I got to thinking about speed and pace in our culture. I was biking home and saw a yard sign from the "Share the Road" campaign. That's the education-outreach program that's supposed to get car drivers and bike riders to mutually respect each other and literally "share the road." The sign said "Share The Road" and then underneath that "Set the Pace." Interesting slogan and one that's obviously meant to get you thinking a bit, which it certainly did with me. Set The Pace, in other words don't always be hell-bent and impatient and speed-minded when you're on the road, but be an example of demonstrating a reasonable and humane pace that respects the presence of fellow road-users. At least I suppose that's something like what they mean by it. And it applies equally to motorists and bicyclists both. We bikers are very prone to self-righteousness and "we're better and can do no wrong because we're not sucking down blood-oil and destroying the planet." But the fact is, when we are on our bikes riding and commuting around town we are every bit as prone to the impatience and go-go speed fetish as a person behind the wheel. What is it about the "need for speed?" The unconscious drive to get where we're going, do what we're doing, as fast as possible. This is a very interesting mentality and mind-state. It prompted me to think, what IS this thing? And it occurred to me that what speedy self-locomotion for humans really is, is *sprinting.* And as socio-biological beings it happens for us in basically two instances: A. chasing or being chased by large and potentially dangerous animals, or B. chasing or being chased by other humans engaged in an act of aggression. In other words, the speed-moment is sprinting, and occurs in the context of hunting. Outside of that context, there is literally no need for it or the accompanying mind-state and adrenal rush. So what does it say that we manage, in our cultural conditioning, to put ourselves in that mentality and body-mind state practically all the time? And what would it mean to heed the suggestion on the sign and set a different kind of pace? Pretty big implications I think. Food for thought.
Is is not clear that the United States is really and truly entering a time of economic and social collapse? But from this wreckage, a thousand flowers are budding and will bloom. But there will be a lot of pain for those of us who wish to hold onto a semblance of the kind of life we have been living. Line from a song I wrote in 2002:
"your expectations just took a dive
from fat and happy to happy to survive."
The song is called "The Starving Time." Like a lot of my songs, it is something of a prophetic observation. Will there be starvation? Here? Sure. All previously hidden trends both dark and light are now blossoming into day.