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Civil disobedience and obedience at the same time: we hardly seem to be able to square our own social impulses. We hardly seem to be able to think philosophically. Whatever the Internet orders, we follow — we jump at. Fear, anger, disappointment: we’re here for it, ready to follow orders, ready to perform the symbolic acts required of us. Everything’s twisted around inside us: we’ve lost the critical ability to think for ourselves as ourselves. In New York, where I live, people struggle simply to separate their own views from that of the NYT — the house newspaper; there’s a gnawing anxiety about breaking from consensus. Poor little herd creatures! Is that mask falling from your face! What will you do!? Are people having too much fun drinking in the street? Get your camera rolling and nab them! King Cuomo will get on Twitter and castigate them! Is that restaurant or bar trying to keep its self alive by functioning?! Make sure you report them!
Life is health, warmth, spirit — lightness despite and amidst heaviness. It’s the opposite of politics and sloganeering and universal distrust. Life is the resolve to live despite, and in spite of, risk and uncertainty.
