Rich Pickings

 Posted by at 12:10 pm  Atelier, IN Conversation
Aug 112009
 

A line in Jorie Graham's poem Later in Life caught my attention: 'there is something I must tell you, you do not need existence, these words, praise be, they can for now be said.'

You do not need existence. I do not need existence. This is one of those underneath ideas, beneath the surface; ideas that make me wobble, crash to the floor. Back on the surface of things, there's a line of thought: consumerism has highlighted NEED. I need this, I need that. I need to live, I have a right to live. Consumerism segues into rights; we understand about life, about stuff through the distorting lens of consumerism and human rights.

To not need existence opens up life as outrageous, gratuitous, miraculous gift.

Yesterday the Guardian (guardian.co.uk)reported on the findings of research conducted by Nuffield Health under the heading 'No sex please, we're British and we're lazier than ever.'

We don't necessarily like the gift of life because it demands something (a lot) from us. On the other hand we are very addicted to life and don't like the idea of its removal.