You Are Alone

Have you ever listened to the positive-vibed musical piece "You're Not Alone", from the popular roleplaying video game Final Fantasy IX? A lot of people love it, because they find warmth, or comfort in it. They consider it a reminder of friendship and family: that no matter how isolated one feels, all one has to do is realize that his/her actions effect others' feelings, and potentially, the directions of their lives. From this composition and its corresponding cutscene in the video game itself, some conclude that there is no such thing as pure individualism--that we are all in this system called life together, whether we agreed to it or not.

At first glance, that's quite heartwarming.

Until you think about the matter some more.

No one can 'get inside' of you--at least not until the government or private industry develops mechanisms that can hack into your brain to store your most personal of thoughts in their databases and use it against you in the court of law (or at least provoke you into purchasing all sorts of expensive luxuries you don't need. And to be honest, these control schemes already exist and are used against you now... just ask the NSA, if they'll disclose it to you.)

Outside of the potential for such technology-induced mind control, you truly ARE isolated. It is impossible to feel full intimacy, and if you could, you would learn all of the vile thoughts that those you hold most dear have about you.

Do you ever fantasize about harming someone you're convinced that you love? Of course you do: everyone does. You shrug it off as "Well, it's okay, because everybody has these feelings... they're just instinctive.", but psychological studies have frequently shown that we as people are sensitive creatures. We feel hurt when we're called fat, are told that we look ordinary, or don't get invited to social events. But what if you learned of your mother's and father's innermost thoughts? What if you could hear your mother's innermost voice saying--perhaps daily--"I was getting by alright. Then I got knocked up with kids."? That alone may not bother you too much... until you consider the images in her mind that go along with those thoughts. I would explain them to you, but perhaps you could use your imagination. Just be glad I'm not as cruel as your mother.

Whatever you do, just remember. While your dog sleeps in your lap... or while you are making love to your girlfriend... or even when you kiss the bride after you say "I do."...

You are, ultimately, isolated. You are alone.