On Thoughts After A Long Run

I was running along the beach today when i happened to run past the playground at Pasir Ris Park. It would be of no suprise that most of the structures have changed since the days of my childhood, but looking at the old trusty spiderweb brought back memories of climbing and climbing, but lacking the guts or sufficiently long limbs to get to the peak, succeeding which, one gained immortality and the right to incessantly taunt those below him.

How often is it, that one experiences a seemingly perfect union of both physical and mental states- the feeling that you are on top of the world, with your position of power established with every taunt and kick you deal to the poor soul below you.

Peculiar how some behavioural patterns don't seem to change over time as we supposedly mature and learn what it means to be people of stature and dignity.

In The Revolt of the Masses, 1951, Gasset states that civilisation is nothing else than the attempt to reduce force to being the ultima ratio. That might very well be the ideal goal of civilisation, but I posit that in an imperfect human society that strives to reach this ideal of civilisation for no reason other than because non-conformity, or the choice to pursue barbarism would result in absolute condemnation and the diminishing of one's status from that of person to animal, we have all just become masters at manipulating and creating facades that disguise the different kinds of force that we exercise.

How depressing it is then, to realise that from the womb to the grave, we remain equally inclined to being the basal subjects of our pride and human nature. There is then an acute need for a Savior if we wish to truly attain this ideal.

Oh and on the one other thing that doesn't change regardless of which stage of life you might be in - Mother worrying her head off and dealing out an interminable chain of advice as she sees you make your way to the top of the spider web.