Simple Living

Simple Living

Every time I hear this term I think of all the "ties that bind" modern man.

An image of Jacob Marley in all his ghostly chains stalking Ebeneezer Scrooge comes to mind.

Chains made of mortgages, payment plans and commitments whose sole purpose is to help us appease the demons of conformity.

The same self imposed shackles that separate Ebeneezer from the rest of humanity and threatens to kill his very soul as he is yet just another cog in the wheels of the machine.

The machine is a jealous god as well, either you conform or you will be punished with what it defines as deprivation.

You will not be allowed to gain the most desired objects {masters} such as mansions, yachts and sport cars to care for and maintain until you die.

You will not gain the flavor of the week clothing that some old woman in New York or drunken French man decides is stylish this week.

Your children will hang their head in shame as they enter the public school cookie cutter with out this week's goofy-mon accessories!

Not serving the machine will lower your stress level, forcing you to live longer with the knowledge that you are a hedonist non-conformer!

Friends and family rattle their chains at you and let you know exactly how wrong and immoral you are for throwing off your shackles.

Shame on you... Put those chains back on before the neighbors notice!

After all... How DARE YOU be different!?!

George A.