Friday, December 16, 2016

Out of Time, Out of Space, A World of My Own

Often I have heard Elders say, "He is beyond his time," or "He is not of his time." Keep in mind, that I am not only referring to myself, but to other great thinkers of our time. I don't think people really understand how out of touch I am with the present moment. I am not the average person. I don't watch the news. I don't buy the latest gadgets, phones, and cars. The last time I watched the news was the election, and before that was nearly a year prior. I had my old phone for almost 6 years until it died on me. My car I put in a ditch one fateful winter night, and was a model from 2010. My car I have now is from 1994 and runs very well.

Instead of buying the latest and greatest, I utilize the old and forgotten. (It generally serves it's purpose better than anything new.) This mentality has drifted into my life in several ways. Firstly, classical music is my life. If I were to listen to anything I would choose Air on G over my favorite country song. Of course music selections are usually dependent upon my mood. Secondly, I yearn for a time completely different than the trappings of modern day society. I would rather have my words captured in a journal, than on the internet. Clearly, I am adapting. The lazy repose on the veranda on summer day with a mint julep would please me greatly. I will leave my reader to get lost in the romanticized fantasies of simpler life. That's what they end up becoming anyways, dreams and fantasies.

I am not of this time and I am not before my time. As a matter of fact, I don't feel I belong in any one space in time. I look at the world as objectively as possible, and I am criticized for being judgmental, unyielding, and cynical. When I offer collaborative solutions, based on fact and assessment, I am met with resistance, because feelings were not involved. Where do I belong and how do I get there? People say, that I need to find a 'like minded crowd.' To my chagrin, these thinkers are becoming the minority, with the rise of self entitlement and political correctness.

Perhaps, I shall just create my own world. In my world, the 'man cave' would be a library with men drinking brandy, smoking pipes, and discussing intellectual subjects. Useful work, would once again be prized and cherished. I would celebrate it like Ford Madox Brown in his painting, "Work" in 1852. The finer things, like proper speech, culture, and etiquette would be venerated. In my world, I would feel at peace. People would just let others live peaceably, and one would support the other. My world would be a place of classical refinement, knowledge, and civility. Perhaps I am stuck in a past, of which I am not aware?

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