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The meaninglessness of life: let’s take the magic world back.

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Blessed are those who take the luxury of being bored, of not knowing, of not searching, of not studying. Cursed are we who love our job, who are easily entertained, who enjoy the unexpected.

There was a fantastic concert in Rezekne yesterday. A band from the States goes the extra mile, reaching the European extreme outskirts, to delight us with its melodies. It was a simple night: a double bass, a drum and a trumpet. A bunch of friends, some beer and tea, a chat with the musicians.

We were about twenty people in total. I wonder where the other inhabitants of this small town were, how they could have lost such an opportunity. Everything was free, beautiful atmosphere, complete relax for the end of the day.

They were home to watch a series. Maybe they were googling “How to stop being lonely?” or “How to become rich in a week?”. Yet, they have lost the true opportunity of sharing in front of Tvs or Pcs.

Who knows why contemporary men choose to aim for individualism, money and technique.

Why don’t we go out anymore? Randomly, without knowing where we are heading. Just for the joy of discovery, to live the marvels of the world that Aristotle had been chanting. To see what the day is saving for us.

Blessed are those who take the luxury of being bored, of not knowing, of not searching, of not studying. Blessed are those who wake up in the morning already angry, mindful of their miserable life, aware of the disgrace and tedium waiting for them this today. Blessed are those who already know where they are going and why. Blessed are those who always have a reason to act. Blessed are those who laugh at us, oblivious vagrants, stupidly happy and smiley in front of fate’s unpredictability.

Cursed are we when they ask us “where are you going?” and we do not know the answer. Cursed are we when they ask us “do you do that for money?” and we would like to answer no, but we nod because we are a bit ashamed of our childish spontaneity. Cursed are we because when facing the question “why are you going there?”, we would answer “just out of curiosity”; but, knowing that the interlocutor would laugh, we make up a reason that would be socially accepted. 

Cursed are we who love our job, who are easily entertained, who enjoy the unexpected. Cursed are we who cycle around singing. Cursed are we who surround ourselves with friends, risking to love them, to argue with them, to need their company. Cursed are we who laugh at the idea according to which man is obsolete in comparison to machines. Cursed are we who go for a walk without a destination, just to see whether it rains or not, to feel the wind on our faces. Cursed are we who want to find a different route to go back home, maybe even losing ten minutes, what a profanation. Cursed are we who do not put a serious, conscious face, but who get caught in the current situation without resisting.

Cursed are we who believe that there should not be a reason for everything.

Cursed are we who dance even though we do not know the moves.

Cursed are we who rediscover the magic of communication every day.

Cursed are we who release our Dæmon, our uniqueness and our independence against social inflexibility.

Cursed are we who are certain that we can live perfectly without giving in to sad consumerism.

Cursed are we who believe that the problem is not the knowledge or modification of reality, but, rather, creating, warranting and making it present.

Cursed are we who want to take the magic world back.

Story by

Bernardo Bertenasco

Venuto al mondo nell’anno della fine dei comunismi, sono sempre stato un curioso infaticabile e irreprensibile. Torinese per nascita, ho vissuto a Roma, a Bruxelles e in Lettonia. Al momento mi trovo in Argentina, dove lavoro all’università di Mendoza. Scrivo da quando ho sedici anni, non ne posso fare a meno. Il mio primo romanzo si intitola "Ovunque tu sia" (streetlib, amazon, ibs, libreria universitaria)

Translated from L'insensatezza della vita: riappropriamoci del mondo magico