Dear Artificially-Created Purpose,
I was listening to the radio on my way home from school today, and I heard a story about some lifeguards in California that are currently rowing some plastic boats through extreme seas in wind and rain to some island and back again. It's a multiple-day trip, and they are putting in 11-hour days of rowing. They have little food, the current is against them, and their hands are blistered while their faces are chapped. When they get to the island, they plan on turning around and just going back home.
What the f-?
Why are they doing this? Because they are recreating a "famous" feat achieved by two lifeguards about 75 years ago. Why did those two lifeguards do it back then? Probably because they were bored. Because people invent you when they get overly bored.
The problem people have in the modern world is that - in general - day-to-day survival is just too easy. Although there are a lot of deadly, terrible things happening out there, it's still easier than back in the days of our ancestors when one had to go hunt their food on a regular basis. When food was just as likely to hunt them. It's so easy that people live long enough for diseases that never really existed before to kill us. And that's a problem.
Why? Because we have no real purpose. When surviving and finding food and shelter is a challenge in and of itself, nobody gets bored. There's no time for that. There's not even a whole lot of time to get depressed and feel self-pity because there are more important things to take care of. But not in today's world. At least not in a large chunk of today's world.
As a result, people are constantly coming up with you. They create these ridiculous challenges for themselves just for the sake of being challenged. They climb mountains. Swim across freezing channels. Jump from airplanes. Run in front of angry animals. Row against the current. All because there's nothing better to do, and the planning and implementation of the plans to make successfully overcome these faux challenges lends strength to you. For a minute, at least, there's nothing else on the person's mind but the goal to be achieved.
No matter that it's generally a miserable endeavour from start to finish. Climbing Everest is cold, exhausting, brain-numbing, frightening, painful and everything in between. Yet people do it. They would never agree to being punched while dipped in ice-water and starved just to say they did it, but that's pretty much the same thing. Why? Because of you. That's why people REPLICATE the inane, tortuous challenge of two bored guys from 75 years ago. Because of you. Because there's no naturally-created purpose in their lives. It's kind of scary, really. And a little bit sad.
But can I really talk? Why do I enjoy sports so much? Why do I make art or write? Why do I do the job I do (or seek any job that I enjoy and am good at)? It's all because of you. I don't have the luxury of actively pursuing an after-life, and so I have to look for you in the other things I do. Way after the fact, I have realized that I kind of hate back-packing, and yet I get excited when I talk to my roommate about going on another trip in the future. Why do I go to trainings?
Because life is too easy. And I don't really think that that is a bad thing. You give hope. You give a reason to do anything at all. Because I could just say that you're a crock of ish and give up, but then what? I certainly wouldn't have my handful of Loyal Reader to entertain. I wouldn't be happy about anything. Ever. I wouldn't care about ending up with a stupid tattoo.
And those are all bad things. I am glad that I have you. And I say to all those who make you as a reason to undertake ridiculous challenges - "Right on. If it brings you joy, then - by God - don't you ever stop doing those ridiculous things." I mean - why do people run?
Oh, right. I hate Running. But still.
So thank you, Artificially-Created Purpose, for giving me a reason to do most anything at all. Because doing things is nice.
Feeling Proud of Another Letter Written,
CVT
*By the way - that guy in the photo? Sure, it looks all pretty and what-not, but we all know that all he's thinking about is how tired he is and how close he is to being finished, so he can get the Hell out of the cold and eat a big meal and just lie in bed, all warm and toasty.
2 comments:
you're totally right. i read an article about the voyage, and the original lifeguard dude, now almost 100 yrs old said, “the point of it was to see if we could do it.”
yup.
so.
if you want to read more and take a look at the decrepit risk-taker and "artifically-created purpose" maker, check out: www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20070912-9999-1n12row.html
This whole concept is a lot easier to swallow if potential failure couldn't kill you. I'm not sure I like the idea of wrestling a bear "to see if I can." I'm sure I can, but it would also probably kill me, and I don't think that's really a good idea, unless I am like the Grizzly Man and it is my destiny to die at the paws of a kodiak.
I like to keep my personal challenges a bit more scaled back. For instance, right now, I wonder if I can make a peanut butter & scallion sandwich like my grandpa used to. If I can, it will have been worth it, because it will have reminded me what it is to be alive.
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