We shall never experience the original chaos,
the Big Bang;
the file is closed on that;
we weren’t there.

But, where the final moment is concerned
–the Big Crumb
-we might have some hope
of seeing that.
Some hope of enjoying the end,
to make up for not being able to enjoy the origin.

These are the only two interesting moments and,
since we have been denied the first,
we might as well put all of our energies
into accelerating the end,
into hastening things to their definitive doom,
which we could at least consume
as spectacle.

Just imagine the extraordinary good luck
of the generation which would have
the end of the world
to itself.

…we came too late
for the beginning.

Only the end
seemed to be
within our means.

The Illusion of the End by Jean Baudrillard, trans. by Chris Turner, page 115, pub. 1992

Today February 2nd is Groundhog Day. In some places, – Pennsylvania’s Governor, Mike Shapiro turned out to make a proclamation, and closer to my home, in Woodstock there was hoopla. Anything at all or (nothing at all) to merit a pubic spectacle.

Another spectacle becomes visible on the horizon of public consciousness. Super Bowl Sunday, February 9th, is one week in the future. How many of us will count the days until we ensconce ourselves before screens to view an hours-long spectacle of advertising, and of sports ritual? A final showdown, the Chiefs and the Eagles in the big game.. (The the lowest ticket is priced at $4,750.) Wouldn’t miss it for the world! Chips n’dip, maybe barbecue wings, etc., etc..

How much of life has become, is being reduced to daily spectacle, an ersatz ending, something entirely other than an end?

We are seduced to believe “this is a spectacle I can afford.”

This, – this we absolutely cannot afford.