The Cult of Inspiration

The monk sold his Ferrari. Why couldn't he give it away?

I was told by a friend that I needed to be inspired if I were to write a winning essay. Well,

here I am, jabbing a knife into my desk as I duck beneath a hail of ash and bullets, no closer

to inspiration than I was 3 years ago when I first picked up my copy of the acclaimed, yet

inane Chicken Soup for the Soul. This brings me to my question, "Where can I find

inspiration?" Ask Deepak Chopra (bless his pure, maiden heart) and he'll quote a vague and

incoherent paragraph from one of his books about chaos and self realisation after which the

only logical course of action would be to shrug and walk away. However, ask a librarian, and

like a trembling child pointing out to the monster behind its door, he'll point out to the self-

help section, where lay the broken hopes of a thousand battered freshmen, love-sick youths

and most of the actors of the Star Wars franchise. Choose any book, doesn't matter which

one since the content is usually the same old drivel about successful college dropouts.

Proceed to pick a table, slam the book down on the same table, grab the librarian by the

collar, and force him onto the chair. Turn around and walk out of the library in slow motion,

preferably with your customized theme song playing over the librarian's cries for help.

Despite countless attempts at trying to feel inspired, be it by reading lofty literature or

streaming cheesy motivational videos online, I often later find myself inspired by the most

trivial of events, such as a street dog feeding its children or a local brand of fast food, honest

enough to admit its products...