An interesting effect of digital music services; every time I listen to a particular song… “49 Bye-Byes” by Crosby, Stills & Nash… something in my head triggers that sensation of unfamiliarity; of something out of whack. I had the album long ago and played it a lot. There was a small scratch on that song. Mostly just a little click, accept for one spot where it caused the song to skip a beat or two. That is the place were I feel like the world is completely fake.

Then I am reminded of an old truck I had. It took me a while to figure out how to drive the thing so it would start every time and run perfectly. There was a routine, a certain way to drive it right. I didn’t need a security alarm or anything, as no one else could ever start it on the first try. That truck was the last vehicle I owned that had a personality.

These things make me think of the reoccurring cycle of tyranny by demagogues and technocrats trying to impose a new “perfect” system on the people. It never works. Not because the ideas are wrong or couldn’t be very useful with a more open and honest way of introducing them, but because people become accustomed to their own flaws. They identify themselves by their flaws and consider them a badge of honor. The things that make them unique… and free.

For example; a couple decades ago there was a poll of the elderly people in Russia… a surprisingly large number of them missed Stalin. And no American seems willing to do anything about corporate greed. It’s our flaws that make us who we are.

The greatest changes that have unfolded across our society have almost always been the result of free choice and some patience. The nagging question that has me confused is why the urgency? Is there something coming we don’t know about, or is it just arrogant elitism. Judging by history, I hope it’s the former.