It is disturbing to watch the fabric of reality being torn in two. Each reality seems, in the eyes of its beholder, to be absolute and inviolable. To me, it seems obvious that we should take the advice of medical professionals to maintain social distancing and wear a face covering in public to contain the spread of a virulent, rampaging disease. To others, the dangers of spreading a disease that 97% of people survive is being exploited to control the population and take away our freedom. To me, the president is a lying, cowardly, bigoted sexual predator, sociopath, and traitor. To others, he is a vast improvement over Obama and Hillary, a president who truly loves his country and is trying valiantly to make it great again as he fights against a biased media and the deep state.
Maybe it is a good thing to shred reality every once in a while, to peek behind the veil, to understand that reality is only a perception. Drugs can open the doors of perception. So can meditation, and love, and art.
If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is: Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro’ narrow chinks of his cavern.
-Aldous Huxley
It is very American to believe in a reality where we control our destiny, that with hard work and freedom we can accomplish anything. Ancient Greek and Chinese cultures saw a reality where destiny was beyond our control and acceptance was the accomplishment. It is a quality of the inhabitants of that little island off the west coast of Europe to keep calm and carry on. To them, questions of perceptions might just be a distraction. There is work to be done.
Have you heard about trouble throughout the land
With the fascists and the left wing militants?
Out of work executives are killing themselves
And the I.R.A. are killing everybody else
Don’t panic, don’t lose control
Keep your head, keep ahold
Act normal there’s nothing wrong
Stay cool, just carry on
You gotta live life and be yourself
You can’t live life for anyone else
You gotta live life that’s all you do
Nobody gonna live your life for you
Don’t get depressed when you read in the press
About world revolution and social unrest
Try not to panic when you switch on the news
And see crooked politicians and the unemployment queues
It’s only life it’s really fine
So don’t you believe all you read in the headlines
Live life see it through
Carry on it’s all you can do
You gotta live life for yourself, can’t live for anyone else
You gotta live life, that’s all you do
Nobody gonna live their life for you
Ooh life’s a mother, Ooh life’s a mother
Words & Music by Mike Power 