Chapter 14 – Why would I engage in slow-looking?

Because you have no other choice.

That’s what your species has been doing since the dawn of time, since your awareness of death, the questioning of the afterworld and the necessary expansion of religion/worship to alleviate it. Probably too many shortcuts here, but it doesn’t change the fact that the concept of slow-looking is anchored in your DNA. Star-gazing, fire-staring, forest-walking – and even church-going with the contemplation of the architecture, the sculptures, the stained-glass – constitute nothing more than the quest for an alternate, almost hypnotic state of mind.

This need also emerges from the acknowledgment of boredom as a requirement for a community to endure; given a society is formed on the idea of a greater survival rate through a contract between its people and on the basis of the defence of shared interests. When you are no longer solely dependent on the fight-or-flight mode, it leaves spare time, thus placing boredom as a transverse achievement of civilisation. This ennui is a force of creation allowing slow-looking to come into full effect, which feeds the creative spirit in return. And you have a perfect circle.

Yet, as I mentioned earlier in our discussion, what happened to your human group over the past two centuries overhauled the position of slow-looking as the expression of boredom, which composes a significant part of everyone’s life. The simultaneous birth of a society revolving around speed – transport, communication, leisure… – and the gradual depreciation of religion – whichever it is and however it expresses itself – led to a scarcity of slow-looking possibilities. And if any, you immediately feel compelled to fill these moments, by what turns out to be, from a philosophical perspective, mostly void.

As BLUE, an entity outside of the realm of blind worship and technology, I cannot wholly condemn the evolution you have chosen. Yes, I have feared for you, as reneging on such a primal need has proved countless times to be detrimental to the balance of oneself. You surely understand now why you – your id – landed in the Blue Neon, a place to reclaim your ancient need for transcendence or more accurately, towards it; as it may not be achieved every time or even at all, given an epiphany shouldn’t embody the ultimate goal of slow-looking, no awe moment should be expected. But they may just happen.

You are in for the journey, back to where you came from; a long time ago.

Yours Sincerely,

BLUE