A Bee Sez

Behind all this, to see through this blog thing, I have to think to see the world the way a single man might see it. To use words as a bee or a wanna-bee would use them. To talk with the voice of a bee. This buzz is my buzz “in the poet’s summary of life and old age” as Helen Vendler says in her review of John Ashbery’s collection of new poems, “Planisphere.” (New York Time Book Review, 10-13-09).

There is a cultral mystery here in this disambiguitized world of the internet: There should be room for a bit of personal ambiguity.

Read a civilized discussion about Saludi break-in at the White House reception. “Not in this town” New York Times 12-10-09. David Segal seems almost quaint considering the present state of contemporary culture’s war with finesse.

Mr. Segal compares the mores of Washington, New York and Los Angeles. Power and protocol is important in Washington. It is a reality that cannot be personal. “Washington has long been called Hollywood for ugly people.” “The legal tender of the capital has more impact when displayed with a minimum of ostentation.” In Washington’s celebrity-driven culture the people are unattractive and lack charisma so that what makes them attractive is their substance.

My impression is that LA in particular has its own image of power and protocol. Money trumps art. Appearance is everything. Who you know and who you are with and your track record is what makes you beautiful. Few people in Hollywood are known by their first names. When they say Tom they mean Tom Cruise not Tom Ford. In this Lady Gaga world, a simple “single man” doesn’t have a chance.

Laura Dogson interviewed Tom Ford about his latest product the movie “A Single Man” (New York Times 12-08-09, Thursday Styles). He is described as a black box. What is in that box is the question. One can only guess the answer. Outside that container he appears like a Model-T, one color black. He is a product, a vehicle, a brand. He controls his image and (he hopes) anticipates his audiences. A paradigm, a master of all he surveys. A product of the american southwest he is a cowboy scouting the landscape as far as he can see. The master of product design. Himself. Welcome to Hollywood.

B and Bs are going butch. According to Michelle Higgins in the New York Times 11-22-2009, bed and breakfasts are starting to “man up”. Unisex has apparently ventured into new territory. Sexual curiosity and openness have gone off the road. Preoccupation with non-conformity appears strange to me and rather perverse. Of course the human condition is a new experience for this refugee from the bee world.

For instance, our queen disposes of the male bees when she’s through with them. She doesn’t have to think about it. She just does it.

Humans don’t seem to want limits. This could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what one is used to to. I find it difficult to appreciate. After investigating your world more, this bee may learn to like it. I’ve come this far. Why not?

In the end non-conformity could become the NEW CONFORMITY. Personally, this idea gives me what you call the hives. The queen bee’s habits might be a little hard to take depending on whether you are male or female (or vice-versa).

The bee world is conformity plus. Humans apparently need freedom of choice. They can conform or whatever. Consequences are not on the list of concerns. Maybe this has to do with the “buzzing confusion of reality” that David Brook mentions on the opinion page in the New York Times 11-27-09.

Two examples: a Philippino politician thinks nothing of slaughtering 57 people in his way without an exit strategy. A DC wannabe couple forces their way into a White House party armed with a wing and a prayer. Were these good ideas at the time?

Now this bee has ventured into the reality of the human condition. Have I become just another wanna bee? Maybe I should think more about this freedom thing. To bee or not to bee.