Before the internet, before cell phones, before television, before Facebook, Google, Instagram, before it all. Even before motion pictures and radio we had to use our imagination. An an author reminded me (thank you Edward Savio), when patrons saw the first motion picture of a train rushing towards them on a screen, they flinched, they ran, they screamed. They were afraid. It wasn’t reality, it was another person’s vision put into their mind.
In today’s world what we see, what we hear is more than we can imagine. It’s bigger, bolder, scarier, edgier than what we would picture in our own minds. It is the vision of another shoved into our pysche. We cannot unsee or unhear these visions. We may move them back and away from our day to day thoughts but they will always be there to come charging at us like a train.
The same could be said of our political and social lives. Not too long ago we couldn’t imagine the racism that pervades our society. We didn’t see, didn’t hear the hate and anger that seems to be part of our American society. Now we cannot unsee it. Racism, xenophobia, misogyny and bullying they all are the top stories in the news. Either it’s the haters spewing their fear mongering or the hated disgorging their distaste back.We cannot escape either side.
This time we live in may pass. We may find our way to a more accepting, loving society. But we cannot unsee or unhear what happens everyday of our lives. The video and audio history will always have a place in our minds. Hiding away, hibernating, if you will, until rearing up and charging at us like a train.
The Word By Namdoog Kir 