yet again... things change! Brisbane (part 2, the remix)

Whats the deal with the real world? What is the real world? Where is the real world?

I would recommend you all stop by Emily Maguire's web site and check out the video for her track "the real world". You can get it here Emily is a songwriter from the UK who gave up the day job and the flat in London and left to live in Australia. More precisely a self constructed tin shack in the Sunshine Coast hitherland (just north of Brisbane). With no electricity and no water, she is living self sufficient. And she's no weirdo, no loner and no hippy either (I've met her to confirm this :) This song will make you think...

Life is full of borderlines, money and 9-5's. Pre-paid and pre-packaged life. Life inside a credit zone. Pager, fax, mobile phone's - "don't they ever want to be alone". A world of rules and corporations where artistic expression, creative thinking and "day dreams are not allowed". Do do we live a life "as seen on the TV screen" or do we just except life as seen on it?











This video is particularly poignant to me at the moment as it is shot in and around Brisbane, and I am living this 9-5 lifestyle at this moment (even though temporarily). In fact I have been working in one of the tower blocks featured in the shot taken from the bridge each day for the past month. I see it all everyday. The corporate world full of shallow, overly self-important people, to whom title, power and status are the be all and end all. I overheard a telephone conversation last week which a partner of the firm was having. She said in a condescending tone "Why are you telling me this, Who's Mr.X?" (as we'll call him for now, only because I don't know who the hell he is)... "Is he anything special, is he even a such and such manager?!" It was said in such a tone that unless this guys job title was to her satisfaction he was a worthless piece of sh*t. Aren't we all something special? Don't we all have unique talents? Shouldn't we all be be tolerant to allow another to offer their opinion? Aren't we more than titles? Descriptions? Must we fit a stereotypical role of lifestyle? Its a sad world to me that someone will judge another so bluntly by the title of their job. Without even seeing or meeting them, giving them a chance to speak. Its fascism of the worst denomination. But we are all probably guilty of doing it to some degree. The corporate world of Australia appears not quite as developed as London, but it is following suite at a rapid speed. It is full of many ultra assertive, 'efficient' people who come across as though life couldn't be better, but in fact deep down they must know they are lying to themselves. Creative, independent thinking and having the freedom to follow the artistic expression that your heart tells you (whatever it be from playing music to running your own business) are the most important things in life - not titles, objects or the amount of money you have in the bank. If these people really are following what matters to them fine. But ask yourself the question "Where is the real world?" for you. What are the things that matter the most to you? What have you always wanted to do in life? Why haven't you done it yet? What's stopping you? Is it the "real" world?

Have you also ever noticed that when people ask "how are you?" or "how ya going?" (which is the favored greeting phrase in Australia), they are just using it as a phatic vehicle or even just as a method of breaking an awkward silence in a confined space (like a kitchen or an elevator). They don't want to hear the truth. They don't want for someone to suddenly spill out how their life is terrible and that they are contemplating suicide. Its like the etiquette of life, you grin and reply "very well thank you" or "not bad, yourself?" (my personally favored retort) - even if its not the case. But should we lie? (I notice that even if you reply "not so good to be honest" they will often avoid any further investigation). Why should we lie to others let alone ourselves? These people are effectively giving us a vehicle to get free counseling or therapy right there in the workplace kitchen or public elevator. So when I ask, I live in the hope that somebody, somewhere will spill out their true feelings at that present moment. So that I can in some way shape or form offer an ear and maybe even some advice and go along my day feeling better for it. Then when I do finally get asked the same question I can tell the person about how I asked the same, and helped that person along, showed an interest. Maybe if I could recruit others to follow the same method I could end up, single-handedly creating a society built upon love and compassion for others. One where everybody supports one another, never puts them down and thus we all live in utopia. Maybe I am crazy, maybe it will never work, but I'll live in the hope that it could for now.

We spend life travelling at a million miles an hour, fast food, quick downloads, faster cars, express highways, drive thru's, instant coffee... its all about where we're going next not where we are today. We live life without sitting back and realising that we are lucky to have what we've already got, because without it we'd have nothing. Friends, family, good times, good music, good food... even money (there are alot less fortunate out there). Its strange having such a different perspective on what is going on around you. Being away from what you know puts you in something a bit like survival mode. Back home you are worrying about what career you are going to have for the next 35 years whereas here I am thinking about where I'm going to sleep tonight or where I'm going to get lunch from. You take each day as it comes in the literal sense. Its about not having a plan, about turning up and seeing what happens. I've found it less restrictive being in such a situation and have found the creative thought process, progressing ideas that I had before I left - alot easier. I am also listening to alot of new music, which has an uncanny ability to rub off on you. Its not about being instantly inspired but when something does come along its about feeling you have the time and space to sit back and run with it. Not being restricted. It is for this reason that having the freedom to roam, to travel where and when you want and at anytime of the night and day with a couple of bags and no responsibility can, at times, be so refreshing.

(These observations were bought to you by "free" wireless access courtesy of Gloria Jeans Coffee house... until i think they figured it out and cut me off...)