"Ford," said Arthur, "would you please tell me what the hell is going on?"
"Drink up," said Ford, "you've got three pints to get through."
"Three pints?" said Arthur. "At lunchtime?"
The man next to Ford grinned and nodded happily. Ford ignored him. He said, "Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so."
"Very deep," said Arthur, "you should send that in to the Reader's Digest. They've got a place for people like you."
"Drink up."
"Why three pints all of a sudden?"
"Muscle relaxant, you'll need it."
"Muscle relaxant?"
"Muscle relaxant."
Arthur stared into his beer.
"Did I do anything wrong today," he said, "or has the world always been like this and I've been too wrapped up in myself to notice?"
I often feel like Arthur does here. Ask myself the same question: Have I been too wrapped up in myself to notice things going on in the world?
For example, I've been talking a lot about my trip to Disney World. Posting pictures. Writing blog posts. Whining about how cold it is in the Upper Peninsula versus Orlando, how tired I am at work, how I've been coughing interestingly-colored things up from my lungs. (For those of you that just ate, I apologize for that last one.) In short, I've been pretty pretty self-absorbed.
Meanwhile, terrible things are going on in my country. Mr. Trump has shut down the government, furloughed thousands of people without pay, and is holding the American people hostage because of his ego. If it goes on much longer, these federal employees are going to start losing their cars and homes and medical insurance. Meanwhile, all the politicians are collecting their paychecks, going out to restaurants, driving their nice cars, flying home for the weekend.
There are people who are homeless, hungry, without hope. In other countries, there are refugees living in tents in the middle of winter, not sure where their next meal is coming from. People living under ruthless dictators (take note, citizens of the United States) who take away civil rights, hold "elections," bully and conspire to stay in power, disenfranchise entire populations of people because of skin color or religion or nationality or gender or sexual orientation.
The planet is dying. Polar ice is melting at an alarming rate. Temperatures are rising. And we are not doing enough to slow down, halt, or reverse this process. We still rely too much on fossil fuels. Drill for oil. Decimate coastline and forests for profit. Deny empirical, scientific facts because they are inconvenient and require us to change the way we live.
I could go on, but you get the idea. I don't think I'm alone in my self-absorption. It's easy to walk around with a kind of tunnel vision, especially if you're struggling to pay bills or stay healthy or remain employed. Injustices abound, but, unless those injustices are directed against myself or someone I care about, I worry more about the next season of American Horror Story.
Today is the third annual Women's March in the United States. Men and women all across the country are rallying together for women's rights, gender equality. It's a day not to be self-absorbed. To think about the bigger picture. To stand up against social and political injustices. There's a Women's March in a city close to me. Hundreds of people gathering in solidarity.
And what am I doing? I'm driving a couple hours to see my daughter play her last Honors Band concert. (At least, that's the plan. She's been throwing up all morning long during rehearsals, but she's determined to stay and perform.) I'm not sure if that counts as being self-absorbed. I like to think that I'm supporting my daughter become a confident, accomplished young woman. That counts, I hope.
Saint Marty is trying to make the world a better place, in his own whiny, self-absorbed way.
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