Wednesday, May 10, 2006

What's in the Box?

Pandora (Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1869)


What possesses us to willingly climb into the box? No questions asked, I am what I am, and I’m proud of that. This is me; take it of leave it.
Why is the box so easy to get into? Who carved this niche in which I wedge myself?
Why is the box so comfortable?
You know the box I mean…
  • the box full of all the letters from A+ to F that sits besides the teacher’s desk
  • the box that causes your mates to look cool as they slide down the grassy bank, cigarette in hand, yelling “Geronimo!”
  • the box where we keep the words that clutter our language, with ums and likes and fucks and cools
  • the box from which we pluck phrases like ‘political correctness gone mad’ and ‘I don’t know anything about Art but I know what I like’ and ‘hairy legged lesbians’; ‘homosekswals’; ‘ADHD’; ‘conflict of civilisations’
  • the box that defines us as: Trouble; gifted; liberal; gay; conservative; upright; deep; shallow; goth; punk rocker; new age peacenik; old-age pensioner; good guy; bad guy; dope head; pisshead; get-ahead go getter; man-in-the street; woman-on-the-verge-of-a-nervous-breakdown; conformist; anarchist; Marxist-Leninist; Capitalista!
  • the box full of products that offer us whiter that white; clean green fuel; black magic, blue movies, pink Cadillacs and yellow ribbons round the old oak tree
  • the box of polished black wood with brass handles (if you’ve sold enough whiter than white soul) or rough pine (if you lost it all on a spin of the wheel); that perhaps will be stained with the tears of your lovely spouse and grieving children.
The box whose cardboard flaps insulate us from the world outside and limit the view.
Is this the best I can do, to stand on mine and call it a soapbox?


10 comments:

elasticwaistbandlady said...

I'm enamored of your writing skills Pisces. My favorite posts are the ones in which you're thoughtful and honest and pose interesting questions.

Categorization is rampant among men but my persona fluctuates on a daily basis as I suspect other people experience that too. Basic nature usually remains stagnant but other variables like mode of dress and your demeanor change constantly. There are very few labels that can assess a complete person as we are all multi-faceted and works in progress.

To answer your question, yeah, sometimes it feels like you're a bit preachy while perched on your soapbox. Perhaps you'd enjoy a bright future as a televangelist! On the other hand though you may be precluded from that occupation due to your blunt honesty and lack of butt kissing skills.

littlebitofsonshine said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Garth said...

Thanks elastic - I like the way you answer rhetorical questions. :-)
I agree basic nature stays the same, but I think the mind can change/grow with time without losing that basic nature.

littlebitofsonshine said...

Maybe i should try standing on a big ol box at home see if i get heard lol but Pices if my box i painted will hold you your welcome to come stand on it too sad only highways around

elasticwaistbandlady said...

What is subtlety? Fine. Yes, I answered your rhetorical question because I had a burning desire to use the phrase, "butt kissing skills". Okay?

Being an idealist and proselytizing your beliefs doesn't make you preachy either. It was just fun to imagine you as a televangelist for a few minutes. The difference is that I don't think the majority of them believe, let alone, practice, what they preach.

Garth said...

sonshine: painted boxes sound good to me
elastic: you're right on target with the televangelists - for a special sermon sent your donations to 555-pisces

littlebitofsonshine said...

well look at the box i painted on further left or on mine "what a human has to do to be heard " is the name of the day my box got painted "Healing NOT Killing "hehe the o in the ot is a smilly face so much more hapey when humans are helping not harming i think

elasticwaistbandlady said...

I just noticed a glittering new addition amongst the accredited blog roll. Tampon Teabag, huh? I'm going to have to give that a look. I hope I'm not opening a Pandora's Box by seeking the unknown..............

Larry Teabag said...

A glittering addition indeed, Elasticwaistbandlady. It's a nutritious and delicious box of delights - you'll be very welcome.

littlebitofsonshine said...

Boxs of candy, boxs for sex, boxs for hiding in boxs to live in to bad we cant live in a clean healthy safe world to walk and wonder with out fear of a human harming us .Wow i like my box more and more .but still is hope let it out love light life.

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