As a group, we traveled into the heart of a not-so-dystopian reality. We were invited to talk with the brilliant Andri Snær Magnasson. My mind has been blown at the reach and sphere of influence that this man possesses. His humbleness and sense of humor sets him apart as one of my favorite Icelandic people I have had the privilege of meeting. He met us at one of his working projects: a dilapidated, closed coal plant, turned and reclaimed, cooperative business, working center. This building embodied what it means to turn ruin and corporate consumption into a recycled and reclaimed operation. Upon walking into this other worldly community, one of us started to play with a dial. Andri responded by telling us, “Your group has caused problems before. One time someone twisted a valve and it flooded the basement by opening a pipe that is connected to a stream. It took us a while to find which knob it was.” Needless to say, reclaiming a building comes with its risks and aspects to be leery about.
This intricate layout was prime for exploring
Andri covered and graciously shared an immense and intense amount of information and opinions with not buffering the truth or how he felt. During this time, I was bombarded with inspiration to take photos of some of the people in the group during a break. In response and through reflection to this time, I started a dialogue. These words are mine and express how I feel about the future and the past.
Mr. Sirs:
“Look up, look up, I have a job for you. You were born into a time where you have to fix whole centuries worth of wrong doings. Fix your gaze not on temporary solutions, but ones that your grandchildren in 2150 will be proud of. Our earth is sick – sick of us so stare at a time where we will have done something right. And yes, all pressure is intended; and no, it is not our responsibility but yours; because you were born into a period of where our problems, your predecessors, have left and given to you tied in a bow. Be the creative solutions, and create answers for our mistakes that we don’t have the energy or desire to fix. We want you to come up with a solution but we will do anything we can to stop you from being effective.
Serving this Machine
We are unwilling to change this infrastructure and system we have set in motion. Keep in mind we do not want our lifestyles and mindsets to change. Come up with a magic band-aide to fix everything wrong. But we will not expend any effort. However we will help, and it is your job to assist us in perpetuating, teaching generations of people to read dials, assemble junk and think like a computer.”
My response:
“It is time to address this misfortune. I think we have snuffed out our artists, storytellers, radicals, and innovators. Let’s be Da Vinci’s and soar on notions and gut feelings. Let’s be persistent and not give up because they say we are different and don’t fit into the system. I am proud of not being good at math and being able to daydream. I dream of a time where creativity is valued, not for what technology can offer but what cooperation and independence can pave the way for. Let’s stop silencing what it means to be human: because it really sucks when I say ‘hello’. People do not even look up. I wave when people look into my eyes, and I see we made contact, but they decided to just ignore me and move on. They glance back down, pretending and hoping I don’t realize that they saw me. Humans talk behind my back and complain about the world, how they wish someone would acknowledge their existence and I just did but they moved on and forgot that I am human too and feel. I am tired of people not treating people like humans. I am tired of people replacing people with technology. Lets be a human and connect with humans. Be in life with those around the community you are located in and detach from the addicting
Giving into this Machine
devices we have at our beck and call. But just in case this does not seem to work out, yell out: ‘Reach! Reach out, don’t be timid and don’t second-guess! I have your back. I will be there for you, just ask.’ We are taught not to believe that when someone says ‘I am your friend’, they do not mean it.
Most days as I roll out of bed, I reflect on all that I can see are different shades of them and me. And when they see these shades of me, all I can say is I wish I would change. So when they gaze right through me, they can know that I care too deeply. I may seem harsh and at times calculating, but this heart of mine loves too fiercely. My head swims and is swarmed with the thickness of overwhelming, deep, numbing sadness to where I feel continual nausea. I have troubles sleeping and interacting. Too many thoughts, the pressure seems to get to consume me. This loneliness and depression are companions in a state of continuum.
They just brainwash us into feeding the machine, but I refuse. I am and will fight to be a walking contradiction. I will fight against this new tradition. I will not stoke their fires that are reinforcing affliction and abuse. This horrible lie we are fed with spoons: from the time we are tots to when we are expected to cash in for big lots. We seek and strive for a sickness and an addiction. I for one am tired of this parade and tirade of anonymous greed, this dream I am supposed to strive for: to feed some fiend’s ego. How am I to serve Caesar when he is wrong? How can I continue to give when I do not support these agendas? I don’t want to live secrets, lies and alibies. Transparency is not the key to efficiency, but it’s a start to this so called freedom we are supposed to have in this kingdom.”
Nicole Lorence