Club Penquin

Years ago I remember being traumatized after watching a documentary called March of the Penquins. I have always loved these little stiff armed comical shuffling tuxedoed soldiers. What got me frightened and nightmarish is how programmed they are as creatures, compelled by the forces of nature to complete an annual trek to produce, care for and protect their babies only to have many of them freeze to death. Sometimes a parent is so grieved over their loss that they attempt to steal a babe from another parent. My son used to play a game many will recognize called Club Penquin. In the game, the penquins are humanized with clothing, homes and electronics as purchasable items with up grades available~in game games allowed for some cheap item purchases while real parental dollars enriched the faked up fowl with extravagant costumes, larger igloos and colourful pets. My son and his girlfriend reminisced last week about this game~it was an obsession for many and a place to virtually meet friends, a safe environment free from adults, except of course, the brilliant designers of The Game. The Game, you know what I'm talking about. The striving, the climbing, the efforts we all make to get somewhere, be someone, DO SOMETHING important for goodness sakes. I take these juxtaposed real verses virtual penguins and see humanity in all its glory and fakery. Penguins marching across glacial expanses risking life and limb for the sake of propagation, for the continuance of their breed. The love of their babies so evident that it is heart wrenching. The thought of self is foreign, un-introduced, impossible for these driven adorable ice walkers~they are simply unaware of their bravery and commitment to life, even when it is threatened and at risk. In today's venacular, these penguins have a "compelling why" for their existence. In The Game, the compelling why is competitive, comparative, condescending and oh so humanesque. The Game is a replica of the masses, clamouring for stuff and like the real penguins, awareness of self is not evident. Inexplicably moved by forces unquestioned, uninvestigated, in The Game a compelling why is a none purchasable item. Here is where we have arrived, at the hugest question of them all. WHY DO YOU EXIST? Want another? So WHAT? I mean what kind of penguin/human are YOU? There isn't a penguin in the world that will read this so I guess it's just you and I. YOU are here for a reason, WHAT IS IT? What is your "compelling why?". One life, one love, let's make it count.