Cycle I: Coming on Strong
The Hidden Voice
The Record · 13 (v2.00)
THE HOUSE OF ZAN — Zan
VOICE ADVISORY: The speaking voice is cynical observation questioning human value within an abundance of available choices. Contains themes of online dating, perceived value, manipulation, emotional fatigue, intention, desire, and self-importance.
People cannot comprehend people’s worth when there appears to be an endless supply of them.
When you have, seemingly, a lot of something, it devalues the whole thing, even if the lot of it isn’t at all equal.
Anyway, I’m having one of those delirious phases where I feel sociable enough to try to form something meaningful with someone special [anyone].
I know.
Stupid me.
I’ve been having sporadic, second-hand encounters by way of people’s personal ads for the better part of the day.
One person wants this.
Another person wants that.
Someone wants everything.
Someone wants nothing they are willing to admit wanting.
Everyone appears to be looking.
That should make finding something easier.
You would think.
Instead, after enough profiles, advertisements, promises, demands, photographs, warnings, lists, preferences, and declarations of absolute certainty, people begin to resemble the choices surrounding them.
More.
Next.
Better.
Different.
Something special.
[Anyone.]
It would seem the posting members in these online communities, at large, were also busy trying to manipulate, swindle, and waste other people’s time to the nth degree.
Or… so I have read.
Yet, I believe that is not the REAL issue at hand.
Those things are easy to identify.
Someone lies.
Someone wastes your time.
Someone wants something from you without offering anything remotely equivalent in return.
Fine.
People have been doing that to each other since long before someone figured out how to attach a photograph to it.
The stranger problem was never going to disappear simply because we put everyone in the same place.
If anything, we just made the place very, very large.
I believe the severity of the actual issue can only be confronted when we, as the dominant Homo sapiens, stop chasing metaphorical dragons to avoid our harsh reality:
Nobody knows what they really want, has any clue how to obtain it, or any room to be told otherwise.
That might sound cynical.
But after traveling through enough ideas of what people say they want, there is something almost impressive about arriving at the destination and discovering there may not be anything there.
Not because there is nobody worth finding.
Because there are too many directions pointing toward them.
Attraction.
Experience.
Fantasy.
Roles.
Trust.
Presentation.
Compatibility.
Sex.
Safety.
Intensity.
Love.
Maybe the abundance of choice does not simply make other people harder to value.
Maybe it makes our own desires harder to recognize.
Everything begins to look available.
Everything begins to look possible.
Everything begins to look like candy.
When everything feels possible, choosing one thing can start to feel like losing everything else.
Yeah.
Candy we can’t afford, can’t handle, or only exists in the unrealistic Willy Wonka variety.
Now, even with such a brutal revelation, I have utter confidence that I can explain, in vivid detail, how you can discover what you want, how to get it, and how to accept concepts beyond your grasp.
Well, that seems like a good place to stop.
Oh.
You thought there was going to be more?
Nah.
Check my “How’s My Driving” sign on this one, boys!
Woo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!
Companion Track: “Candy Everybody Wants” — 10,000 Maniacs
VOICE FEEDBACK: Placebo FX — 34