Poison Pen

"You always have to beware of people who are thrown suddenly into the limelight through no talent of their own. They develop this ghastly drive to cuddle with stars and artists, and therefore reflect rather than generate light."    (David Bowie in a May 2008 W Magazine blurb.)

Oh David so true, so true especially when we consider the use of the word "light" as creativity and incorporate the concepts of unique and groundbreaking. 

Bowie’s quote is not just true in terms of popular culture or well-known celebrity types. Those reflecting light as opposed to generating light are everywhere these days because of the massive appeal and use of the internet’s multimedia elements. I don’t mind it so much unless the person reflecting is wandering under the assumption that they are generating. The difference between the two may be subtle (at times) - but it can also be impressively significant. And oh there are so many of you out there doing this wandering and assuming. I could list some pretty specific examples but that would be really bitchy and catty and I’m in too good of a mood today to put anyone in the cross-hairs. You all know some - make your own catty/bitchy list.

The up side (and there usually is one although in my case it is a bitchy and catty up side) (surprised?) is that those merely reflecting light who are also wandering and assuming themselves to be generating light are pretty entertaining because of their love affair with delusion.

Many psychoanalytical theories suggest that everyone around you can mirror back to you aspects of yourself, for better or for worse, recognized or unrecognized. (The subconscious doesn’t really miss much but also doesn’t always communicate clearly). You can play the House of Mirrors game: pick a day (or a night out) where you contemplate that those you interact with (not randomly everyone - people who provoke some sort of instinctual reaction or response, like longing, joy, jealousy, laughter, anger, contempt, and so on) are mirroring something back to you about yourself. If they set your teeth on edge, or if they are awe-inspiring in some way or hilarious, what could that tell you about yourself? What do you see about yourself as you look in the mirror they present?

Unfortunately, these days too many people are busy reflecting the light of others in cookie-cutter fashion instead of getting to know their own reflections.

Well, all right then. So long as they remain entertaining.