Saturday, May 14, 2011

Past The Point of Caring... What does that mean, anyway?

Last night I picked up the guitar and was fiddling around when I fell into the Allman Brother's song, Midnight Rider.  I paused when I reached the lyric,

I've gone by the point of caring
Some old bed I'll soon be sharing.

Ever have those moments when you wonder how a word or expression came into being?  Well, this was one of those moments.

Here's the thing, it seems to me that the "point of caring" is an end point.  The point of it all, really.  The thing you work most of your life to achieve.

To care is to love.  To love is the goal of all spirituality.  Is to not give a shit somehow superior to, "past" or beyond the point of caring?

Doesn't seem right.

19 comments:

  1. I entered a "past the point of caring" on many levels a while back. Don't know if this is related to your train of thought but from my point of view we live in a graceless age without many redeeming qualities.

    Sure we have 500 television channels, $20 dollar DVD players at Walmart, and credit cards that allow us to work our way into modern serfdom but I see no energy to expand horizons on either a national or individual level.

    I'll go have my second cup of coffee now.

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  2. I am past the point of caring what anyone has to say about my home, Detroit. Unless the return comment "Fuck 'em" means I still care somewhat.

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  3. "And I guess that's why
    They call it the blues
    Time on my hands
    Could be time spent with you
    Laughing like children
    Living like lovers
    Rolling like thunder under the covers
    And I guess that's why
    They call it the blues"
    --Sir Elton John

    It's the job of the bluesman to set a new low.

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  4. BB... I know what you mean, but it seems to me the goal is past the point of not caring. In other words, past the point of caring is back-sliding.

    WM... I can clearly see your point.

    Nance... yes, the blues is like a reset button. Never thought of it like that before. Thanks

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  5. I don't care. Beyond that, what's the point?

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  6. JJ... poppy cock. You care more than most. That's the point.

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  7. I call your poppy cock and raise you a balderdash.

    I was fucking with your head, Chaz...fuckin' wid yer head.

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  8. And I'll raise you a fiddle dee dee. You can't fuck with solid rock JJ. But I've been thinking. Caring is the pinnacle. On one side you strive to reach the top. But if you reach it, it's a precarious balance and you can get pushed over the other side. The other side being the downward slide into not giving a shit. Dammit. Now I have to start over again.

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  9. Use the good ol' GOP technique...keep repeating it. That will make it so.

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  10. I'm all in with a Hunky Dory.




    I actually used that phrase with a 20 year old yesterday and she had to ask me what it meant. GAAAAHHHH!

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  11. Right or wrong. Care or don't care. Love or hate.
    I really don't give a shit how other people tackle 'em in life.

    I just LOVE my Greggie!!!

    P.S. - you really think waaaaay too much. Ya outta be more like ME and just, don't :-)

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  12. Fine and Dandy. Try that on a 20-year old.

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  13. okay, was there a question I missed?

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  14. RYC: "Maybe this old gal ain't as looney as she sounds. All those years her dead dad's social security checks just kept rolling in."

    That was MY first thought as well.

    Hmmmmm, well whaddaya know. I reckon I really DO think.

    It's very seldom tho ;-)

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  15. Bella, you had to be in two places at the same time.

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  16. Past the point of caring is giving up. Not ready to do that. Hopefully, I won't do that ever. But only time will tell.

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  17. Syd, under that definition I'm certainly there on some things... television and politics seem to head the list.

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  18. RYC: "I was on my way over here to follow-up when I saw your comment at my place. You know, it really does work better to post follow-up comments on the commenter's site doesn't it?"

    Well, since I'm not one to do much thinkin' (other than the stinkin' kind, that is), I can still try to call 'em like I see 'em......

    So let's say I post somethin' on my blog. U see it in the day's list of updated blogs, u go to my blog and u comment about what I wrote. I then automatically getta email notification that u left me a comment. I in turn leave u a comment about yer comment, but how are ya gonna know that I said somethin' in response to yer comment? U don't get email notifications that I left a comment for u at MY blog, do ya? Are ya gonna keep goin' back 'n forth like a ping-pong ball to my blog's original post just to see if I said somethin' back to ya? Hell, *I* wouldn't. I won't. And I DON'T. And that's why I always begin my response comments at the commentor's own blog with a "RYC" followed by a copy of the commentor's comments (or a portion of, in quotes) that I'm commentin' about. That way U get the email notice that I just left (another) comment at yer blog and u don't gotta play blog ping-pong with MINE.

    And now that my head is spinnin' and I'm totally confused about the whole damn blog comment thing, I need a friggin' nap.

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  19. MeanDonnaJ...you keep me coming
    bact to the point of caring.
    Kick ass.

    Sister.

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Sorry about the comment thingy folks. Too much spam.