Friday, December 5, 2014

Deprivation

Many years ago I'm pretty sure there was a minor fad for sensory deprivation tanks. The idea was you got into a soundproof and lightproof tank, floated in viscous liquid the temperature of your own body and, deprived of sensory input, you had spiritual visions, or something cool happened, you know, like dreaming. I think there was a movie about it called Altered States. Then later the concept sort of developed into The Matrix, starring Keanu Reeves. The Matrix took a darker view of floating around, sensory deprived in viscous liquid, but it also presented some more exciting possibilities.

Why am I telling you about real and imagined sensory deprivation tanks? Ah, well, with a serious back injury, lying about day after day doing very little for myself but trying to be somewhat comfortable, it's all a little like a big sensory deprivation tank. I float and float and float. Am I having hallucinations, lucid dreams, visions?

No, it's more like The Matrix, I reach out to the Internet with my mind!

2 comments:

  1. I went in one of those tanks in Colorado Springs during the fad time. It was cool. Like a womb. Very dark. Close your eyes, Feldenstein. Read these words now with your eyes closed. Count backwards from 12. 11...10...9...(The tigress approaches!)...8....7...(no, that is not a goblin but a recess in a shoreline, an estuary of such)...6....5...(inconceivable beauty it borders on the intolerable)...4...3...(what light, what blinding light)...2...(there it is, the pinball machine!)....1

    where are you, Feldenstein? It's all right now, come back to us. Come back.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, yes, this too has sort of been what it's like, though I'll admit I struggled a bit to read your words with my eyes closed.

      Delete

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