When they finally come round to digging the grave of late-capitalist America, just after they stuff that bloated old cadaver in the lime-pit, they'll be casting around for an epigram for the tombstone, a lapidary sentence to sum up all the futility. They'll be leafing through the pages of Zinn, Parenti and King looking for the apposite eulogy, but they'll find you've already coined it:
"The business owner with the delusion of a workable enterprise, the consumerist public with the delusion of inexpensive and refined pleasures, and the service worker with the delusion of usefulness and good pay. The first glance shows cooperation among the parts, the second competition. Underneath it all there’s no contact, no exchange, but windowless monads painting their own shadowy shapes, mechanical dolls with busted springs and rusting gears."
Caleb, you’re a wonderful writer, and this is a brief period of difficulty within what will be a long and productive life. Unemployment happens and creates pressures, but you will endure them. You might consider teaching.
Thank you for the words of encouragement. I do think about teaching from time to time. If I can muster up the patience for obtaining a license, it might not be a bad option
"Passion, self-interest, curiosity, egoistic striving, ambition; these are distractions, motives of desperation. At one time the selfish impulses built a complex economy, they acted as causes. Now they’re effects, last place prizes awarded by an automated carnival that doesn’t need them or us anymore."
When they finally come round to digging the grave of late-capitalist America, just after they stuff that bloated old cadaver in the lime-pit, they'll be casting around for an epigram for the tombstone, a lapidary sentence to sum up all the futility. They'll be leafing through the pages of Zinn, Parenti and King looking for the apposite eulogy, but they'll find you've already coined it:
"The business owner with the delusion of a workable enterprise, the consumerist public with the delusion of inexpensive and refined pleasures, and the service worker with the delusion of usefulness and good pay. The first glance shows cooperation among the parts, the second competition. Underneath it all there’s no contact, no exchange, but windowless monads painting their own shadowy shapes, mechanical dolls with busted springs and rusting gears."
I can think of no higher honor than being featured on that tombstone
He sums it up perfectly.
Love when I feel sentences never end. I feel like you’re still talking after this piece.
Glad you’re feeling the resonance
liking the book, I'm on page 105 and you're talking about Jorge Ponce and his job offers
Happy to hear it
Caleb, you’re a wonderful writer, and this is a brief period of difficulty within what will be a long and productive life. Unemployment happens and creates pressures, but you will endure them. You might consider teaching.
Thank you for the words of encouragement. I do think about teaching from time to time. If I can muster up the patience for obtaining a license, it might not be a bad option
DM me about it.
"Passion, self-interest, curiosity, egoistic striving, ambition; these are distractions, motives of desperation. At one time the selfish impulses built a complex economy, they acted as causes. Now they’re effects, last place prizes awarded by an automated carnival that doesn’t need them or us anymore."
What can we do about this, let's talk about it.
If I knew what to do about it, I wouldn’t be here