"... a frequent path for us all...".

When I was young,
It seemed that life was so wonderful,
A miracle, it was beautiful, magical.
And all the birds in the trees,
they´d be singing so happily,
joyfully, playfully, watching me.

But then they sent me away,
To teach me how to be sensible,
Logical, responsible, practical.
And they showed me a world,
Where I could be so dependable,
Clinical, intellectual, cynical.

At night, when all the worlds asleep,
The questions run too deep,
For such a simple man.
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned,
I know it sounds absurd,
But please tell me who I am.

Now watch what you say,
Or they'll be calling you a radical,
A liberal, fanatical, criminal.
won't you sign up your name,
We'd like to feel you're
Acceptable, respectable, presentable, a vegetable.

There are times when all the worlds asleep,
The questions run too deep,
For such a simple man.
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned,
I know it sounds absurd,
But please tell me who I am.
Logical by Roger Hodgson,an excerpt from "Breakfast in America".

This is a "story of innocence and idealism lost", with Hodgson condemning an education system not focused on knowledge and sensitivity but focusing on the endgame. It tells of a man who:

• is taken away from the unspoiled immediacy of childhood, (When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful, a miracle, it was beautiful, magical).
• He undergoes a predetermined education, (but then they sent me away to teach me how to be sensible, logical, responsible, practical).
• He sees a future prepared for him lacking any spontaneity of reaction, (And they showed me a world where I could be so dependable, clinical, intellectual, cynical).
• He feels constricted in his freedom of speech, (Now watch what you say or they'll be calling you a radical, illiberal, fanatical, criminal).
• He is put under pressure to conform, (Won't you sign up your name, we'd like to feel you're acceptable, respectable, presentable, a vegetable).
• and he ends up confused, without a coherent self-image, (please tell me who I am).

Image : Roy Lichtenstein, "Hopeless".

Do any of us really know who we are or how we fit in ? It can take a lifetime to find out just what our destiny is to be.

But it is part of human endeavour to search, - it is this tenaciousness that makes us what we are, - An Individual.

Cheers