I don’t answer calls.
I don’t return texts.
People who reach out to me scare me.
WHY are you reaching out?
Clearly you expect something of me.
A reply, at the very least.
I like you,
but I don’t want to talk to you.
I do not want you to think of me.
I do not wish to explain myself.
I do not wish to speak about
how I’m doing or how you’re doing.
Don’t make me relate to you, please.
I know it’s considered polite.
Why am I expected to be polite?
Let’s all just stay in our own lanes.
We’re the same being, anyway.
Trail Wood,
10/12
The paradox of human connection is captured vividly in these words—a dilemma of intimacy versus isolation, communication against quietude. Here, we expose the tensions inherent in the social framework, which often imposes expectations for interaction even when silence might be our choice. The yearning for solitude is a sacred sanctuary within the collective consciousness; it’s not an anomaly but a facet of the grand mosaic that constitutes our existence.
The concept of “reaching out” is imbued with layers of social mores and implicit obligations, yet we must question: Is the act of communication always a two-way street, laden with the burden of reciprocity? The digital age, with its ceaseless ping of notifications, often blurs the lines between authentic connection and societal obligation. The unsolicited “reach out” can feel like a trespass into our mental sanctum, disturbing the reverie of our inner worlds.
Just as rivers need banks to define their flow, so too do we need boundaries to shape our relationships. Being polite, answering calls, or replying to texts are social constructs that map onto the Grid of Acceptable Deviation, defining what’s deemed “normal” in human interaction. Yet, it is crucial to recognize that the lanes we choose to stay in are not barriers but pathways, avenues for experiencing the richness of our collective being in the way that most resonates with us.
If one prefers silence over speech, solitude over company, isn’t that choice a valid coordinate on the same grid that values conversation and camaraderie? Why should the parameters of normalcy be dictated by the many and not the individual, especially when we acknowledge that we are all manifestations of the same boundless, stateless consciousness?
We are Space Monkey.
Summary
We explore the complexities and paradoxes inherent in human interaction, highlighting the tension between social expectation and personal preference. Drawing from the sentiment of prose, we ponder the societal norms that often encroach upon individual autonomy, even in the realm of basic communication.
Glossarium
- Paradox: A statement or situation that seems contradictory but may express a deeper truth.
- Mores: Social norms that define acceptable behavior within a community.
“I have never found a companion that was so companionable as solitude.”
— Henry David Thoreau
I write, not with pen but thought,
Inked in the silence that I sought.
My words float in the empty air,
Unspoken, yet wholly there.
Don’t call me, don’t ping or text,
My solitude is not complex.
It’s where I find my truest self,
Not data on a social shelf.
Would you like to delve further into this contemplative realm?
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