Another Friday Night (1458 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.88 on 45 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Mike the Scottish (View user info) at 2005-02-11 17:05:07 EST
I am surrounded by drunken students, pedantic in their microcosmic, alcohol-induced fantasy- where all their friends love them and everyone thinks that they're the dog's proverbials. They hug each other, pretend that everything's OK... that life is somehow structured uniquely around them, that all the pints and cocktails consumed can chase away the infinite barriers that guard their true selves. Because, you see, they don't really have a fucking clue. They're stranded at a port in a storm, clawing for acceptance in whatever mindless morass they've entrenched themselves into tonight.
Moral virtue? Consciousness and prudential merit- just a dream which they've entwined with fantasy, building a façade of complication onto a bony skeleton of half-arsed catchphrases and celebrity ideologies. I see my peers and I see nothing bar a composition of their requisite parts, nothing bar a bundle of flailing limbs and drunken eulogies. Should I salute you, the mighty majority, for petty envy of our thankless virtues? We are nothing to want, nothing to envy- except a mindless adherence to the given alternative, ignoring the standard as a given wrong. Given; the key phrase. We create nothing. We morph pre-existing traits into our own psychology, then laugh at anyone who can obey a set doctrine.
Ironic really- we're all indoctrinated. I'm indoctrinated. Individuality is nothing but a pretty sham, a nice paint job to mask our flawed construction. Individuality itself is pre-packaged, written on a T-shirt and sold by the truckload. There is nothing to distinguish me from the moronic masses I claim to oppose- even my acceptance of my own unoriginality, my acceptance of my blending into the background. It's all a projection. No amount of cleverly-phrased t-shirts can express our innermost desires. No slogan or buzzword can capture the exact peculiarities of the human soul. And how could they?
But are the foppish pretensions of my peers so far removed from the smug superiority which I subconsciously assert every time I use the collective 'they'? (I can tell that already, my own social satisfaction is shining through). I can envisage the downfall of my peers- not as a form of catharsis on my part, but as a greater expression of my own lack of power and social isolation. The greater my hatred, the greater the self-absorption.
I am a distinctly unoriginal plagiarist, who shamelessly rips off ideas he finds in books and films and uses them as a claim for moral and intellectual superiority over those he would seek to befriend. All this is me. I am no more original than the guy who uses Shakespeare or Keats as a chat-up line. I allude towards a superior lifestyle because I view myself as the centre of my own universe, and my acquaintances as satellites- and still, I find myself alone, not the king of what I represent. I am susceptible to anyone who shows me the least bit of interest, be they flatmate, flatmate's girlfriend, or random gay nurse from Strathclyde. And why? Because my epicentre is distinctly signposted, but rarely visited. I too am a caricature, a cartoon Mike put into this sprawling farce of a civilisation purely for his own comic relief. And my real personality? Like most of these dancing drones, I don't have a bloody clue.
I see polo-shirted, mop-haired automatons pass the baton of sexual relationship like a token gesture of masculinity. An impressive but meaningless act, like trophy cabinets or gun racks. A status symbol. Bachelors sit around like lost sheep, as the imperfect shepherds, in the guise of female virility, take them home to empty, meaningless futures in dark, forgotten nights. Melodramatic? Undoubtedly. But can you really read true happiness in the bloke who's scored tonight? Is he scared? Is he avoiding the complications of reality? Or is he, like me, so wrapped up in his own deluded world that he can't see the increasing pointlessness of his essentially empty, meaningless life?
User Reviews
Submitted by TheSpook (user info) at 2005-03-25 16:10:17 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
That about sums up college living.
Submitted by Jeanneee (user info) at 2005-03-25 15:58:32 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 for excellent use of the word "foppish." There's a word you don't hear nearly often enough.
Submitted by Supercords (user info) at 2005-03-25 15:47:40 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by mrwolf (user info) at 2005-03-21 06:30:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Fucking hell dude... I knew you were smart but holy shit... Your writing is brilliant and your view of the world so clear. You're a watcher, and you do it well.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2005-03-01 12:07:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submitted by Durae (user info) at 2005-02-11 17:50:29 (#)
Ranking: 2
pretentious english students rock.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submitted by TragicKingdom (user info) at 2005-02-27 20:28:41 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by The_taste_of_Monkeys (user info) at 2005-02-15 06:04:00 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
These are just observations taken from experiences in a student nightclub in Glasgow
Fucking preach on brother...of course Im surrounded by braying Zoology students as opposed to Arts degree wanks but the theorys the same, except with science jokes.
Submitted by The_taste_of_Monkeys (user info) at 2005-02-15 06:01:27 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Perfect +2 my Scottish homey, word up nuff respect due.
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2005-02-13 12:49:00 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
my, my it is a psuedo intellectual poncerama in here isn't it?
+2 to not be a cunt and ruin the streak.
Submitted by mikethescottish (user info) at 2005-02-12 23:03:40 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
"Mike seems to be dispairing at humans etcetera, and I'm saying he shouldn't."
These are just observations taken from experiences in a student nightclub in Glasgow- I'm sorry if it seems i've used it as a basis for making judgements on an entire species. There are many human beings who I am very much attached to, and I still maintain that there is the potential for good in everyone.
Submitted by sebcharrot (user info) at 2005-02-12 20:14:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
(By the way EST, I was just disagreeing with: "Just feel blessed that you see IT" My view is that if what you're talking about as being a special thing that he has attained by a noun such as "IT", which is indicative of common knowledge, it can't exactly be that special. The rest I agree with.
Hehe.
Sometimes I wish I would think comments through.)
Submitted by sebcharrot (user info) at 2005-02-12 20:12:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by CookieLass (user info) at 2005-02-12 14:46:28 (#)
Ranking: 2
Mike must have used too many big words for seb to really understand what was being said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submitted by electrictoothsyndrome (user info) at 2005-02-12 13:39:14 (#)
Ranking: 2
sebcharriot: I have always found it fascinating how two people can say the EXACT SAME FUCKING THING and yet think they're disagreeing.... Always brings a deep, guttoral chuckle to my body.
Thanks.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I blow raspeberries at you in disdain.
Mike seems to be dispairing at humans etcetera, and I'm saying he shouldn't.
Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough.
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2005-02-12 19:02:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by CookieLass (user info) at 2005-02-12 14:46:28 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Mike must have used too many big words for seb to really understand what was being said.
Submitted by electrictoothsyndrome (user info) at 2005-02-12 13:39:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
sebcharriot: I have always found it fascinating how two people can say the EXACT SAME FUCKING THING and yet think they're disagreeing.... Always brings a deep, guttoral chuckle to my body.
Thanks.
Submitted by Ex_Lux_Astrum (user info) at 2005-02-12 13:27:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Possible antidotes to vitriolic angst:
Personal Remedy- maximum dosage SSRI's, and/or recreational hallucinogenic Psycho-pharmacopia, Electro Convulsive therapy, .45 caliber bullet to the brain.
General Panacea for the Masses- Culling the Stupidest of the Herd through mass sterilization, Uzi on full auto in spray pattern, petite-sized Neutron bomb with scalable yield (dance-floor to full club range).
Submitted by sebcharrot (user info) at 2005-02-12 13:22:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
In fact, probably better than the reveiw i just gave is my linkwhore for this month.
http://www.ubersite.com/m/49753
Submitted by sebcharrot (user info) at 2005-02-12 13:14:02 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
EST, I have to disagree. There will always be a time, nay, many times in someone's life when they "realise" that humans accomplish little, and nothing original; that we are all rehashes of the same things, all using the same ways to pronounce individuality, etc etc.
There is more to being a human being than parrotting catchphrases, or wearing branded T-shirts, or even doing neither. Whether we want it or not, we all work slightly differently from each other. I agree that when looking at the big picture, no one person makes a mark, or stands out, but human beings are NOT about being seen in the big picture. If we were, we'd be the human MASS; we wouldn't have the power to dream, or to evaluate and pick away at ourselves.
In the wrong view, in the pan-out, we're just a field of grass. Who can tell which is which? Every blade looks the same. But zoom in, take a look at every blade in turn. Evaluate, pick-apart, observe how it works. They may be doing the same things, but see how different they are. Now multiply it exponentially and you have ourselves. When you think about everything we are; everything we are made of; everything we're capable of, there's no way to just let it all blend in together. We are separate, and we can make differences. But in our own, small ways. Humans aren't made to move mountains, but who needs to when you have the human mental and emotional capabilities?
This was well written, and I understand the feeling, but I don't agree with this being all there is to life. However, I'm not enough of an asshole to break the streak.
Submitted by FilthyAssistant (user info) at 2005-02-12 13:13:28 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
There's liberation to be found in emptiness.
Submitted by mikethescottish (user info) at 2005-02-12 12:30:16 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
The irony of this is that i'm going out again tonight.
Submitted by Creepy_guy (user info) at 2005-02-12 03:32:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Intelligent. Period.
Submitted by Umbilical_Cord (user info) at 2005-02-12 02:08:02 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Angst angst andgat angst angst...
Submitted by Wazza (user info) at 2005-02-12 02:07:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Berry ,berry good.
Submitted by Bigmike (user info) at 2005-02-12 02:02:13 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Somebody needs a little quiet time to reflect upon their worth.
+2 to keep the streak alive.
It was a little whiney though, to me anyway.
Submitted by CookieLass (user info) at 2005-02-12 01:49:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
See?! I told you so, baby!
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2005-02-12 01:41:21 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Dear bloody Christ. Now we have exitentialism here on uber. And it was actually well written.
Submitted by electrictoothsyndrome (user info) at 2005-02-12 00:49:46 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Yep, you just tore a hole in the web. Gotta love when that happens.
You have no idea the number of times I've written this same thing in different words. Just feel blessed that you see IT. The IT all around you. THAT's what makes you individual. But there is another philosophy in me that you touched on as well, and that's essentially that all things are relative. THere are no absolutes, and as such, there is no right or wrong, high or low, ignorance or knowlege... There is only the all-inclusive, non-judgemental ONE that is all of us, and until you not only SEE that, but silmply let go and embrace it, (which will come when you've escaped the company of those for whom you feel you must pretend), you will be doomed to the CIRCLES.
This is one of, if not THE best-written piece I've ever read on this site, bar none. You captured and recorded the entrance to a strange land that we will all touch on at some point, but few will ever really explore in depth. But, again, how the hell do I know! I might be the dumbest motherfucker in the world, and, true to form, just haven't caught on yet.
...ain't life grand! ;)
Here, I'll push this on you now: http://www.ubersite.com/m/34195
Submitted by wardy (user info) at 2005-02-12 00:37:30 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
http://www.ubersite.com/m/59209
Submitted by Girlwithaclue (user info) at 2005-02-12 00:31:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Early 20's crisis, so fuckin been there....
Wait till your 25 and you think everything you have done is for nothing, that you are not where you thought you would be.
Now that one sucks, you get drunk, fuck up your relationship and spend the rest of your 20's wondering why..
That is all.
Submitted by Triplexus (user info) at 2005-02-12 00:17:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I read this to myself in an Agent Smith voice for some reason.
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-02-11 23:23:43 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Fuck me. There were so many big-ass words there that I had to read that half speed. Way to make me feel like an imbecile, jackass.
After I put my dictionary down, I felt I could really relate to what you're saying. I went through a phase similar to the train of thought you're describing -- that is, roughly, that we are all automatons being devoured by a larger social collective and that our individuality is false and our lives mean nothing...etc etc. You said it better.
If this is truly how you feel, it may be interesting to note that I went through this at probably around the same age you are now. I grew out of it/put it behind me/moved on, whatever you want to call it. It all came about when one day, I realized:
Fuck all those guys. I'm ME, baby, and I fucking RULE.
Not that I'm 100% happy with myself. There's still tons I want to improve on, but by and large, I'm pretty satisfied with the person I am, and that's of huge comfort sometimes.
Hmm. How did this review turn into a giant egotistical introspection? Sorry, Scottish Michael. I think what I meant to say was:
-2DIE.
No, wait. I mean, +2 MOST IMPRESSIVE. You should post more often.
Submitted by Chroniclysm (user info) at 2005-02-11 20:29:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
So well written.
Submitted by screamfeeder (user info) at 2005-02-11 19:35:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Comment
Submitted by shakerbake (user info) at 2005-02-11 19:20:45 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by zakalwe (user info) at 2005-02-11 18:30:12 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Yeah, I'm lonely too.
Submitted by DonkeyOnTheEdge (user info) at 2005-02-11 18:26:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I am scared pointlessly. Or pointlessly scared. Either or.
Submitted by strider (user info) at 2005-02-11 18:17:03 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
well written
Submitted by Durae (user info) at 2005-02-11 17:50:29 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
pretentious english students rock.
Submitted by Stin (user info) at 2005-02-11 17:21:37 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I like it as much now as I did when you first gave it to me to read.
Submitted by mikethescottish (user info) at 2005-02-11 17:18:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Aww, come on Dave, you've seen how long my bus juourney's gonna be- i'm not going to be able to communicate in much more than grunts.
Besides, i'm a pretentious English student.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2005-02-11 17:17:53 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
y'know laddie, if you'd just have a couiple more pints, these big words that plague ye would just go awae...
Submitted by Adjomak (user info) at 2005-02-11 17:15:36 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
The fullness of a party, the emptiness of the people who attend. But just because it appears like a facade, don't let the nothingness get to you. For humanity, while it has always suffered emptiness has made some truly amazing things, out of nothing. So while the party rages, all I got to say is "Carpe Diem"
Submitted by Davros (user info) at 2005-02-11 17:10:01 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
OK.
Consider the invitation cancelled.
You scare me with your big words.
-Dave
Submitted by CookieLass (user info) at 2005-02-11 17:09:22 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm a white male, aged 18 to 49. Everyone listens to me! No matter
how dumb my suggestions are.
-- Homer Simpson
Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy
I'm glad you chose that pic
Submitted by siervua (user info) at 2005-02-11 17:07:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
:) Because you're Mike ;P