Cheddar
June 25th, 2007, 09:25 AM
Once the thread loads in my browser window, I can't help but notice there are no images or links in the first post --- just plain text on a plain background. It's one of those reflexive assessments you develop after reading the forums for any length of time. Hmm, this looks kinda long. It's probably some long ass story and I don't know if I'm really in the mood for one of these right now.
But before I know it, my eyes are scanning over the second paragraph of the damn thing. The next sentence seems to be italicized for no reason. And then I get it.
Great, it's some kind of meta-joke.
This knowledge doesn't keep me from reading on, however. Okay, what is this exactly? Is he writing like he's in my head? Like this is my inner monologue, spilling over into the very thread I'm reading? Bah, this isn't all that clever. What the hell is the point of this? Seems a bit pretentious.
And yet, I keep reading. A part of me just wants to get to the end of the damn thing so I can either mentally file away the fact that I read it all or so I can construct a well-informed reply. Probably something about him being on drugs. Another part of me is hoping there is some greater purpose to this thread.
I scroll down a bit and continue reading. I don't know why.
As I adjust myself in my chair, a tiny part of me starts to toy with the notion of this being real. Yes, I know the thought is absurd. But don't we all have that faint voice in our head whispering these ideas to us from time to time? Those rogue "what if" thoughts?
If I wanted to prove that this ludicrous proposition is total bullshit, I could close the browser. I could just CLOSE the browser and this thread would GO AWAY and I could.....wait. What if I close the browser and don't read the rest? What if the thread keeps going, keeping track of what I'm doing.....even when the browser is closed? What if I leave the thread and come back? Will the thread change? Oh that's ridiculous! I'm not even going to bother because I know with 100% certainty this stupid thread I'm reading will NOT change if I leave and come back to it. That tiny part of me once again wonders if something bad might happen if I were to do it. Like this might be an unwinding of reality. Hah, like some retarded episode of the Twilight Zone.
What if?
What if I skip to the replies of this thread? Will I be reading the future? If I skip to the last reply, will I get a detailed account of the end of the universe.....or the end of my life? That would be fucking crazy!
And I keep reading.
And now the paragraphs stop.
As I read these lines of text, I realize that the end of the post is coming.
I don't know what's going to happen.
That faint voice has grown louder.
A feeling of dread sets in.
And then the last sentence is written in italics for no reason.
But before I know it, my eyes are scanning over the second paragraph of the damn thing. The next sentence seems to be italicized for no reason. And then I get it.
Great, it's some kind of meta-joke.
This knowledge doesn't keep me from reading on, however. Okay, what is this exactly? Is he writing like he's in my head? Like this is my inner monologue, spilling over into the very thread I'm reading? Bah, this isn't all that clever. What the hell is the point of this? Seems a bit pretentious.
And yet, I keep reading. A part of me just wants to get to the end of the damn thing so I can either mentally file away the fact that I read it all or so I can construct a well-informed reply. Probably something about him being on drugs. Another part of me is hoping there is some greater purpose to this thread.
I scroll down a bit and continue reading. I don't know why.
As I adjust myself in my chair, a tiny part of me starts to toy with the notion of this being real. Yes, I know the thought is absurd. But don't we all have that faint voice in our head whispering these ideas to us from time to time? Those rogue "what if" thoughts?
If I wanted to prove that this ludicrous proposition is total bullshit, I could close the browser. I could just CLOSE the browser and this thread would GO AWAY and I could.....wait. What if I close the browser and don't read the rest? What if the thread keeps going, keeping track of what I'm doing.....even when the browser is closed? What if I leave the thread and come back? Will the thread change? Oh that's ridiculous! I'm not even going to bother because I know with 100% certainty this stupid thread I'm reading will NOT change if I leave and come back to it. That tiny part of me once again wonders if something bad might happen if I were to do it. Like this might be an unwinding of reality. Hah, like some retarded episode of the Twilight Zone.
What if?
What if I skip to the replies of this thread? Will I be reading the future? If I skip to the last reply, will I get a detailed account of the end of the universe.....or the end of my life? That would be fucking crazy!
And I keep reading.
And now the paragraphs stop.
As I read these lines of text, I realize that the end of the post is coming.
I don't know what's going to happen.
That faint voice has grown louder.
A feeling of dread sets in.
And then the last sentence is written in italics for no reason.