The sky is the colour of lead. Hardly an original comment I know but accurate both in the colour mentioned and, on another level, the heaviness of a sky full of water. The reason cliches become cliches is because they are accurate and useful comments. They are a form of shorthand if you like. No matter how much one rolls the eyes when some originality challenged person trots one out they do a pretty good job of conveying what is in the speakers mind. Think of cliches as shortcuts. They allow us to construct a chain of thought consisting of little more than prepositions surrounding predesigned inserts. This saves a hell of a lot of time.
In the near future I anticipate that we will be able to download standard trains of thought to our iPhones so that we can interact with each other without having to think at all. I will offer a prize to the first person to notice. Conversation will become quicker, easier and probably no less interesting. Even better, original comments will stand out all the more when they appear, assuming that they do.
We already have emoticons for our electronic communications, thoughticons surely cannot be very far away. After all, the ancient Egyptians managed it. Where our Egyptian predecessors fell down was in their ability to transmit their thoughticons. They needed either a huge sheet of papyrus or a decently sized wall. Nowadays everybody already has a wall on facebook so; problem solved.
Once hieroglyphics have been restored to their rightful place at the centre of our communications system we can go the whole hog and bring back pyramids, sacred crocodiles and cute little statues of cats on pedestals. I'm sure the crocodiles would be pleased at the restoration of their sacred status but I'm not sure how cats will feel about posing on plinths for our sculptors. For the sake of convenience we may have to carve statues of cats curled up on armchairs. That will give future archaeologists something to talk about, "wow, they made furniture for their pets". Not strictly true but an understandable mistake to make.
The most exciting thing, though, will be the reintroduction of pyramids. I'm not talking about giant, tasteless Giza sized pyramids. We'll leave such crass exhibitionism to power crazed Pharaohs and Las Vegas casino operators. Let's face it, if everybody got one of those the planet would look like a giant round toblerone and you wouldn't be able to pass by without getting your clothing caught on one of them. Small pyramids a few feet high shouldn't be beyond our abilities though and if we make them pointy enough pigeons won't be able to land on them.
Just think of the collective morale boost the human race would gain from having crap free tombstones. Energised by our gleaming, pristine death markers we will stride forward to new and greater discoveries that will dazzle the world. As long as they can be transmitted by simple, easy to understand symbols of course.
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