Meditation for April 25th
You Don’t Have To Have Anything to Say
One of the biggest curses on mankind is the internet homogenizing our culture, leaving us with nothing to talk about because we have been corralled into the same pens. TV shows, celebrity worship, funny memes, viral cultural events, and anything else that reach all of us online.
And then there is just the news.
Everyone feels like they need to say something publicly about what each of these things means. Will we all have PR firms issuing statements about our views on celebrity divorces in the near future? We can’t possibly keep up with all these cultural bumps and respond to them alone. Everyone has to say something about each major celebrity death, drama, or major news event.
Guess what? You don’t have to. Just like you don’t have to write long essays in Yelp about your experience at a new restaurant, starting with the word “Well…” (Or even worse, starting the essay with, “So…”)
You don’t have to watch the hot new TV show. You don’t have to read the books the show is based on.
You don’t have to have an opinion about a major celebrity.
You don’t have to pretend to think a dead celebrity was great.
You don’t have to have a strong opinion about the Presidential campaign.
Even if you do have something to say, you don’t have to say anything. You don’t have to feel like you have a civic duty to state your opinion on all things cultural to be a part of society. No one cares about what other people think unless it is the clear opposite of what they believe or exactly what they believe. Either way, it doesn’t have to be said.
All I read is a desperate attempt to be relevant. The stating of criticism of current events is a cry for attention and a fumbling hand to find some human connection that just can’t be achieved through Internet communication.
You don’t have to react to anything.
Prayer
The Cowboy of Hollywood,
I must be immediately knowledgeable of your current releases and trends,
Or I will seem out of touch,
And I will seem obsolete.
I need to have a word or two to say about every movie, album, and other culturally publishable consumable items.
I need to be outspoken about what artists are struggling with in their relationships, work, and beliefs.
I need to mourn their death.
I have to love all things loved,
And hate all things hated.
I must have an opinion on everything.
I will post videos,
Change my profile picture to the dead celebrity so everyone knows I know about this celebrity and appreciate the work they’ve done.
I will tell a story of the first time this celebrity changed my life
Hopefully, it’s years before your story.
It is hard to know that this celebrity will have an impact on humankind for years to come, and I will be forgotten.
My statement changes nothing.
It is only heard from other fans.
Others will shrug their shoulders at the most and keep scrolling.
Even in all-caps, I am not really heard.
Please let me have a say on everything that needs to be said.
Amen.
Craft
Grief Mask
You will need some clay, pens, and items to help make the mask look like the person you are grieving for.
For a better texture, cover the clay with an animal skin. Pig works the best.
You will create a clay mask to look like the person you are grieving. Try to get the face’s symmetry right.
Bake the clay in a kiln.
Add the items that will make the face more realistic. For example, a little scruff on the cheeks and upper lip, and some purple eyeliner to be Prince.
Spend 30 days being that person. Wear similar clothes, learn body language, and speech pathology.
Don’t drop character for even a second, even if you are Alex, to explain yourself. You are now that person, not an impersonator.
You will be cured of grief at the end of 30 days.
Goal
You don’t have to say anything. If it helps you, go right ahead, but if you feel like you have to, don’t.