Corporations of Gratification

Civilizations rise and fall
and rise and fall and
rise
stuck in some perpertual motion
like a pendelum swings
back and forth
forever doomed to repeat
the exact same paths
over and over
if none of this is real
then why does it hurt
if none of this is real
then why won't it stop
it's all just a game
like a roller coaster
zooming around
flipping upside down
only to be returned
to the starting place
and then to set off
repeat
people are dying
we are killing ourselves
has it been this way forever
has anything really changed