Maybe this is my attempt to reconcile the idea that the title of this blog was conveying when I created it. I’ve used the “Loss of Distinction” in the title of every avenue of media I’ve used on the internet, and I suppose I was correct, and ironically incorrect in my usage of it (or incorrect, yet ironically correct). In any case, I’m about to write down a dumb idea I had a few days ago, one that everyone has had, one that no one needs to read about, yet I am writing anyway either as a poor attempt to claim it as valuable, or because I am bored, and feel like being very ironic. In any case: if you feel like reading something stupid, please continue. If not, I don’t begrudge you if you leave this post.
What is the true estimation of our value as human beings in this society. I know, it is such a valuable premise to begin a post about. The more I thought about it though, the more I thought, however, it would be the perfect thing to waste time about on this blog. After all, the notion I wanted to carry with this blog is that information has expanded beyond any belt loop, horizontally without control, and we don’t know how to reign ourselves in anymore. Even if we did, we couldn’t at this point. Maybe we could. I hope we could.
Anyway – this old idea came to me when I was driving home from band practice (to re-iterate: 26, currently unemployed, living at home, in a band, writing blogs; I wouldn’t begrudge you if you left this post at this point either) when an old Kanye West song came on the radio. Stronger, if I’m correct; either way, you know what song I’m talking about.
I thought about him, about his girlfriend, the interest they garner, and I thought to myself, what is their real value? I imagine, if an apocalyptic event were to occur, and by some method we were only able to save the most valuable members of mankind, surely they wouldn’t be saved. You might take some Kanye CDs with you, but you wouldn’t need him to come along, in case he has any more ideas for songs. They don’t advance anything artistically; they aren’t entirely without innovation, but not enough for him to be necessary. In short, Kanye entertains, but he is not necessary.
His girlfriend does nothing. So there’s that.
If there were a cataclysmic event, I know I wouldn’t be saved; I haven’t provided any evidence that I should be. I suppose the most important traits for the advancement of our species, those who hold those traits most exceptionally would be saved. Biological, intellectual, organizational. I’m sure it would be possible to store most of our blueprints for technology and innovation without needing most of those who were responsible for those innovations, but I’m sure we would still need some of them, if for nothing else but their minds.
But what innovations am I talking about? And, what value am I talking about? We have become so gluttonous with innovation that it is necessary for all of us to point out how uncontrollable it has become. And assigning the value of a human being purely based on the traits necessary to advance the species sounds far too dark and narrow.
However, in this imagined scenario, our view would have to be narrow. Save only those that would save what is the best of us. Actors and most pop musicians would not be saved. We all understand we use them merely as distractions, but we do not hold them to any real level of value in terms of our humanity as a whole.
If we did, the title of this blog would be truer than ever. Though I lack faith in a lot of the world, I still have faith that this is not true.
Maintain perspective; there are so many things we need to understand about our time right now before we can begin to describe it.
A Loss of Distinction 