Both performances challenged the adage, "You can't get something for nothing." Indeed, both major characters were able to sell nothing for a great amount of something. Apparently, if you have nothing but can convince others it is something or will be something, they are willing to give up their hard earned, tangible something for it. What is the it? Nike knows, "Image is Everything." Both major characters, with the help of witting and unwitting accomplices, were able to sell their actual nothing for the promise of a future, tangible something.
Soon, nothings were backed up by deeper nothings and supported by more nothings, all well demonstrated and hidden by numbers, false testimonials, fear, doubt, and greed. The only place where nothings were replaced by tangible somethings was in the bank accounts of the major characters, the spinners of the smoke and mirrors. After getting home, I watched Fosse, a show highlighting the many shows by Bob Fosse, and there within the presentations was a song from the musical Chicago entitled "Razzle-Dazzle."
I walked away wondering how much of my life and future security are based upon tangible realities, realities that could not be taken away if all the nothings in my life blew away in the wind. Realities that could sustain me, body and soul, if all the nothings were shown to be empty promises, phantoms that would disappear in the light of tangible truth or painful trauma. Am I spending my creative years, my energies, my resources building a tower of shadows whose promises were given me by others who have no real concern about my body or soul, much less their own?
Curiously, I realized that many of those things that are part of my core, if you will, are also tangibly invisible. Love, lore, spirit, soul, even family and friendships are essentially invisible to the senses yet bring with them life and possibility. So what's the difference between those who have shown me the invisible ways of love, soul, spirit? One most important distinction. These have been given to me as a pouring out and not as a response to my depleting my own resources, sometimes poured out even when I did not readily recognize their value.
During one part of Ghost, the main character takes out a handkerchief and asks how much the handkerchief is worth. The answer is, "Whatever people are willing to pay for it." So how much is our soul worth? What will we trade it/her for? Do we sell our soul for a future built on nothings and empty promises? And if we do, how do we ever find soul in the moment we are in?
PS. I love the soulful arts as they are the heart and the conscience of a culture.
