Living fast

My friends say I’m atat (overeager). They see me as someone who can’t wait for things to happen at their own pace. I can’t help but agree.

I admire speed, which probably explains why I’m comfortable eating at McDonald’s, why I wanted to become a race car driver, and why my favorite cartoon character is Speedy Gonzalez. I also have a favorite among the Power Rangers—Yellow Ranger. My eyes are glued to the screen as I watch how she defeats her enemies with cheetah-like speed. She is one of my many heroes, alongside Flash from the Justice League and XLR8 from Ben 10. I’m a big fan of superheroes, and while I try to keep the list diverse, there’s a common attribute that stands out: speed.

I’ve always associated speed with power. In the movie “The Matrix,” Neo is able to dodge bullets fired at him by the agents. Before then, the agents are seen doing the same thing. This trick of theirs, high-speed motion, is a powerful trick that keeps them alive and kicking, that separates them from ordinary people who are killed by a stray bullet in an instant. Not the agents, and definitely not Neo aka The One. Speed symbolizes control, and to be able to control one’s movements as swiftly as he does gives him power beyond compare.

However, there are times when speed is a disadvantage. Green Goblin’s actions are fast enough to kill one of Spiderman’s dreams. Jean Grey’s immediate disappearance breeds disputes among the X-Men. The clock’s always ticking, and a second can mean the difference between life and death.

Take real-life events. Many drivers like it fast; they act as if they are riding Pegasus and can avoid any obstacle in their path. At first they control the speed, then quickly the speed controls them—leading to accidents that result in bruised or broken body parts, or death. If it were in a comic book, the driver may walk away unharmed, or even be rescued by a superhero. But this is real life. No one has full control here, just the illusion of it. If full control exists, accidents won’t happen. But they do, and they always will.

Perhaps this is why I like speed. It represents a part of life that humans always strive for—power and control. And like everything else on this planet, speed has two faces: It causes race car drivers to win, and careless people to die. Too much of anything is bad. Ever heard of the phrase “Live fast, die young”?

My friends are right, I am atat. But I realize now that there’s no need to be that. At the speed life is going, there’s no need for me to step on the gas. I’ll let myself be the troubled and angst-loving teenager that I am now, and just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Mary Anne V. Gudito, 17, is studying communication arts at the University of the Philippines Los Baños.