Quarantine Diary #4: What about me?

I love those people in your life who present you with something and it completely upends your life as you know it, makes you question a bunch of assumptions and ideas, and really think 'am I doing life the best possible way?' These people are like the whetstones used to sharpen the sword of your wit - you are more refined for them.

One such person is my friend Andrew.

His whole lifestyle is very counter-cultural as he has a laptop and goes to various corners of the world travelling and connecting with beautiful souls. He works online, building websites and playing with code and block chain by day then explores countries, cities and cultures by night.

When I was briefly living in Sydney in 2009, it happened to coincide with him living in Sydney, and we hung out a bit. He showed me this video one time and he showed me this music-based documentary called 'What about me?', a compilation of theories, ideas and philosophies of what it is to be human. It features a bunch of academics, priests, philosophers, musicians and celebrities like Stephen Fry, Noam Chomsky and Billy Connolly and heaps more, just talking through what it is to be human. It is a feast of culture and colour, and the sound track is amazing given that the documentary is put together by a band called One Giant Leap.

I looked for it for years afterwards to share it with other people and for a brief time, I had a copy, but it was on a computer that died a few years back.

I decided to look for it again recently as I've never shown Jared, and I found it! It's here! So given everyone has so very much spare time right now, I thought it would be an ideal time to endorse it and give everyone an opportunity to watch it.

It is beautiful and challenging and life-affirming and one of those things that makes you marvel at the beauty of what it is to be human.

There are a few quotes that have stuck with me over the years from it are (super-paraphrased):

I used to blame a lot of people for things, my partner, my flatmates, my workmates, but when you strip that all back, and take that all away, the lowest common denominator is me. And at some point you need to face up to the fact that I might me the reason for my own problems. I am the lowest common denominator. 

Where it talks about taking anti-depressants or meds for ADHD. Pills can help a bit, but ultimately you need to be able to confront yourself, you need to confront these problems within yourself and grapple with them, and it shouldn't just be shoving pills in kids because it's inconvenient for you mum and dad or you teacher, these kids might need a different strategy. 

Until you get enough and you realise it isn't enough, you keep pursuing, you keep chasing, because you think out there somewhere there will be enough. Wanting doesn't stop, no matter how much you have. 

TV is a triumph of the blaze. 

There is no future; there is only this, there is only the present moment. We ruin our present by stressing about the past or worrying about the future. 

It's a really interesting plethora of perspectives from a range of people, faiths, countries and cultures. It's quite slow moving, so you need to be in the right mood to fully appreciate it. I would prescribe a glass of your chosen beverage or 3, and be ready for a big of a boogie around the room. Perhaps have something to do to occupy your hands if you're a fidgety type.

But do make some time to watch it. I'd love to hear what you think about it. Leave your reviews in the comments - love it or hate it - let me know!