Why Am I Not Surprised?
By Ron Marr (08/16/03)
The world is not a very surprising place, at least in terms of human behavior. We are creatures of habit whose patterns have changed but little over the millennia. This admittedly cynical belief appears to hold true in the pragmatic sense, viewed in the day to day actions of those who have been accustomed to life in the rut.
It holds true in the emotional sense, the instant replay of romance, attraction and departure. It holds true in the utter redundancy of the press, in our choices of entertainment, in the philosophical outlooks we espouse, in the public and private temper tantrums resulting from perceived affronts...
It makes me wonder how back-street psychics and palm readers make a living, for there is little in this life that cannot be predicted with a sense of accuracy.
I have developed a theory that most social problems arise from sheer boredom, a dissatisfaction with a life spent chasing a piece of cheese in a cardboard maze, a lack of surprise. The abuse of drugs and alcohol do not strike me so much a sickness as an attempt to alleviate a lingering sense of ennui and stagnation. The only trouble with escaping one's troubles via chemical assistance is that there is no person more repugnant than a hard-core drunk. Take it from one who deals with drunks on a regular basis, enduring hydraulically-enhanced angst, bouts of insane laughter, bad jokes, crying jags, sports debates, car comparisons, arguments over the color of air and the same slurred story 20 times in one afternoon is a tough job. It could almost drive me to drink.
Violence? I don't think it's root cause is poverty. I think it stems from folks who have become accustomed to poverty, who are bored silly, lack the gumption or courage to institute change, and extend their anger at themselves to any convenient target. After all, it's much easier to rage against others than to improve your own lot. Much easier to swing an ax handle or fire a gun than get a job or read a book. Much easier to destroy than create.
Which brings us to politics. A lack of surprise is particularly glaring in regard to those whose life's ambition revolves around molding and controlling the thoughts and actions of others. And it's getting worse.
There have been, are and always will be those who exist to seek power, to acquire wealth, to place themselves upon pedestals and demand adoration from the masses whom they regard as inferior. There's a certain irony in that latter trait - so pervasive in celebrities, religious leaders, politicians and despots - but it's really not something I wish to consider too deeply. It's a little frightening to think that we are often led by those whose underlying motivation is a deep-rooted inferiority complex, a pathological need to be desired and respected by the unwashed masses.
This lack of surprise is one reason why I have been steering clear of the political scene of late. The issues at hand have become more petty than usual, the arguments more redundant, the topics du jour more ridiculous. Common sense is never a commodity that our lawmakers and elected officials demonstrate in abundance, but for these last few months even a modicum of intelligence has been absent. Who cares if George W didn't have all the facts about Saddam? He had enough. Who cares if The Terminator becomes Governor of California? It's just another role, and he'll be elected not because of ability but because he can play a part and has good hair. Who cares if Kerry, Gephardt, Dean or Clinton gets the Democratic nomination? They are all merely clones who will tell any lie or undertake any action, no matter how heinous, in the quest to slake an unquenchable thirst for fame and self-aggrandizement.
I'm really beginning to think, in the big picture, that none of this external stuff matters all that much. I'm forcing myself to re-learn that simplicity is the world's greatest treasure. Only from such a perspective does wonder become possible, only from such a perspective does awe take on its purest form.
Frankly, only a few things have ever surprised me - the leaping of a whale, the unexpected appearance of an eagle, my dog learning to toss his own tennis ball and a few very rare, totally unsolicited, acts of love or kindness. It's a different approach from what I've lived of late, and perhaps I'm too hardened to really appreciate these little things in life. Maybe I wouldn't even know them if I found them. But, the effort is worth the potential reward.
Who knows...maybe I'll surprise myself.
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