I honestly, honestly wonder how many of those people are truly happy. And if that percentage is as low as one could logically assume, I also wonder how, and if, that translates up to a societal level.
It may be a simplistic question, but I wonder just how many of our societal problems are attributable to the Western obsession with money, power and celebrity? Indeed, would the U.S. government spend more money on education and foreign aid if all of its citizens telecommuted, or were required to teach for 5 years, or if People magazine was removed from circulation?
I doubt it. But it's an interesting theory nonetheless.
I may wind up dead in a gutter in Jakarta, or I may wind up again begging for employment come September (Or I could wind up as an intern at TK's sheep farm in New Zealand - since we all know how he loves the animals).
But I'm glad I can at least see these things now unobscured by the fogs of greed and pride and social acceptance, even if that vision is but temporary.
I hope many others do the same. They deserve it.
