Sam

We need to do what we can to protect the Internet Archive. Here is a petition that you can sign.

Interesting question. I try to be. Obviously there's a limit to how much of my real self I can comfortably share with strangers online, but I try to be as real as I can be here.

To be honest it's not for the benefit of any audience, as much as it's a kind of self-preservation. Fame of any level is poison to the soul and you have to fight against its effects even when you're only niche-internet famous. People who think you're famous treat you as both more important and less of a person: they treat you like you're incredibly special, but also like you're public property, acting towards you in ways they'd never do to someone they consider "real".

I try not to moan about it too much, as we all do it - it's just part of how our culture conceptualises fame. I do it about people I think of as famous, treating them like they're unreal. But the danger is that if you're not careful you can internalise it and start thinking of yourself as a famous person. And when you start to see yourself as unreal in that way, it kind of drives you mad, and can turn you into a real asshole.

There's no minimum fame level for it to happen, either. I've seen previously lovely people get a hundred fans, decide they're a big deal, and turn into huge dickheads.

The only antidote to the poison I've found is to do your best to stay real, and it's one of the reasons I try to be offline more than I used to, and spend most of my leisure time watching things I don't post about or hanging out with friends whose names none of you will ever know.

Closest match: Angerona prunaria genome assembly, chromosome: 1 Common name: Orange Moth

stipulations: both my siblings are severely allergic to cats and i will be living with them for at least six more years. my dog is a jealous asshole and would not allow any new animal into his house

stipulations: both my siblings are severely allergic to cats and i will be living with them for at least six more years. my dog is a jealous asshole and would not allow any new animal into his house

The Lost Poem of DPS:

I would wager that most of you have seen The Dead Poet’s Society at least once. But there is a poem that was originally in the script that you probably don’t know about. Todd Anderson’s poem. The only part of it that made it into the final cut can be seen here:

We ARE DREAMING of a NEW DAY

   When a NEW DAY isn’t coming

We ARE WAITING for a BATTLE when

   We are already fighting

We ARE DREAMING of Yesterday when

   yesterday is already gone.

We are waiting for SALVATION

   when salvation….

When salvation what? We never find out. Nor would we have in the original script. Check it out. 

This is a scene that was cut from after the play. Keating and the boys go to the cave and have the only meeting in which their teacher takes part, from the original screenplay:

The moon is full, the stars are out, the night is clear and cold. Every tree is covered with icicles. A freeze has turned the otherwise barren forest into a wintertime marvel. Mother Nature has covered the world with sparkling diamonds. Keating leads the group up a wooded path to a spot on a cliff overlooking the creek. The boys and girls look around. It’s an especially scenic place. All stand in silence for a moment, taking it in.

KEATING

We used to meet here on special occasions. Who would like to convene the meeting?

MEEKS

“We went to the woods because we wanted to suck all the marrow out of life.” Anybody want to read?

Keating begins gathering up some firewood. Others help.

KEATING

Come on boys, don’t be shy.

TODD

I have something.

CHARLIE

The thing you’ve been writing?

TODD

Yeah.

Todd’s volunteering surprises everyone. Todd steps forward and takes out some papers from his pocket. He passes slips of paper to each of the others.

TODD

Everybody read this between verses.

Todd opens his poem and reads.

TODD

“We are dreaming of tomorrow and tomorrow isn’t coming,  We are dreaming of a glory that we don’t really want.  We are dreaming of a new day when the new day’s here already.  We are running from the battle when it’s one that must be fought.”

Todd nods. All read:

ALL

“And still we sleep.”

TODD

“We are listening for the calling but never really heeding,  Hoping for the future when the future’s only plans.  Dreaming of the wisdom that we are dodging daily,  Praying for a savior when salvation’s in our hands.”

ALL

“And still we sleep.”

TODD

“And still we dream.  And still we pray.  And still we fear.          (pause)  And still we sleep.”

stipulations: both my siblings are severely allergic to cats and i will be living with them for at least six more years. my dog is a jealous asshole and would not allow any new animal into his house