Boundless

Enter the writer. Hair not necessarily shaggy as much as poorly maintained. Wandering the streets in a vintage Vietnam-era jacket that has seen better days, looking like an individual with a less than favorable habit of the substance abuse variety. Sporting an idea and writer’s block . . . is it that though? Might it just be an idea with no direction, a flickering light-bulb possessing only a wistful reminiscence of a complete filament?  . . . and then, a pill.

Ironic, right? The struggling individual who looked like he was using, ultimately appeared more approachable when ingesting questionable stuff.

The world transforms as the synapses in the brain light up, organizing thoughts that had been long forgotten or compressed into incomprehensible theories during the nightly disk defragmentation. To have this ability to remember everything we see and have seen. That information in a readily accessible form so as to be available when the proper moment presents itself. What would we risk for this type of intellectual capacity, foresight, and sensational perception? I’d probably be willing to put myself in harm’s way, more than likely attempt to design a substance with no side-effects, something that didn’t wear me out, that I wasn’t dependent upon. With access to the other 80% of my brain that I apparently did not have the ability to utilize, I would likely be able to formulate such a plan to maintain the effects, enhancing these abilities permanently.

What an interesting social commentary though. I’m a relatively level-headed and realistic guy. (Let the record reflect that I did say “Relatively”) Cynicism and mild depression are indications of a person with the ability to observe the world through a clear window rather than a blanketed or unclean one, or one with whatever type of paint on it that fast food restaurants pay cheap contractors to plaster the glass with before, during, and after Every. Damn. Consumer. Holiday. I know that things are earned through hard work, that if you want to learn something, you benefit both by acquiring information as well as further developing your character by putting in the time and effort. We live in a society and world that expects a quick solution, and why not? Life is short, why should anything take time, why should we need to go through some process to achieve and develop in a healthier and more responsible manner? Who cares about values, principles, being a better human being? You can focus on that shit once you’re in a position that suits you . . . but probably never, and wouldn’t even notice the absence. Let’s face it, if you’re not idealistic and proud of your moral character when you have nothing, material possessions and success will surely not force you to dig deep and find those qualities.   

Alas, I’d still take the pill, and being who I am, I would no doubt devise the aforementioned methodology for its most beneficial and long-term adaptive effects so that I could be the best and brightest until the sand sifted completely out of my, no doubt cracked, hour glass.

This societal interpretation was so gripping, in fact, that I braved the elements to attend the 9:55 showing of “Limitless” starring Bradley Cooper who I’m not ashamed to admit is a dashing young man. I haven’t disclosed the punch-line, so check it out, hell I might even go with you to see if I missed any details the first time, because you know . . . I’m not pharmaceutically enhanced. Too predictable? My least sincere apologies. The deal exists as such: there is something to be said for things that are earned and battles that are fought. Our plights in life tend to result from not being where or who we want to be, but working to get there reveals innate human attributes that remain unearthed under brighter and untroubled circumstances. The question then becomes, why do some of us endure so much “Character building” to get somewhere when the people at the top of the food chain have long forgotten or become embittered by such experiences, or never know to recognize the void?