The sleep of reason
It’s been a week. It’s gone by in such a blur. I drove out far into the countryside on the bluest sky filled autumn day in early October last Sunday, just moments after pulling myself away from the jarring images on CNN of the attack on military targets in Afghanistan that had just begun. It came suddenly but not unexpectedly.
A sense of the surreal set in again. I was winging my way along the historic and scenic Highway 61, the road along the Ashley River with its magnificent gardens and plantations, shrouded despite the day’s loveliness, with the almost invisible legacy of slavery, symbolized by the remnant patches of former flooded rice fields, where hundreds toiled in the hot sun to make the planters wealthy and the big houses rise in nearby Charleston. It’s never far away, this past, this terrible past. Even though we have to imagine it. Between the trees and the river on this tree-covered highway.
Why think those thoughts? Because of the paradoxes of time and history. The beautiful exterior, the clouded, ignoble past. The rural areas I passed, the familiar houses and signs, rural churches, fields, busineses — all seemed untouched, unchanged. It was like entering some Rip Van Winkle world lost in sleep. Bombs were dropping all over Afghanistan. Terrorists were at that moment in the U.S., no doubt. The FBI would issue its warning of likely terrorist activity in just a few days. Yet, all was calm in the countryside. The trees and leaves, the fields and barns all suffused with that mellow clarity of golden light that comes in October. Where was I?
And now, in this fearsome new age that began on 9/11, there is again the collision of two worlds. One, the memory of life as it was, lived in a continuum, with nothing on the horizon to halt the inevitable march of “human progress”, the heady, energetic living of life the way things were and would be indefinitely — until…
It’s all surreal again this weekend, after the latest scares and news. Judith Miller, New York Times reporter and author of the best selling book on bioterrorism, herself a victim of terror by opening an unknown letter with powder in it. Tom Brokaw, rock of stability in the 70-story headquarters of news titan NBC, announcing his assistant had been infected with anthrax, opening a threatening letter addressed to him. Paranoia. The government says go about life as normal, but be vigilant. Isn’t that all we can do? But the media is flooding us with words and images of just how abnormal our times are, right now.
As the lacerating columnist Maureen Down wrote in Sunday’s New York Times, “Only five weeks ago, we inhabited a paradise of trivia, wallowing in celebrity, consumerism and cosmetic-surgery advances. Now we inhabit a paranoia of trivia, worrying about potential mortal threats in everyday actions opening a letter, getting on a plane or train, going to the mall or a football game.”
I pored over Friday’s headlines and stories in USA Today:
* “Bush: Don’t give in to new fear.”
* “Northern Alliance has bloody past, critics warn.”
* “Afghan refugees say they feel targeted by U.S.”
*Courage is facing fear, not giving in to it.”
* “Terminal confusion: With new procedures in place, travelers are flying by the seat of their pants.”
* “Ten great places to be red, white, and blue.”
* “Airport security firm lied, hired flons, feds say.”
* “Slowdown dishes out pain across the board”
* Cruise lines hope discounts revive interes.”
Signs of the times. It was almost morbidly fascinating to read that issue of the paper. Surreal. Is this all happening?
Two of the full-page ads in USA Today: for cell phones and international airline travel. Also, an ad telling weary, frightened and confused Americans they can, “Get away to Las Vegas, get away to freedom.” Champaign glasses, dancers, dice, an aging, diamond-studded hand pulling a slot machine lever, a bartendeer mixing a drink, a handsome entertainer beating out rhythm on a drum, neon stars in red, gold and blue, smiling faces….”It’s not what you’re getting away from, it’s what you’re getting away TO.”
Surreal — a good way to put it, my friend. Life has become increasingly strange, paradoxical and frightening. Have missed you lately…hope we can talk soon. Take good care of yourself. –Mads
Warning Comment
I think you answered your own question. The trees are carrying on regardless; so should we.
Warning Comment
My mom said just about the same thing yesterday in her letter – Bush says go about your business, but the media is peddling fear. I go about my business because I don’t know what else to do. I watch just enough of the news to stay informed then turn it off – I don’t want the news to terrorize me.
Warning Comment
It’s funny how no one ever tells nature that there’s a war on. She always finds out the hard way.
Warning Comment
A surreal ad, promoting getting away to Las Vegas as getting away to Freedom. Embarrassing, really. I too have been more aware than usual of the contrasts, the paradoxes, the extremes in this world, in this country alone…
Warning Comment
Surreal yes. I way of forgetting and surviving.. Thinking of you and my other od-friends these days, watching news abt the anthrax – don’t like it, watching news abot bombing Afganistan – don’t like it. Take care my friend!
Warning Comment
Earthbound Kid’s note regarding this entry is striking. I have two friends who work at The New York Times. Their floor was one of those quarantined for a while. I can’t even begin to imagine the panic. Scratch that, yes I can.
Warning Comment
There is indeed a mist of surrealism over everything. And contradiction: Bush tells us to go about business as usual while VP Cheney is secreted away at an “undisclosed location”. That’s not real reassuring.
Warning Comment
sometimes i wonder why i cannot see the things you do on the road home….perhaps i do see them but my description is vastly different…. i wish i could write as you do….
Warning Comment
It’s funny…I feel like I have been holding my breath for weeks now. I watch, I read, and I try to stay focused only to find that I have been holding my breath in fear that harm will come to those I know and to those I don’t. I am naive….I never thought we would be here. Innocense is lost and replaced by the unknown. Breathe in…breathe out..don’t be controlled by fear. [Making a diff
Warning Comment
🙂
Warning Comment
Dear friend…..those kinds of tactics now attributed to terrorists have long been part of the history of this country. I still pick up the aftermath. It’s nothing new here. That doesn’t take away from the horror but never forget that this country was never a safe haven for all people.
Warning Comment
How well you write of fear and vulnerability…perhaps it’s in the air in your part of the country. It’s almost a way of life here… anti black, anti red, anti yellow, anti male, anti female, anti wealth, anti power, anti poverty, anti Christian, anti Jew, anti welfare, anti elderly, anti youth. Insanity or sanity keeps us on a narrow winding footpath, but where to?
Warning Comment
Yes, surreal! Nature and animals stay the same and give me me much comfort.
Warning Comment
You describe the contrasts well. It’s hard to make sense of all of them, or to know where we will end up with al of this. All we can do is move forward.
Warning Comment
This “Brave New World” of ours it truly a paradox. After my run in with the Ohio State troopers, when traveling back south my heart was in my throat as I had a Trooper stay even with my truck for miles as I stayed at the speed limit. I was sure I going to be drug checked again. I no longer feel free, and normal as it was pre 9/11 will never return. On the plus side the fall colors were at peak! [b
Warning Comment
I wonder how people in the 40s would have survived this blitz of info and actual attacks on the US? It’s as if we have three not two levels of being to attend to 24-7: inner life, outer life, and THE TRAGIDIES. Timely entry. Take care.
Warning Comment
This is a very intense entry, Oswego! I remember sitting here on Sunday morning when the bombing began and feeling hit by a heavy weariness because I knew that it had begun…war. I hate war! This entry also can me an insight to alot of the same feeling we share. When you wrote of slavery and the beautiful houses, the same thing is so true of New Orleans! Beauty built by blood!
Warning Comment
Thought provoking entry, Oswego. There are a lot of what if’s in history. I think the United Nations made a mistake in putting Israel in the epicenter of future trouble with millenia old enemies. The present fight with terrorism has evolved from that. The Jewa are intelligent and resourceful. They could have made a haven for themselves elsewhere.
Warning Comment
Despite all that is going on there are many, like you, that still see all the beauty and remind us of it.
Warning Comment
Yes, like experiencing an earthquake, and only wanting to stand and have the ground stop shaking.I’ve been cocooned much these days and feel the fear, I hate admitting. Not to fly or do, but something much more spiritual…
Warning Comment
Warning Comment
Warning Comment
Yes it’s so true…the world looks as if growing mad and the seasons keep doing what they do for such a long time. Or are they growing mad also? Well I must say, summer was here so long ago it seems, and trees prepare to sleep now. But first they dress themselves in bright colors as if they smile at us and wave “Goodbye, see you next year!” Reading this entry tonight, looking back at what happened
Warning Comment
the past year shows us that we have not made any progress. The world is still suffering from that day in september and sometimes I think it becomes even worse. I heard so often say: “This day changed the world and it’ll never be the same again!” Oh my,…maybe that’s true! We can maybe only trust the old trees, they are carrying on…regardless! I think we should hold on them! Peace tonight, :
Warning Comment