Back to Zero

Recently, all two thousand four hundred thirty seven songs on my iPod were erased. (we don't need to talk about how, MUSTOE). This wouldn't be a big deal, but my computer is so slow and diseased that I can't even get the songs from my original 200 CDs back on.

All this, and the all out riots over XBox 360, reminded me of my love of the movie Fight Club and the reasons behind that love. In the movie, Tyler Durdin comes into Edward Norton character's life and totally turns it upside down, freeing him from the oppresive rule of his things. "The things you own end up owning you". I am so dependent on the things in my life. Especially technology. I have to admit I was pissed off when my iPod got erased. Why? My grandfather's sort of depressed right now, Lindsey's grandparents aren't doing too well, not to mention all the war in the world, all the people dying of AIDS, starvation and malnutrition in Africa, all the people still without homes in our own country, all 117 murders in KC this year, and I get pissed off because my expensive "hottest thing on the market" MP3 player went back to zero. I can take my computer to a store and have it defragged or something and get the songs back on and then I can have Mustoe bring his computer up and do the same thing we did to get his songs the first time and it'll be fixed. And what will it cost? Time! That's it. It's just an inconvienence and I was pissed about it. "The things you own end up owning you" People are getting their bones broken over a gaming system here folks; What're we doing?

Now, the second half of the movie, Tyler Durdin forms a anti-materialism coalition in the abandoned house that he a Ed Norton live in. However, in their pursuit to free people from our materialist, capitalist society, they come up with a plan to destroy the HQ's of all five top credit card companies, bringing everyone....back to zero. This group, devoted to freedom, became really a terroist organization led by a crazy man. (watch this movie!!!)

We need things. That's the sad truth. We have to live with things in our lives. But it's when those things end up controlling our lives, when those things are more important than the people in our lives, more important than the things going on in the world and evils done by the evil people around the world, from our country and otherwise, that our possessions end up possessing us.

Mustoe, I don't blame you, and I ain't made atchya. You are my Tyler Durdin. Let's just hope I don't wake up and realize that you and I are the same person.

unplugging, b