ILLUSIONS

Part of the theme in Illusions will be revisited in the song Monsters, Monkeys and Demons. It is the idea in modernity that has made the self the end-all and be-all of everything. "Can't believe all I see today, there's got to be a better way. I look around and all I find is evidence we've lost our minds." Is it true? Ask anyone on either side of the American political aisle and you'll find out that indeed the other side has lost its mind.

The second stanza states that we have "outlived the age of reason," the period in history "that was the beginning of an open society where individuals were free to pursue individual happiness and liberty" according to All About History. "Man began to embrace an exaggerated belief in the perfection of humanity based on reason and clear thinking." A thought to which I can only say "look at what that got us" or perhaps more aptly said "and look at where we are now!"

"Comedic evolution, the evolved devolve in revolution. Resolve dissolves without solutions. We all revolve around illusions."

Illusions indeed! Illusions of the perfection of humanity based on reason and clear thinking for starters. It turns Kohlberg's idea of moral reasoning on its head making stage six the lowest form of good by declaring personal happiness and freedom the ultimate god. The pursuit of "individual liberty and happiness" are only infringed upon by the fear of punishment in any given society.

Ah, yes! Society! There must be some form of government to maintain a society, right? According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute "In the domestic context, institutions-both formal and informal-serve as the 'rules of the game'" So somebody is in control of the rules, and holding on to the power to control those rules is the game. And how does that happen?

Stanza 2: "Can't believe all the things I hear! Building reality from fear. Suspicion is the currency of our modern modality. So easy to be led astray. Self-righteousness is easy prey. We're children of distraction with predictable reactions."

The direction seems obvious, and I believe I stated it clearly in the bridge:

"Long haul free fall mass confusion, we're the victims of delusion All enthralled with cheap intrusions, information prostitution

Drowned out by the noise pollution, truth gets buried in minutiae

Sold our souls to the institution who's appalled if you draw your own conclusions

Hardball, blackball, make exclusions, submit to idea distribution Fear the sprawl of retribution, pushed to the fringes of seclusion Downfall's last call for contributions, blinding sense of false inclusion

Silent permissive collusion..."

Leading, like all great empires before, to an inevitable self-inflicting wound:

"Sui-societal execution."

At least I turned a good phrase out of it.