Experiment and Observe #3

Near the Parenthesis - The First Surface

Travelling upwards in an elevator would be, I think, akin to the motion of progress. The upwards trajectory a simile towards a destined path or, for lack of a better word, "elevation". Although, by and large, a beautiful journey, it is confined within prism of glass, only to be ridden by yourself at a metaphorical level.

No matter how far you rise, there will always be a ceiling. In other words, your progress has already been discovered and paved by the next person or some other greater entity. There is always something above you to control you. Bringing it back down to the 1st / ground floor, a subject you choose to pursue has already been tracked, understood and categorised by either one or many people. For example, I've always loved cinema, music and "the image", however, there has always been somebody better. This is a dangerous trap which could instigate an insiduous envy and a self-destructive mindset, bannered with the motto, "I'm better than you." This is the ceiling to which I talk about.

I've met countless filmmakers, actors and musicians who seem to have an incredibly large chip on their shoulders derived from the success of their piers (myself included). I'm not surprised that many people feel this way having set incredibly high standards for themselves that have an even greater risk of "failure" and self-shame. Perhaps this benchmark is made evident with the beautiful views presented to us through the other side of the glass; the towering skyscrapers and distant horizon a glimpse of what one can achieve. This kind of beauty or poison can keep you trapped.

At the same time, especially in this case with the mirror, someone is always watching you, including yourself. Although this could entail a spiel about societal paranoia, the mirror in this case is the dialogue one has with the self and realistic constraints. You are bound by the sum of your parts which are in turn governed by whatever set of rules you wish to apply to them, ie. chemistry, complex mathematics, religion, alternative spirituality, etc.. This mirror is a constant reminder that the dreams in the distance and above are beyond your very body.

Yet we continue upwards. To speak of a downward trajectory is perhaps something else entirely and the opposite. Reverting down towards a "poorer" sense of self. It's at this stage where one perhaps realises that the view is poorer, the dreams are reduced to street level commonalities or an empty black space of basement where one is completely lost. Hopefully the mirror can motivate and bring the self back upwards.

Having said all this metaphorical nonsense, the chance to break all of these strains and simply "be" would be a great gift indeed. There will be no view to give us false hopes or unattainable goals, no more ceiling, no more floor, just the journey towards the great unknown.