there's a face of who we think we are
RTD finally got their act together and realized that a bus between Aurora and Boulder (without going through Denver) is a brilliant idea and instituted the new DM route this past Monday. Let me tell you how glorious it is. I get to work less than two hours after I leave my apartment (a far far far cry from the 3+ hours it took last fall) and the same is usually true for the afternoons, depending on how bad 270 is (and it gets pretty bad sometimes which is precisely why they're widening it). I've not seen more than 6 people on any of the DM buses at the same time, so I get to kick off my shoes and unselfconsciously sit cross-legged in my seat, which makes my back so much happier. This also means the likelihood of someone whipping out a cell phone and braying loudly on it the whole trip is greatly reduced. And of all things: I don't have to take the insanely depressing bus anymore. True, instead I pass through the heavily industrialized part of the Metro area and seeing all the traffic jams during rush hour certainly isn't a pretty sight, but like most people these days, it's easier for me to block those things out than real-life people, on or off the bus.
So, woo!
But, while on the DM home today, I had the most depressing thought ever: How many billions of people in the world would rather be doing something else or be somewhere else right now? I mean, think about that for a moment - isn't it horrible to think so many people are dissatisfied at the moment? Not just superficially, but profoundly unhappy. And it's a question you can ask any time of day and still reasonably imagine the answer to be gut-wrenchingly high. Maybe it's only high for industrialized societies and countries, but the number of societies that remain unblemished by the industrial virus is rapidly dwindling.
I've been listening to Blue Sky Invention a lot lately. One of the guys in the band used to be my next door neighbor and I really really really wish I had gotten to know him and his music better before he moved out, but I suppose it's better late than never because their stuff is fantastic. Particularly if you're into socially conscious music, and of course, we all know I am. I was listening to their CD on the bus when the aforementioned thought darted through my mind. Perhaps I'm just overly emotional today, but I was on the verge of tears for most of the songs. They certainly strike a chord with me.
youthful minds are stripped of passion
sell the farm and save your ration
in this nation's watchful eye
that ties you up and keeps you high
they say that with every living breath we take
there's a bill to pay and a buck to make
take the beauty of the human mind
and they strip it down to the bottom line
slowly eats away your pride
it's a living breathing suicide