"There was madness in any direction, at any hour. You could strike sparks anywhere. There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right, that we were winning."
Raoul Duke
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 1998
What is fear? What does it mean to loathe? If fear is to be afraid, and loathe is to feel disgust; what kinda of trip were Raoul and Dr. Gonzo on, to discover the American dream in Vegas? I find fascination in those seeking to un-cover their "aha" moments. The intense drive to push their limits to discover something beyond their wildest dreams. Yet, do I offer them drugs and send them on their way? No.
What crossroads have you attempted to define in your life? Were they a self-proclaimed mission to succeed at something someone told you, you wouldn't reach? Or was it a personal vendetta to overcome your own soul, and work through your own fears?
Las Vegas cracks me up. Its like a theme park for adults. Rides, ups and downs, characters dressed up in their costumes, snack bars, and even prizes. We go to theme parks to develop the thrill; to push our fears of speed, combat the fear of heights, and break out of our comfortable containment. Yet, we leave that day knowing we have mastered something within ourselves, and there is no hidden truth to mask. On the flip side, we leave Vegas with hangovers, stories, winnings, or drained bank accounts, and sometimes grander sins.
Does Vegas enlist sinners?
Drugs, alcohol, temptation, gambling, and risk are all words to describe sin city. However, some say its the complete opposite. Its an eye-candy observation; its a "be who-ever you want to be" type of environment, where no one is the judge. Its it a, "at the time, non-consequential vacation" where you don't need to be anywhere but there. Someone told me that Vegas was full of alter egos. That was a powerful statement. True, and impeccable to the timing of this posting.
Who is your alter ego? Maybe you bounce from one to another throughout your day.
We sometimes get up each day playing the roles we play, we step out into the reality of life through our screen door and into a world of something else we've developed to know. We jump into our transportation rockets out the driveway we enter the world where we are someone else. Not the parent, not the chef, not the housekeeper; but, the professional, the laborer. We wear our masks as the successful, to mask our personal lives in which we live because someone has to play the part.
Someone knows the real you though, someone can mirror your own reflection and tell you your finest imperfections. Yet, we can't forget the perception; but, we can forget the mistakes.
"Strange memories on this nervous night in Las Vegas. Has it been five years? Six? It seems like a lifetime, the kind of peak that never comes again." - Raoul Duke
Don't let the fear, loathe you to not follow your hunt for the American dream. However, you may find that the world is a mix of alter egos, sinners, acid tripped individuals who might not know who you want to be. It's ok to take that trip, perhaps a ride in a little convertible... because you know; it is all just a false reality when you can't remember what brought you there to begin with.
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bobbot
Alpha Whiskey
Gary Gladstone
fingerlakeswanderer
Dennis Knight
Gabby Fox
Salon.com
Comments
It's insane that we fear and loathe; yet we want nothing but to be accepted.
Thanks scanner.. always intuitive. I like it.
Thanks for this insight!