Switcheroo

“Originality is nothing but judicious imitation. The most original writers borrowed from one another. The instruction we find in books is like fire. We fetch it from our neighbors, kindle it at home, communicate it to others, and it becomes the prope.”

- Voltaire

I once thought long and hard in an attempt to say something witty and original. I avoided reading anything, watching anything, hearing anything – really just everything. But then I came to the realization that I couldn’t avoid everything. The only way I could do that is if I stopped living – or something. But even if I did that, what about the afterlife stuff? So I said, ‘Fuck it.’ Maybe if I avoid the process all together – that would be original. I was wrong again. So I contemplated long and hard about circumventing the thought process of avoiding the thought process of how to be original completely. I smoked a lot of weed that night and got shit-faced off cheap beer in an effort to reach some sort of mantra state of being. I later passed out that evening. The next morning I woke up and told myself, ‘Shit, that was pretty original, huh?’ I soon realized it actually wasn’t at all. So I came to the conclusion that I could either continue to live my life as a cynic and accept that originality is impossible – or I could live my life like I wanted to live my life. I mean, shit – isn’t the word ‘originality’ pretty unoriginal itself? But then again, even that idea is pretty unoriginal.