Route 44, part 2

Jean Shepherd once remarked that the Eisenhower Interstate System was a collection of roads designed for people who hate to travel. Every time I take a trip that involves a long drive on a non -Interstate road I realize how right he was. It is a slower pace and it might take a little longer to reach your destination but more often than not you will be rewarded for your time. You might find a nice little farmer's market, or a fine homey restaurant or pub, or you might just have a little time to enjoy the music on your radio and think a little.

Yes, I realize I'm expressing a heretical attitude. I know that success in 21st century America is measured by how productive you are, how much you can cram into a 24 hour day, how much wealth you can acquire.

I guess I'm just not that successful. And I don't care. Though this attitude has its pitfalls. I have annoyed innumerable people by responding to some tale of some great new device that's really cool and that "you would really like" by asking "What do I need that for?" Or "And how, exactly, will that improve my life?"

I don't own a DVR. I think it's stupid to pay a monthly fee to have a device that does essentially what a VCR does for free except on a hard drive instead of magnetic tape. And anyway most shows eventually show up on the Web so if you miss them you can watch them there, so who even needs to record anything anymore?

I never got around to buying a digital music player. Why do I need one? I consume music via CD, vinyl, artist websites, radio (including radio over the web) and MySpace pages. Why do I need to spend hours learning to use some little knicknack when as soon as I fill it up I'm going to be bored of what I put on it anyway?

To be sure, I don't expect these attitudes to be popular. I realize the culture of acquisition is needed to keep the international wheels of commerce turning which in turn keeps yours truly and millions of others employed. I get that. But am I morally obliged to play the game as well? Is it my duty to buy crap I don't need?

Maybe it is. It is possible that I am a very bad man. But I'm comfortable in my bad man skin, at least for now.

The less-traveled back roads are a better ride than the packed interstates.