Bubbles

Those of us on the left side of the blogosphere often refer to the bubble Codpiece addresses the world from. It's hard not to bring it up, since he acts and appears so totally insulated from and ignorant of reality.

And yet, while it's hard to admit, most of us also live in a sort of bubble, one that keeps us from feeling any more than we absolutely have to.

In a post about cell phones and Japanese community on his new blog, International Political Will, my friend Wil Morat says:

"It has been said that Americans feel they are in a bubble in their beloved cars, seeing only the road and feeling free to sing or talk to themselves, eat, put on make-up or even pick their nose. Many people will curse at other drivers that they normally wouldn’t dare make eye contact with if not for the two tons of steel between them.

"More frequently, the bubble Americans put themselves in on the road follows them outside of their vehicle, and they continue conversations over the phone no matter where they are, oblivious to the world around them. In America, the feeling of community is shrinking, as the quest for individual gratification has superseded the social responsibility and interaction that is inherent in living in a country with nearly 300 million other people, much less the 6 billion in the world."

Wil's is a sane, eloquent and reasoned voice amid the hubbub. He recently moved to Japan, where he's working as a freelance writer, and his observations about his new, adopted culture and people are fresh and full of insight. A student of international politics and a fine journalist, he's well worth a few minutes of your time. Go read.