By Hans Ebert Visit Hans-Ebert.com
We were having dinner with a few cricketers over the weekend. Not just any cricketers. World class cricketers. Guys with whom I was and still are in awe. But heroes rarely last forever. Most eventually disappoint.
These cricketers were talking about their complete disinterest playing in a five day Test match, let alone a series. How much discipline was needed. Being kept under lock and key. Every move being scrutinised. But with there being the 20/20 game, One Day Tests, it was all very much about big money for almost nothing and plenty of models, actresses and groupies for free. It was a Dire Straits song.
These days, it’s always about the money. It’s the driving force: Doing the least as possible and to get as much as possible for it. It’s a con.
It’s also all about different careers. And how these determine lifestyles. Probably explains why there’s so much anger in the world. The loss of personal priorities. A lack of morality. How anything goes. How it’s all about the money money money. And dodging bullets. Looking up to buffoons.
Last week, someone working as a concierge in a five star hotel was talking about suffering from terminal boredom for nine hours every day. How, with hotel guests having all the information they need online and at their fingertips, they don’t need anyone else to provide them with information to feed their needs. It’s all out there. And so, he stands there behind his desk pretending to look busy.
One really wishes it wasn’t like this, but this is what progress and technology has wreaked on us. Everything has become TOO simple. TOO quick. Too easy. Too empty. Too Desmond Tutu.
Romance? What romance? Why when there’s online sex masquerading as love? Love me, Tinder.
It’s all about there being a choice. Many many choices. It’s why so many businesses and industries have collapsed. Quick choices, after which it’s hearing Peggy Lee singing, “Is that all there is?” Peggy Lee. What a mixed up soul.
Who needs people, Babs. It’s online banking. Online planning for that summer break. Music available online. For free. Movies. Television. Poker. Gaming. Online cures. Online Wikipedia wisdom.
It’s probably why many of us have a hard time falling asleep. The days are filled with so much nothingness that we’re not tired enough. Mentally. We go to sleep at around 11pm and then wake up. At 3am. And then what? If lucky, we go back to sleep. Wake up at 7am. And then? Go for a run. And then? Keep yourself busy by being with the Nowhere People. Or being one yourself.
Stretching out those bored meetings. Listening to intellectual midgets go on and on and on until buried in wombat do. And then? Work is over.
What a tough day it’s been. Whew. Time to go home and chill. But how? Who’s around to interest you with stimulating conversation? And so you settle for whoever is around. Or go inside yourself and become Howard Hughes. But just more phobic. More tissues, please.
I had a bad dream last night. A nightmare. No matter how much I tried, my iPhone just wouldn’t work. No matter how many times I switched it on and off, all that appeared were a blur of colours.
Suddenly, I was a child again. I went into my parents’ room crying. Showing them what was wrong with my iPhone. They were asleep and couldn’t be bothered.
In reality, I lost my parents almost fifteen years ago. And then I woke up. It was 2.34am. And now what?
Life isn’t too short. It’s too long. We’re using our time here appallingly.
We’ve made getting from Here to there, and there to here and with zero substance inbetween.
We’ve forgotten what substance is. We’re filling in the gaps. Stop gap measures are just that.
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