When history is written, it is sometimes simply
documented. Other times, it is wildly embellished. We know that the stories themselves, not the act of recording, can sometimes be the only history that really matters. History, as it occurs, must be soaked in
and cherished as each moment arrives. While reflection will always take place, we still have to channel things into our subconscious. In Tom Wolfe’s The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, the leader of a group of
intellectuals has an astute moment. The Chief, as he
was affectionately referred, impresses himself upon this band of free-spirited existentialists.
These newborn souls were travelling both physically and
psychologically - questioning all things and living without oppression. In a mode of
self-proclamation and prophesy, he says “I’d rather be a lightning rod than a
seismograph".
Reading this quote, in its simplistic depth, we know that we
have to wring the cloth hard to get the real meaning out of it. Here, The
Chief alludes to having no interest in simply recording waves verbatim. There is no latitude, no creativity – no electricity,
no release. The Chief's quote says more, though. A lightning rod takes
in an electrical current. It attracts and conducts this current to protect its
attached structure from damage. To serve this purpose, a lightning rod must have
a connection to Earth. It is grounded.
It takes in that current and translates it into something that is not destructive. A lightning rod translates – it does not
record. Because it distracts lightning from the structure it is protecting, it
is a catalyst for positive change. Unlike a seismograph, it does not wait for
history to happen, but it helps to internalize the course of history…. it implies a helpful and worthwhile experience, becoming intrinsically motivated, electrified, desensitized, and better
capable.
It reminds me of that moment at an outdoor concert, with
streams of sky on a cloudy night, where the band strikes the first chord of
their most well known ballad. This is the tune where the sweethearts hold hands
and look into each other’s eyes, as its familiarity brings back memories of time
already spent, igniting passion for history in the making. The sweet melodies,
and the acoustical sway, serve as reminders of missed chances and strong
emotions stashed away... never to be acted upon. This song creates the
atmospheric mood, where the flint of the lighter sparks and a trail of
flames cascades the crowd line. Only now, in our modern and digital
times, you see something different. The flames have been traded with another
light source: a sea of cell phones. An
uninspiring electronic leech, it takes the moment away from you, and instead of
channeling history, it records blips in time…. just like a seismograph.
This breeds within me a steep desire to become more in touch with my
analog self, to become more grounded, connected to earth, craving high doses
of energy and change, however strong the mix may be….
…getting shocked into coherence by breaching
the doors of a closed-off society.
……..and "furthur" - being much more than a blip
in time.
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