Mr. White’s -A human experience-

During a heatwave, we are exposed to one of the many oppressive forces of nature. When the air begins to close in around you, when your clothes begin to act as sponges and nothing more, you get the feeling that you are being subjugated by unjust means. A heatwave forces you to stop and think about the way the world is treating you. In truth, there is no such thing as a heatwave; temperature is a human concept that we have created tools to measure. But it is solely this fact, that it is a human concept, that allows us a shared experience.

It is not too often that we, as humans, think about common experiences. In truth, no one experiences what I experience; even if someone were to stand in my concrete footprints and stare upon the same street, they would have a different experience. Heraclitus said that you cannot step into the same river twice, believing that all things remain in flux. But he also said that thinking is common to all (only that most of the time people do not use their ability). The world does seem to remain in flux, and it is true that each individual’s experience is one’s own, but it is also true that we share the same methods for acquiring those experiences. A heatwave is precisely one of those times where you can think about all the other humans who experienced wanting to jump into a huge pool of ice cold water. You can wonder about how previous civilizations dealt with such a phenomenon and partake in a certain satisfaction knowing that others probably could not afford an a/c unit, or slaves to fan them. So the next time a heatwave comes your way, walk up to that window unit, or go to that central air control panel, and turn off the a/c. You might discover that joining in on such an oppressive event might make you a little more human.

mrwhite.mrbrown@gmail.com