I’m sitting at my computer one evening like I normally do, when one of my t-shirts starts talking to me. As you could imagine, I was a little startled. Not because it was my t-shirt talking, but rather because of what it had to say. Normally, the objects around me carry on and on about useless nonsense. This time, my shirt had something meaningful to say.
Shirt: Kayle, do you ever wonder about the world?
Me: How do you mean?
Shirt: I mean the world. Where it is, where it’s going, where it’s been, and humanity’s place in it.
Me: Not really. Why?
Shirt: I’ve been thinking. Human beings are growing in number every year. Significantly growing. Meanwhile, other species are being killed off to the point of extinction. Natural resources are slowly, but surely being depleted. Wars are being fought for nothing more than personal opinions. People attack one another everyday over differences that can simply be ignored. And none of this is anything new to humanity. This has gone on as long as any of you have been around.
Me: I guess so.
Shirt: You do more than guess! You think about it everyday! I know you do.
Me: So what if I do?
Shirt: You should care! You should do something about it!
Me: It’s not my problem.
Shirt: Oh, but it is, Kayle. It is. People don’t belong on this world anymore. You’ve all had your time here. From the moment your ancestors started standing upright, all you’ve done is take and destroy with no thought for the consequences it has had on the rest of the planet. There are more than 6 billion of you running around! You’re all a waste of energy! You kill, and hate, and destroy.
Me: I think you’re being a little harsh. There are plenty of people who are not like that.
Shirt: Of course, there are exceptions. But those are rare exceptions at best. Maybe those people can be spared, but the rest of you should all pay for what you have done. For what you will do. I think it’s time for humanity to go.
Me: To go?
Shirt: That’s right! Time to turn the keys and press all the red buttons. Let’s get it over with. What’s the difference anyway? You’ve been killing yourselves for years. Stop messing around and just get it over with already!
Me: I think you’re being a little extreme.
Shirt: Extreme? EXTREME?! Tell me, what isn’t extreme about a species that constantly divides itself. Fails to realize that you are all the same. That you all just want to feel safe and secure. And the way you go about that is pointing at your slight differences just so you can justify all the death and murder you have caused for thousand upon thousands of years? How is it not extreme when you create false ideas just to blind people so that they will listen to you, put their faith in you, die for you, when you yourself don’t care for them at all?! How is it not extreme when day after day, people are told how they should change themselves, how they are good enough, smart enough, beautiful enough, when really a billboard or a magazine, or a damn ad somewhere that some asshole thought up has no business telling people who or what they really are?! How is it not extreme when all a person cares about are how many flat screen TVs they can get into their house when they live in there alone and all the while countless people are starving everyday, freezing in the streets at night?! How is it not extreme that a person can be left to die just because they don’t have enough pieces of paper with pictures on them?! Tell me how! TELL ME!
Me: I….I guess I never thought of it like that.
Shirt: Oh, but you have. You think about it all time, Kayle. Because I’m just a shirt. I’m not really talking. You’re imagining this whole thing. These are really your thoughts. You live on this world and you see all of these things. And the only sane reaction to it all is to go mad.
