'To choose doubt as a philosophy of life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation.' - Yann Martel, Life of Pi
I've been thinking of late, as usual, about ideas surrounding the human condition etc. The religion complex, but specifically the idea of the atheist movement. I try not to draw conclusions of any sort as it's like shutting a chapter that will never end, knowledge breeds change. The self-certain atheists piss me off. They roll around in mainstream culture these days throwing out the 'there is no god' lines to all & sundry. The theory goes that the idea of this elusive god creature cannot be proved so is thus bunk. Some scattered ideas about evolution etc, but even allowing for the obvious evolution of all creatures, it still leaves a gaping hole in the argument that remains unanswered by their certainty. I can't stomach the idea that there isn't a greater force at work. Maybe I'm insane, but to me it's as crazy and narrow minded as suggesting that the earth is the only planet where life exists, in a universe of such infinite proportions that we can never wrap our head around its scale, to make such categorical assumptions is showing base level intellect. Not to say that God is some bearded chap or any of that nonsense, to personify the divine is to give a credit to humanity that our history shows is undeserved. I was skulking around the bookshop the other day and couldn't help noticing the shelves dedicated to Richard Dawkins, the prototype atheist for the sensationalist generation. I've read 'The God Delusion', it's cack. The way i see it, it's very easy to disprove the idea of a man made god, y'know the whole man-made construction thing, but if you wanna' see the divine, go find some flowers & wrap your head around the intricacy that it took for them to form. Or better again, go & stand on Slieve League & appreciate man's anonymity in the grand scheme of things. The trouble with religion isn't religion itself, but the usual crux of humanity; the control and manipulation inflicted upon it, man made dogmas that have nothing to do with the bigger picture. I could go on, but already the feeling that it's a rant i shouldn't have embarked on is gnawing somewhere at the ego I'm learning to transcend. Heaven is a state of mind.
So much going on lately without a whole lot going on. A lot of reading, always a good thing. A lot of music listening, though perhaps my relationship with Thom Yorke's genius is bordering on obsessive. It's not my fault. Some bonefide legend has whacked up loads of live gigs online, each better than the next, if music be the food of love then it's the equivalent of all you can eat for months on end. I've started to feel apologetic about how much I love Radiohead, recognizing as y'do that others mightn't share quite the same passion for these matters. Folk I speak to still throw out the allegations of Pink Floyd being a better band. Now that I no longer smoke weed and have the power of a conscious mind at my disposal, I can say with certainty that Floyd have bored me to tears. It's not a popular sentiment, but it's true nonetheless, maybe college overkill back in the day or whatever, but I can barely listen to them anymore. To be honest it was all downhill from when Syd lost the plot. Waters & Gilmore were walking cliches of the prog rock movement. No doubting their abilities etc but yeah, I look back over the years & realise I've either evolved or just changed, hopefully both.
Bumped into some people the other day, y'know it's a good conversation when the 'what's your favourite radiohead album?' question comes up. People working off the same level. Great people, ended up getting fairly drunk with them til 5 or 6 on a schoolnight. I don't work til half 2 anyway so it's all good but just really cool to meet good people. I answered with 'Hail to the Thief', in my mind one of the most under-rated albums of all time. I remember the day it was released, cruising down to Chivago in Galway with all the giddy anticipation of a kid waiting for Santa. It didn't disappoint. it took me a while to grasp the transition that Radiohead made post-Ok Computer, by a while I mean a second, maybe third listen to Kid A, but the evolution of the band is something that I really can't see anywhere else in the industry. People speak about bands like Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire etc as being this great thing and in parts their albums are exceptional for what they are, but they seem stuck in what they're doing, regurgitating the same ol' same ol' that they know people know and love. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's not for me.
Here's what's going on; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-_aijDvN7A&feature=related
Atoms for Peace, some seriously sweet & funky collaborative between Thom, Flea & folk. I'm away into Seoul to hit the market. I heard word that they sell monkeys there, I gotta' see it to believe it, and I've no intention of getting a monkey, unless it comes pre-trained in how to make a decent cuppa' tea, but I have notions about being offered the chance to buy one if I wish, just for the surrealism factor.
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