Posthuman Blues

I have a class reunion coming up. In keeping with the general tone of misanthropy of several recent posts: Why should I care? What would possess a sane person to "relive" one's high-school experience?

I had a decent time in high-school, so I don't have anything to be particularly bitter about. I actually had a pretty fun senior year. But the reunion concept just seems absurd. High-school reunions are synthetic experiences defined by the same formalized sentimentality that makes weddings and funerals so tiring. If I had any genuine interest in keeping up with former classmates, I'd be emailing them right now instead of blogging.

Invitations to class reunions are classic guilt-trips, ritualized ways of saying "We realize perfectly well that none of us really give a damn about what everyone else is up to, but we're having this event so all of us -- virtual strangers now -- will have the opportunity to ease our consciences and revel in a few hours of ersatz camaraderie. Go Bears!"