Narcissist Era

George Romero should be smiling at the way the world is progressing or rather regressing. The situation now is almost like in one of his creations: it is hell on earth. Though a fan of horror flix, I first watched one of his zombie movies with a sense of disgust; I thought: whose perverted imagination is this? But in 2004 when I watched one of the most mind-troubling movies I have seen, Dawn of the Dead *, I realized! The seemingly nonsensical theme turned interesting, as I was able to sync with its creator's mind.

Maybe the concept of the Kaliyug is right; it seems everyone (not excluding myself) is now vehemently only after money, power, respect and recognition.

• We want money to be able to indulge and to buy respect
• We want to control but not to be controlled
• We want to covet, we covet and want to be coveted.

Unfortunately the motivators and their liners have only added feul to the raging fire: the "Just do it", "I make the rules", "Do whatever" and "Go get it" attitude we have imbibed from the environment around us has only fostered self-centeredness and ruthlessness.

If that’s on one end what’s happening at the other?

One does not not see much morality prevailing anywhere let alone spirituality. Not even in the new-age reformists/apostles let alone the traditionalists. Faith is lost, distrust is in.

As if it isnt chaos already out there we are all also becoming like the zombies, infected by the majority around us. Hope in the near future is bleak but some serious damage to mankind is probable. Detachment seems like the only prevention from insanity; Surfing the chaotic waves seems like the only way to live.

On the bright side, everything that has a beginning has an end. Epidemics, slowdowns, fads et al should eventually dip. At least thats what Malcolm Gladwell’s and Steve Levitt’s books infers so. Such situations cannot be last but that they can do a lot of damage before they subside. Fungi colonies (watch them on rotting food) are like these. They spread/multiply and grow astonishingly fast. But one fine morning they seem to disappear. The most common reason for this sudden disappearing act is that the very base on which they grew got transformed. Sad thing is this will take some time in such a world situation.

 

* The apocalyptic feeling and the hopelessness portrayed in the film were too nightmarish for me. To top it all, in the theatre seat I forced to sit put while I was being bitten and sucked blood off…. all over my body by bugs :-)