Keep the car running

The Retune Blog - 26th May 2023

Bonfire night is now probably my favourite night of the year, but as a child, whilst I loved the fire and fireworks, every 5th November sparked an irrational fear. My fear, and I know it sounds ridiculous, was that there would be aliens looking down at the displays thinking we were pathetically trying to attack them. For a few days after bonfire night this fear would translate into me trying to get home quickly if I was out in the dark. Again, I know this was also irrational as if there were aliens wanting to ‘get’ me, then I’m sure they could have knocked at my door!

The thing is, whilst this fear was totally irrational, lots of our (irrational) behaviours, and fears, are rooted in something we feel instinctively but which might go unspoken. This idea is explored in Arcade Fire’s Keep the Car Running:

There's a fear I keep so deep. Knew its name since before I could speak, yeah … Oh, when is it coming? Keep the car running.

As you listen to the story in the song, you’ll hear some really common human experiences. The first couple of verses speak of dreams of being taken and being trapped by a weighty burden. As the song develops there is this desire to be ready, keep the car running.

This reminds me of the sort of idea which leads some people to prepare for the worst by stockpiling food and having a planned safe place where they can go if some sort of apocalypse were to strike. Often referred to using the derogatory term preppers, in some ways they are attempting to take a form of insurance against potential disaster.

I’m not a prepper. Actually, I would even question the necessity of some forms of insurance. Ultimately, life is full of insecurities and uncertainties, and as such we can’t always protect ourselves from them. Nevertheless, the idea of being prepared does seem a sensible one. Whilst we can’t insure ourselves to maintain life in the same way should things go wrong, we can be prepared with the skills and attitudes we need.

So, when we hear the lyric, keep the car running, perhaps our attention should go to the question, what skills and tools do I need to do that. And this is where you might want to check out our new, free, resource, The Life Garage.