Board of Hi Five

Steve R.

There are many things that have gone the way of the dinosaur. Well, dinosaurs for one, dodo birds, The Beatles, an efficiently run NYC subway system, ‘underground’ bands….all have come and gone. They may have been replaced by inferior ideas, or not replaced at all.

I am sure there are many things I am leaving off this list, but this is a top 5 that I scribbled on a napkin while riding the subway this morning. So here it goes.

1. Geniuses

This is a theory I have concocted over a few years just observing humans, talking to people, and sitting on benches watching people rush by. My sole reasoning for my belief that the world will be without so-called “Geniuses” is because people are too damn busy now. In the days of Tesla, Brahe, Einstein, and so many others, life was simpler. People had time to think on a Sunday afternoon. They had time to devote their lives to something they believed in so that it could benefit the world in some way. I am going to break this down by examining largely over-simplified categories of people.

Average Joe’s and Jane’s: Presently, average people are too caught up in working to pay bills, support their loved ones, and make sure they aren’t ‘wasting time’. No one has time to really sit and think about deeper things. I am guilty of this, and it is not necessarily sad, nor wrong. I would rather spend time with my friends, then sit alone and try to build a time machine.

The Smartest of the Smart: There are many people who fall into this category. Those working on the LHC, doctors and chemists working towards cures for cancer and AIDS, and artists who supply our lives with beauty. However, most of these wonderful people are stuck working for a large company, or perhaps have had their ideas squashed because they were too pricey. What if a doctor discovers a cure for cancer, but is under contract with Pfizer? That cure will be owned by a company, and not free to help those who need it. I hope that whoever discovers a cure for an illness takes a cue from Jonas Salk and gives it to the world without demanding profit….but who am I kidding?

and lastly, The Well-To-Do. I’m speaking of millionaires and billionaires in the world. They are wealthy, and for the most part some of them have incredible social awareness. They give money to charities, causes, schools of art, and institutions. They help fund many projects that will aid the human race. But on the flipside, are the wealthy who don’t work on a daily basis, but use their time to party, get reality shows on E!, and act incredibly selfish. Kardashian family, I am looking at you.

I hope I am wrong. I hope there are still humans who will give us the gifts of their minds. I have faith they are out there, I just hope they don’t get consumed by greed or ego.

2. A Truly Private Life

Recently, a lady friend of mine told me that her ex-boyfriend googled my name, and she was astonished at how much he knew about me, without actually knowing me. So I did the same. When I googled my name, I was able to ascertain the following information on the first page alone:

1. I work at Juilliard
2. I am in a band called Saxon Shore (with links to Myspace and Facebook pages)
3. I have a twitter account that I never use.
4. I am on LinkedIn
5. There are videos of me playing music, as a solo artist, and with Saxon Shore.

That is pretty good. I mean, anyone who wanted to meet me could get in contact with me, or stalk me outside of work. Sadly, BOHF doesn’t show up until the 5th page.
Privacy is slowly being stripped away, and most of us are walking into it willingly. 1984 is upon us, and we accept it. I am a willing participant, but that does not mean it doesn’t bother me. Instead of accepting Facebook’s new social networking scheme, I opted to delete my information. I don’t need to be lumped into a category on Facebook with a billion other people just because I enjoy Vonnegut’s writing. Someday, we’ll miss our privacy. Hopefully by that time, I will have a house in the mountains and I’ll be on the porch strumming a banjo.

3. Decreasing Prices of Goods and Services

Blue Light Special

I’m not talking about weekly specials or 20% off coupons. I’m talking about prices of goods going down because the market calls for a decrease in prices. The best way for me to explain this is the price of a slice of pizza (but feel free to apply it to, say, Oil companies). When I was younger, a square slice of Nirchi’s pizza was what, $.50? Maybe $.65? Now, that same slice is $1.35. In NYC, a slice of plain pizza is now $2.00 on average.
Now, I do understand that the prices of wheat, tomatoes, and dairy has not gone down in quite some time, hence the rise in prices of a single slice. I am fine with that. The market dictates what the prices of goods should be. However, I do have a problem if the price of raw goods goes down. If the price of wheat drops, will a pizza shop owner lower his price? Nope. The cost of a slice to him may originally be $1.50 on a $2 slice, giving him profit of $.50. Let’s say the price of wheat drops, and he only has to spend $1.25 on a slice. Will he drop the street price a quarter? Nope. He will keep it at $2 and increase his profit to $.75. This is not wrong, it is capitalism, but it is why I make the claim that in general, prices of goods will not decrease in time. I only hope my wages increase accordingly….but so far they haven’t.

4. A Car that a Normal Person can work on.

1970 Dodge Challenger 383 Engine

2010 Dodge Challenger 5.7L V8 Engine

Just look at the difference. Want to change the spark plugs on the 2010? I don’t. How about the timing belt, or change the alternator? Good luck without a computer diagnostic program and some training.
I am no car guru, but I love cars, always have. I can only do minor repairs, I haven’t dismantled an engine block…yet. But in this age of computer controlled engines, a person can’t just pop the hood and try a hand at it. We have to take it to a shop which can work on it properly.
I used to change headlights with my Dad on our 1985 Plymouth Reliant Station Wagon. You know those square headlights that were on every car from a Chevy Citation to a Ford Escort to the Reliant? You could buy them at KMart for $10 and install them yourself. It isn’t possible anymore with the bug-eye headlights we have on cars now. Something as simple as changing a light bulb is now left to the experts.

5. A good game of Basketball

I still love playing basketball. There is nothing better than a pickup game with friends on a Tuesday afternoon after work. However, in the NBA, and a lesser sense, the NCAA, watching a game of basketball has lost its appeal to me. The last time I paid attention to the NBA Playoffs was in 2002 when the Kings were in the final, and Vlade Divac would saunter down the court like he just smoked a pack of cigarettes at the other end. I just cannot enjoy a sport when one or two players can make the entire team. Everyone knew teammates of Jordan, Magic, and Bird. Who else is in Cleveland with LeBron, besides Shaq (who might be the single cause for the change of the game)? I know my cousins from Cleveland would know the answer to it, but everyone knew Jordan, Grant, Pippen, and Paxson. And who doesn’t know Ainge, Parish, McHale, and Bird?
Maybe I am too stubborn. Maybe I am missing some good games. However, I don’t think I am.