The Sisyphus Club

Recently while walking past a Starbucks with a friend, I commented on all the consumer whores sitting shamelessly in the window sucking on their corporate-sponsored brew. Look at them - they're not even aware of the fact that their souls have been eaten out.

Later a thought dawned on me - is there any difference between sitting in a Starbucks versus sitting in an independent coffeehouse while gazing at a laptop with a glowing apple on the lid? While wearing sneakers with a stylish check mark on the side & a jacket with North Face written on the south face? Here I am typing this on a name brand computer while sipping from a name brand beverage and listening to a name brand CD on a name brand stereo. My room is lit by a name brand lightbulb, I'm wearing name brand jeans, & glancing occasionally at a name brand alarm clock. Gah! I never even got the chance to succumb. I'm already living inside the machine.

I really must get around to reading No Logo.

Or better yet, the Tibetan Book of the Dead.