I borrow the title from
the remix of Massive Attack's album Protection, which was released in
1995. With its slow, almost hypnotic beats and repetitive sound it creates the
perfect backdrop for reflection while creating a piece of writing. Massive
Attack will be coming to Gothenburg’s music festival Way out West in August and I so want to go, but I don’t know
if I can afford it. Well, I could afford it, but it’s more a matter of priority.
Anyway. Speaking of sounds, the topic to explore in this post is city vs country life. Big, noisy cities and tranquil nature are opposites, and equally attractive. Some people have a preference of one over the other and strongly oppose to the idea of choosing both. But being seemingly paradoxical is human, so why should that pose a problem?
Most of the time, the city is a blaring, brawling racket of a cacophony. Occasionally it is a harmonious symphony of sounds. There are soothing sounds that remind you that you are not alone, like the distant humming of traffic and the chatter of voices. But sometimes there is no escape of intruding clamor, like thuds and squeaks of machines, insane roar of traffic in a busy cross street, death screams from troubled children in school yards, etc.
The city supplies everything you want and don’t want. There are crowds of people; comfortable to disappear into but also annoying and energy consuming. Here’s an excess of items; you can almost always find what you need at any time of the day, but there is also so much pointless stuff. (Someone else who feels nauseated when walking into a store, because there is so much we don’t need?) Probably the least attractive with a city is the smell. The smell of misery and decay. It’s not only a concrete thing – the garbage and leftovers – it’s also a metaphysical smell of desperation. A desperate cry of wanting to be seen and heard and loved. The soft sobbing of people whose dreams and lives were crushed. The city can be very harsh and unforgiving, and anonymity can come at a price.
Despite the downsides, there is nowhere else I would want to live, given my current situation. The fast pace, the endless possibilities of discovering places and new people, the ability of blending in and being anonymous are some of the reasons to why I feel so at home in the city.
Having said this, the country side definitely has its allure. For someone who lives in a city, nature is the sappy cliché of getting back to your roots, just that it’s not a cliché, it’s real. It’s a getaway and a relief for the soul and the mind. It’s authentic and honest. Sometimes raw and bitter. Nature is isolation and space. Surviving in nature – in the wild – takes skills, which sadly many people don’t have. There’s less to distract you in nature, and for some reason you feel closer to yourself and others. Silence is both a blessing and a curse. Nothing can make you feel more alive than the incredible scent of a pine forest or a field of wild flowers.
I believe we were meant to live more in harmony with nature. However, there are so many factors interfering with living there, even in a small community. It takes a lot of time and effort to manage your life, especially if you live by yourself. Additionally, you will not have such a vast array of contacts and you can forget about being anonymous, unless you don’t have any close neighbors. And then you will be really alone. I grew up in a small community, and the conformity and gossip is something I never want to experience again. So maybe living completely isolated is better.
Until I can have my perfect little cabin in the mountains, I will be content with spending time in the nature whenever and wherever I can.
Anyway. Speaking of sounds, the topic to explore in this post is city vs country life. Big, noisy cities and tranquil nature are opposites, and equally attractive. Some people have a preference of one over the other and strongly oppose to the idea of choosing both. But being seemingly paradoxical is human, so why should that pose a problem?
Most of the time, the city is a blaring, brawling racket of a cacophony. Occasionally it is a harmonious symphony of sounds. There are soothing sounds that remind you that you are not alone, like the distant humming of traffic and the chatter of voices. But sometimes there is no escape of intruding clamor, like thuds and squeaks of machines, insane roar of traffic in a busy cross street, death screams from troubled children in school yards, etc.
The city supplies everything you want and don’t want. There are crowds of people; comfortable to disappear into but also annoying and energy consuming. Here’s an excess of items; you can almost always find what you need at any time of the day, but there is also so much pointless stuff. (Someone else who feels nauseated when walking into a store, because there is so much we don’t need?) Probably the least attractive with a city is the smell. The smell of misery and decay. It’s not only a concrete thing – the garbage and leftovers – it’s also a metaphysical smell of desperation. A desperate cry of wanting to be seen and heard and loved. The soft sobbing of people whose dreams and lives were crushed. The city can be very harsh and unforgiving, and anonymity can come at a price.
Despite the downsides, there is nowhere else I would want to live, given my current situation. The fast pace, the endless possibilities of discovering places and new people, the ability of blending in and being anonymous are some of the reasons to why I feel so at home in the city.
Having said this, the country side definitely has its allure. For someone who lives in a city, nature is the sappy cliché of getting back to your roots, just that it’s not a cliché, it’s real. It’s a getaway and a relief for the soul and the mind. It’s authentic and honest. Sometimes raw and bitter. Nature is isolation and space. Surviving in nature – in the wild – takes skills, which sadly many people don’t have. There’s less to distract you in nature, and for some reason you feel closer to yourself and others. Silence is both a blessing and a curse. Nothing can make you feel more alive than the incredible scent of a pine forest or a field of wild flowers.
I believe we were meant to live more in harmony with nature. However, there are so many factors interfering with living there, even in a small community. It takes a lot of time and effort to manage your life, especially if you live by yourself. Additionally, you will not have such a vast array of contacts and you can forget about being anonymous, unless you don’t have any close neighbors. And then you will be really alone. I grew up in a small community, and the conformity and gossip is something I never want to experience again. So maybe living completely isolated is better.
Until I can have my perfect little cabin in the mountains, I will be content with spending time in the nature whenever and wherever I can.
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