The Hanged Man

Painting and Story by Lehan Winifred Ramsay

Here’s what I learned, in my ant struggles. It is not enough to give up. You need to be mercilessly diligent in your efforts to not give up. Sure, it may seem like an eternal hassle to get that phone company to do something about your problem. And it will be: that’s not the point. The point is that as long as there is something that can be done, there will be something that you can do. No more frustration at the impossibility of everything. You need to turn each dumb-arse impasse of service into a breathtaking new canyon of possibilities with a far horizon. Yes, we’re talking doco-more. A Soft Bank of them to land on. The Aye! Phone.

Start at the bottom, with the first point of contact, and continue with it until it takes you up a step. Understand that that step has been introduced merely to give you a place to step down to. Step down if you must. Then start again. This time you might find another step. Take that. Understand that it’s merely a way to provide you with a chute by which to slide down to the bottom. Slide down if you must. Each time you meet the impasse, try to get a sense of what’s ahead. Before you go down again I mean. Next time, aim for the other side.

What you discover after a time, if you don’t get frustrated, if you choose not to see a wall, is that there are probably going to be ways, and some people some times are going to get along a bit. Your goal cannot be the fulfilment and resolution of the original problem. Most likely you are not going to manage that. Is that important? You need a new goal: understanding and entering the system. It’s a different kind of win. But much more entertaining. By all means Hang. But do a bit of hacking while you’re about it.