An Interlude

All the world's a masquerade
Made up of fools and philosophers.
Were it to rain on our charade, all washes away,
Except our true colors.

If any people bothered looking for truth,
Please, STOP THE WORLD from spinning 'round.
Instead we choose to follow footsteps of fools,
Please, STOP THE WORLD from spinning 'round.

If nothing's new under the sun for me and you
Won't somebody please...

STOP THE WORLD
STOP THE WORLD
I WANNA GET OFF...

If we forget yesterday,
We're bound to repeat it tomorrow...

- From the track, "Stop the world", off the album III SIDES TO EVERY STORY by Extreme

I remember listening to this album when it was first released back in the fall of 1992. The funk groove of POLITICALAMITY. The climatic orchestral explosion sucked into a music box at the end of WHO CARES? It was today, seventeen years later as I walked in the brisk spring air alone with my thoughts, I could hear the chorus of one of my "less favorite" tracks, "STOP THE WORLD, STOP THE WORLD, I WANNA GET OFF."

In October of 2008, I began a series entitled "The World Is Crazy: Now What?". At that time, I was incredulous to the total disregard for truth, especially that of a historical nature. Being one who wants to know "what is" regardless of how it makes me feel, the daily idiocies were mind numbing.

It hit me; however, that "nothing's new under the sun", that men and women, much greater than I, throughout history have contemplated proper direction and perception when faced with the force of agendas that have trampled any exposed obstacles of truth. In that light, I wanted to chronicle what was really important, that which many have tried to discredit, but that which cannot and will not succumb to those who wish to mold the text books to serve their purpose.

Today, walking from sidewalk to sidewalk, I wandered in a perpetual state of disbelief. Every time I listen to the radio, pull of the news websites, I think oh my...oh my...wow. I have heard numerous media personalities say things like, "I never in my wildest dreams considered that I would be talking about this is the United States of America." It is surreal.

But as I walked, I wondered, "why am I surprised?" Before the election, we shouted, we clamored, we pleaded for people to do more thinking and less feeling. We enumerate all the things that were going to happen if the masses continued to blindly follow. Now that it is happening, I can't stop thinking, "this can't be happening, this can't be real." Seeing where this train is headed, all I could think was "STOP THE WORLD, I WANNA GET OFF."

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Having read nearly two-thirds of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, it is obvious why it is considered a classic, brilliantly conceived with political insights into past, present, and future. Why had I never read this before? It seems that everyone to whom I have mentioned it read it along with the other great novels in high school English class (i.e., The Scarlett Letter, The Great Gatsby). I'm sure I was supposed to read it too, but it may have cut into my "screw-off" time and was thus abandoned and forgotten.

Regardless, I picked it up from the library after hearing act after act of politicians referred to as "Orwellian". Now I know why.

Big Brother is alive and well. He has singled out talk radio hosts for talking. He has singled out news reporters for reporting. The Two Minutes Hate in the last week has targeted business executives at AIG. The Party has whipped the massess into an emotional frenzy to the point where families have had the fear for their safety.

Big Brother has its foot in the door now. He knew about the bonuses a long time ago. He knew they were written contracts and that they had to be paid. He saw the opportunity to rally the "proles" and the Outer Party to despise "Big Business", that it would be just the right tool to pry open the entry way.

Last night, I stopped at a point where Winston was reading "The Book" written by Goldstein that described the strategies and philosophies of The Party. It was especially all too familiar the concept of having a perpetual crisis so that those in power could retain power, that it was important to keep the lower and middle classes in fear.

Really, what I'm trying to say in all this, is that, while many are still lulled to a zombie-like state with nightly television, I am scared. Not in a manner that begets panic and flight, but one that causes sadness. I know where this ends, but I don't want to give up. It is a tragedy, when considering just the number of lives that have been sacrificed for this country and freedom.

Its like watching a loved one being eaten alive by cancer. You know she's going to a better place, but its still hard to see it happen.

Read the previous posts in this series:
1) The World Is Crazy: Now What?
2) Cue The Lights
3) The Antagonist
4) Sturm und Drang
5) Enters Stage Right: Israel

Read the next post in this series:
7) Program Notes