Sunset Skies and the End of the World

I missed the VMA’s the first time around, but I caught parts of it tonight. Don’t worry, I’m not going to sound off on Kanye. I think everyone else is doing a pretty good job at that. And anyway, it’s old news by now right?

As I watched Alicia Keys and Jay Z perform together I started thinking about the book I had just finished for my political science class called Hot, Flat and Crowded. In it, the author reveals some very real and very scary truths. Truths about what could happen to our country, our world, if we don’t seriously pay attention to global warming, global crowding and the implications of globalization.

By the end of the book I felt so helpless. So guilty! I finally understood those people that simply live for the after life, that look around them, scoff, and pray they be delivered sooner rather than later. I felt myself feeling the same way actually. I thought, “what is the point? We’ve dug ourselves into such a deep whole that it’s hard to imagine we will ever emerge on the other side, the green side." In all seriousness, I felt completely and utterly helpless.

And then, by watching MTV of all things, I realized that no matter what terrible things our world is facing, there are constants around us that make life worth living and experiencing. One of those is music. True music. Like Jay Z and Alicia Keys singing about New York and saying things like “let the lights inspire you.”

And that took me back to my kids. It’s hard to feel doomed when you look into their beautiful, hopeful faces. I picked them up one evening and Olivia looked up and said “Oh Sarah! It’s beautiful!”

“What is,” I asked?

“The lights!”

She was looking up at the sunset sky and marveling over the way the rusty street laps shined against it. I saw billions of electrons being wasted, carbon emissions bombing against our ozone layer, and the dirty trail of blood money the price of energy and oil leaves behind. She saw magic and beauty. And when I looked up again, this time through her eyes, I saw it too. It really was beautiful.

So I don't feel so helpless, so meaningless anymore. Even though this world really may be royally fucked, there is still enough beauty left to make every thing, every single thing, worth it. If I can still find inspiration from MTV, then there is something yet to be broken in the world. Art may never save the world but it certainly makes life easier, more enjoyable, and worth the shit we have to put up with.

Do we need a green revolution? Yeah, we really do. But quite possibly what we need more are hopeful faces looking up into a sunset sky, illuminated with magic and appreciative of the beauty.