Hmm, that's interesting.
In the previous post, I was talking about how we, of the 1990 - 2010 generation, will be the ones seeing the maximum change in lifestyle and the way the world operates. I think I am really beginning to believe this. And interestingly enough, my colleague cam up with the same thing, and said the same thing, just a day after I wrote about it.
And we weren't even discussing anything related to the subject.
:-)
****************************
There was once a boy who possessed some determination. He had some qualities of hardwork in him and was capable of it when it was really required. Or even when he was told it was really required. So he did work hard, and used his given talents and intelligence well. And he reaped the sweet fruits of his labour.
However, slowly, the fruits of the hard work made him lazy. And sleepy.
He began to find ways around having to work hard. He was too smart to be able to fool himself into believing anything consciously, so it wasn't too hard to convince himself that he could do this tomorrow, or it wasn't necessary to study this chapter. Or a few marks less wouldn't matter.
Well, yes, a few marks here or there may not matter, unless you're just 2 marks shy of being top of the class. THEN it stings. It stings like a BITCH. Yes, I know bitches don't sting, but just go with it, Shakespeare.
So he had lost it, those qualities, that willpower, the stamina, the diligence. And the silly boy convinced himself it was OK. That there are other things in life that are sweet too. And these must be tasted too. What he didn't know was there's nothing as sweet as success. Nothing that quite matches the inner explosion of joy upon achievement, and the sheer exhilaration of kicking the competition where it really hurts.
Sex doesn't even come close.
As tends to happen, time passed. Boy became man. One day, he sat down and had a good long look at his life. And he thought. Then he thought some more. He thought it was high time he got his priorities straight. He thought maybe it was time to focus on what was really important and shearing off all the other inconseqencies. Like cleaning the fat off meat.
It will take some time, he realised, but then he saw that this was as good a time to start as any.
*************************
I was watching this program on Vh1. It was basically a Pearl Jam concert, but in a very personalised sort of seeting. It was indoors but wasn't acoustic or unplugged or anything; there were people standing quite close to the stage, and people standing in a sort of balcony / gallery area. Quite interesting.
But not near as interesting as listening to Eddie Vedder speak.
The man is fucking mesmerising.
He was basically speaking to the audience almost throughout the show - during songs, in between songs, introducing songs. There was even a section of the show where they all sat down on stools and Vedder started reading out fan mail. I think there must've been some promo for the show where they said send in your letters and we'll read them during the show.
There were, of course, gushing letters, but Vedder chose to read out the most interesting ones. And to his credit, he also read out a few that dissed or ridiculed Pearl Jam. Anyway, he drawled, and stared, and went nuts...damn, he makes it impossible to take your eyes off him.
One of the more interesting things I learned during the show was the story behind "Alive". Before playing the song, Vedder introduced it. He mentioned how it was originally called something else, how it tells the story of a guy who had a really messed up adoloscence (he gave details). And then he revealed that the guy was him.
But it was the manner in which he did that that was so amazing. It was so matter of fact, so by-the-way, that by the time the enormity of this revelation had sunk in and you related your whole life (and his) to the song, he'd already moved on and said something else at least as captivating and said it equally nonchalantly. The whole concert was like one big mindfucking conversation with Eddie Vedder. Obviously, in actuality, it was almost a monologue, but the way he spoke made you feel like you've been friends for ages and that you actually made significant contributions to the conversation. When all you actually did was mostly step around the puddle of your own drool.
Basically the "I'm still Alive" refrain is not a celebration but an expression of his frustration at what he sees as a curse - his life. But Vedder explained how he was so amazed at the way it was received and perceived, that it changed the meaning of the song. Even to him.
Now, that's really saying something.
Naturally, the first thing that came to my mind (after "WOW!, of course) was "I wonder what 'Jeremy' was based on". Like it was with the news of the assasination of Kennedy, or of 9/11, one usually remembers where one was or what one was doing the first time one watched the video of 'Jeremy'.
Where were you?
^
In the previous post, I was talking about how we, of the 1990 - 2010 generation, will be the ones seeing the maximum change in lifestyle and the way the world operates. I think I am really beginning to believe this. And interestingly enough, my colleague cam up with the same thing, and said the same thing, just a day after I wrote about it.
And we weren't even discussing anything related to the subject.
:-)
****************************
There was once a boy who possessed some determination. He had some qualities of hardwork in him and was capable of it when it was really required. Or even when he was told it was really required. So he did work hard, and used his given talents and intelligence well. And he reaped the sweet fruits of his labour.
However, slowly, the fruits of the hard work made him lazy. And sleepy.
He began to find ways around having to work hard. He was too smart to be able to fool himself into believing anything consciously, so it wasn't too hard to convince himself that he could do this tomorrow, or it wasn't necessary to study this chapter. Or a few marks less wouldn't matter.
Well, yes, a few marks here or there may not matter, unless you're just 2 marks shy of being top of the class. THEN it stings. It stings like a BITCH. Yes, I know bitches don't sting, but just go with it, Shakespeare.
So he had lost it, those qualities, that willpower, the stamina, the diligence. And the silly boy convinced himself it was OK. That there are other things in life that are sweet too. And these must be tasted too. What he didn't know was there's nothing as sweet as success. Nothing that quite matches the inner explosion of joy upon achievement, and the sheer exhilaration of kicking the competition where it really hurts.
Sex doesn't even come close.
As tends to happen, time passed. Boy became man. One day, he sat down and had a good long look at his life. And he thought. Then he thought some more. He thought it was high time he got his priorities straight. He thought maybe it was time to focus on what was really important and shearing off all the other inconseqencies. Like cleaning the fat off meat.
It will take some time, he realised, but then he saw that this was as good a time to start as any.
*************************
I was watching this program on Vh1. It was basically a Pearl Jam concert, but in a very personalised sort of seeting. It was indoors but wasn't acoustic or unplugged or anything; there were people standing quite close to the stage, and people standing in a sort of balcony / gallery area. Quite interesting.
But not near as interesting as listening to Eddie Vedder speak.
The man is fucking mesmerising.
He was basically speaking to the audience almost throughout the show - during songs, in between songs, introducing songs. There was even a section of the show where they all sat down on stools and Vedder started reading out fan mail. I think there must've been some promo for the show where they said send in your letters and we'll read them during the show.
There were, of course, gushing letters, but Vedder chose to read out the most interesting ones. And to his credit, he also read out a few that dissed or ridiculed Pearl Jam. Anyway, he drawled, and stared, and went nuts...damn, he makes it impossible to take your eyes off him.
One of the more interesting things I learned during the show was the story behind "Alive". Before playing the song, Vedder introduced it. He mentioned how it was originally called something else, how it tells the story of a guy who had a really messed up adoloscence (he gave details). And then he revealed that the guy was him.
But it was the manner in which he did that that was so amazing. It was so matter of fact, so by-the-way, that by the time the enormity of this revelation had sunk in and you related your whole life (and his) to the song, he'd already moved on and said something else at least as captivating and said it equally nonchalantly. The whole concert was like one big mindfucking conversation with Eddie Vedder. Obviously, in actuality, it was almost a monologue, but the way he spoke made you feel like you've been friends for ages and that you actually made significant contributions to the conversation. When all you actually did was mostly step around the puddle of your own drool.
Basically the "I'm still Alive" refrain is not a celebration but an expression of his frustration at what he sees as a curse - his life. But Vedder explained how he was so amazed at the way it was received and perceived, that it changed the meaning of the song. Even to him.
Now, that's really saying something.
Naturally, the first thing that came to my mind (after "WOW!, of course) was "I wonder what 'Jeremy' was based on". Like it was with the news of the assasination of Kennedy, or of 9/11, one usually remembers where one was or what one was doing the first time one watched the video of 'Jeremy'.
Where were you?
^
spouted by Non-Sensei at 9/26/2006 09:10:00 AM
9 Comments:
My my... I've missed out on a couple of posts...
On your previous post, I'd say that civilization in general has indeed become weak, decadent, violent... like a pack of rabid dogs mongering for war.
I like the way your current post takes over, from the previous one. An age of change, you said, my friend?
Powaqqatsi.
Don't ask me why it fired up my synapses. No idea. Probably because you said - "Life's changing. Faster than it used to before."
It's weird. Every once in a while, I look at the blue, white and tinges of a shade of yellow on your creations, wonder what it is, and suddenly it dawns upon me to interpret it as a perspective of those concepts that is so well connected with those three hopi indian words.
A while later, a little bit of the warrior's way of life perhaps?
:)
Vedder. Mindfucking. Genius.
Just, what a man! You should read an old, rather outdated autobio of PJ called Five Against One. I'm yet to come across a bigger lyrical mastermind than Eddie.
Enlightening post, made me listen to Ten ten times over. My almost all-time face album. :-)
AC : interesting comments, man. :-). I agree - those 3 little words are really something, eh?
Manu : yeah, Ten holds a special place for me too. i'd love to read that book...do you have it? know where i can get it?
these words that you and AC are talking about : tat tvam asi or the far more interesting Satyam Shivam Sundaram??
zap : none of the above. they are 3 Hopi-Indian (native American) words : Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi and Nagoyqatsi.
They translate as "Life out of balance", "Life in Transformation", and "Life as War" respectively.
There are 3 very interesting movies of these names, by Godfrey Reggio, and they are called the Qatsi Trilogy. But, you are a movie buff, so you might already know of these...
best viewed thru red eyes, if you know what i mean...
:-)
As far as Jeremy is concerned, I guess I was at home watching Channel V munching on something I don't quite remember.
Those three words just about sum up life, don't they?
To be honest, I've not seen the movies fully... just glimpses... here and there y'know. But some beautiful scenes eh?
We can qatsi marathon sometime when I'm down there. Have got the dvd-rips of all the movies, and naqoyqatsi has 6 channel sound too. Keep whisky and speakers ready!!! :)
AC : hehe..and i have the original DVDs. :-D
except Nagoyqatsi, which of course i will promptly take a copy of from you...
ok those. I watched Koyaanisqatsi a while ago but didnt like it. Never watched the other two.
I prefer to keeo my Red eyes and my movies separate anyways:)
finch : hehe...interesting observation. yeah, it seems i do tend to use 'basically' a lot. :-)
in some ways, i think, adolescence is meant to be a period of fuck-ups. otherwise, how would you learn anything? ;-)
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