Well, Because; That's Why

It's a peculiar curiosity. It's such a simple word, though it can carry a lot of weight. It's the easiest question to ask (and probably earliest). It's certainly the most frequently asked. I asked it to myself today, with reference to my humble existence in the blogosphere.

Why?

I decided to actually transcribe my answer, my "because", as though answering a question asked on a test, a survey--or by a psychiatrist. It's a true exercise in introspection.

Q: Why does anyone care what I have to say? In the rapid-fire Information Age, where Facebook is quickly becoming the lead source of information and "google" is a dictionary verb (seriously, it is. I'd encourage you all to look it up, but most of you don't have a print-copy dictionary; a faction of you don't remember how to use one, anyway), what is compelling about my own ideas and opinions? Who cares, and why should they?

A: In short, there is no concrete answer, none that is right, anyway. Few people actually care what I (or you) have to say, and an equally diminutive minority can be bothered to divulge themselves in my opinions (or yours). This is largely--in my opinion--due to the "modernistic" lifestyle that patronises our culture. "We're modern," we boast, "look at the advances we've made and make. Look at what we have learned. Look how fashionable we are, how capable, intuitive, progressive, healthy, and sympathetic."But culturally, we are not. We ignore our cultural dogmas so much that we only think we are modern, advanced, learned, fashionable, capable, intuitive, progressive, healthy, sympathetic. Of course, I'm generalising. But the fact of the matter is, most people out there would rather watch half an hour of Family Guy than spend half an hour with their family. Good for them, if that is truly fulfilling--better for Seth Rogen.

Society as it is now thrives almost entirely on the Internet, so that our physical surroundings are a more hypotheical reality; our real social interaction is through social media. What could be more provocative to the Western modern psyche than a matrimony of the words "social" and "media"? That's like hearing the word "sex" at your high school prom: "Who said that? I want in." It's as sad as it is abstruse. Alas, hope: I'm, yet again, generalising.

Those who care about my (and your) ideas and opinions care because they harbour and value their own real, bursting, passionate ideas and opinions. Who cares is who still enjoys engaging ideas, literature, and lifestyles; they care because of a similar invested interests, and similar values. They don't see my approach (i.e. using the internet/social media) as hypocritical, but necessary. They are not ostensibly cultured, but cultured enough as to be unorthodox within "modern" culture.

Bit by bit, this blog builds itself. That's an unorthodox approach, like blind-shooting friendly-fire. This post has aided the construction, just a bit; I have somewhat more of a bearing, a direction for this blog to follow. But this is all one massive experiment: can an intangible, impersonal, inorganic creation grow and mature and become valid? Why not.

Truly Almost Bahamian

A lot has changed in all of our lives, the norms and traditions and even our human condition. Nothing is surprising. Nothing is safe. Little is sacred. Sex, music, education. Nothing is not entertainment.

How's this for change? Drug plane at Highbourne Cay, 1983 and 2011.
Top photo: Stolen from someone's Facebook ages ago; Anna Murry, dis look familiar?
Bottom photo: Spencer C. Higgs

But it's all rather poignant when I come back, and wonders I if it's the same for all: Bahamians abroad and those who lie low at home. (Though, this proverbial change of tide has proven that Bahamians do little that constitutes lying low. Indeed, this sweeping change in local paradigm is less apposite as a 'changing tide' metaphor, but more one of a 'rising sea level'.)

Nassau, What Happened? is certainly an interesting insight to a few Bahamians' view of this change. How have we aged? Us, our country? I personally cannot say with any estimated honesty that it's been all for good. You there, reading this (yes, all four of you...) what Bahamian traditions do you uphold? We actually have quite an extensive history, and an interesting one, too. Do you know it?

photo admittedly tiefed from: www.playle.com

I have to thank Vanessa, Shelagh, and Robert Pritchard for having me aboard to watch some sculling races hosted by Sands Beer. Watching people propel themselves across the shallows of Montagu Bay foreshore with the just the figure eight movement of an oar snug on the stern of a open, wooden dingy was something I hadn't experienced before, except on technicoloured, converted-slides of old VHS tapes. As I looked around, sloops were racing in the distance, a fleet of Lasers was racing out of the harbour, and there were boats just hanging about in idle float at Montegu since the days of the Fort Montagu Beach Hotel (for this reference, I have to again thank Robert Pritchard). It was, as the Sands slogan painted on the stern of each sculling dingy read, truly Bahamian. But the smiles on the faces of the skippers portrayed nothing other than nostalgic joy for doing something which, by loss of necessity, they had not done for the plus part of two decades. And I wonder, will what we now consider a usual Bahamian past time be left and forgotten in the succeeding ages and eras? What are the current usual Bahamian past times? Those not almost completely influenced by Americanisation? How many people would say KFC is their favourite Bahamian food? Not many, I hope. Mine certainly is conch salad (though a nice boil fish or sheep tongue souse is equally delectable).

Nostalgia effect; new photo made to look old. Photo: Spencer C. Higgs

I'm drawn now to the idyllic lyric of Jimmy Buffett's island ode, One Particular Harbour, in particular the chanting Tahitian outro: Ua pau te maitai no te fenua/Re zai noa ra te era o te mitie
Which, translated, sings: Bounty of the land is exhausted/But there's still abundance on the sea

(I'd like to thank the expansive wisdom of Wikipedia for that translation.) And while my inner pessimist loudly argues that the sea is likewise as exhausted as the land, maybe it's not. Not now, at least. I can still get my conch salad. I don't mean to end with such a banal sentiment, but change is inexorable, it's the surrendering of the good stuff that must be avoided. Basically, bey, dunn take 'way ma boil fish, ma conch salad, or I ga have ya tongue in sauce tonight!

This is new

What the... What's this? ... How does this thing work? ... What, you just press this button here? ... Type right here? ... What do I type? ... You're kidding me... anything? ... The whole world? ... Seriously? The whole world can read this? ... Well, that's just absurd, most people in the world aren't even literate, let alone in English... Well, what would you say? ... Oh, that's just crass, I won't say that! ... Because, it's inappropriate. Give me another idea... Entirely up to me? Total autonomy! ... The guidelines of whom? ... SOPA and PIPA? Who the hell are they? ... So, near-autonomy... Well, may I quote? ... Agreed, quotes are nice, and a great way to start off... Actually, I was thinking something all-encompassing, not too verbose, specific yet ambiguous... Or, perhaps, lines from the abstract poetics of Stephen Crane in his opium-clouded senescent days of life... right, right, from A Man Said to the Universe... Yes, I'm ready now, are you? ... Okay, here goes... "Sir, I exist."