Arrogant Self-Reliance

..at times I almost dream
I, too, have spent a life the sages' way,
And tread once more familiar paths. Perchance
I perished in an arrogant self-reliance
Ages ago; and in that act, a prayer
For one more chance went up so earnest, so
Instinct with better light let in by death,
That life was blotted out-not so completely
But scattered wrecks enough of it remain,
Dim memories, as now, when once more seems
The goal in sight again...

-Robert Browning
-Paracelsus

This kind of prose, I miss. It has been a long time since I have read a book of prose. Funny thing, I heard this excerpt in an episode of The X-Files called “The Field Where I Died.” This are the types of prose I missed reading since I was in high school. Thoreau, Emerson, and Browning would seem to occupy the whole Sunday Afternoon devouring their words of inspiration. Moreover, I have to read the Philippine Daily Inquirer, where we only buy the Sunday paper because of budget constraints.

Now, it seems that I have to adapt to the current generation today. Arguably, this is a generation where attention span is on its lowest of supply. In fact, MySpace seems to celebrate the plummeting of America’s attention span. MySpace TV recently released the Minisode network wherein it showcases the TV shows you love, only shorter. For instance, an episode of Partridge Family- See Here, Private Partridge- is shortened to a length of 4 minutes and 26 seconds. This would seem to bridge the gap of older generations who has a long attention span and new generation who has a short attention span.

One can infer that one of the purposes of the Minisodes is to have the older generation’s attention at par with the decreasing and mediocre attention span of the younger generation.

Mass Media must conform to the needs of society. Hence, if all people have short attention span, the forms of entertainment must be short and concise. There is no need to lament the plummeting attention span. It is one of the “COOLEST” traits to have.

Back to Browning, I miss those days of reading books in a carefree Sunday afternoons. As I grow older, it seems that I am pre-occupied to the series of tasks that are grown up stuff. The tasks are endless, and I am programmed to finish those, or else, productivity shall fail. I have to work every other weekend on the hospital. Hence, the 26 remaining Sundays would have to be reserved for chores, work, and schoolwork.

Perhaps, I am in the state of arrogant self-reliance. I now rely on unfinished tasks to control my weekend route. However, such arrogant self-reliance can also be used to deter the goals of minisodes and the evils of a decreased attention span.

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