Everywhere you go today people are doing meaningless things ostensibly in support of a cause. You can't buy a donut, a bag of mothballs or a cup of coffee without donating 1/100th of a cent to something more noble. If I buy a pair of shoes and the shoemaker donates therefore a pair to charity, it likely means I paid too much in the first place.
We buy water in plastic bottles to help the environment. We grow mustaches to cure cancer. Our lapels, our wrists, the bumpers on our cars, even our very skin have all been festooned with ribbons, pins and slogans declaring our support for something or another.
Fart for a cause. Donate a dime to fighting global warming every time you fart. And wear a pin on your blouse--a little puff of smoke--to symbolize your largesse.
Well, on my lapel this morning I pinned a translucent pin--you can't see it. On my shirt I've affixed a cellophane ribbon, again it's invisible to the naked eye. On my car I pasted on a clear decal showing my support--for nothing.
That's right. For all the world to see, I support nothing.
If I feel like donating to Haiti, I feel no need to announce it social media. I have no need to turn my profile picture maroon or to brand my suit jacket.
I just do it.
I need no affirmation.
No self-congratulation.
No acknowledgement of my contribution.
I don't need a calendar, or return address labels or a sticker for my door or a holiday card.
I, then, hereby proclaim next Monday "National Nothing Day." Show your support for nothing. Wear nothing, say nothing, post nothing.
1 comment:
do good and talk about it. nowadays its talk about it. the doing got marginalized. it seems to be enough to appear to be doing and being.
just do it, i agree.
"Everything that was directly lived has moved away into a representation." out of context, but still quite true.
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