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So I had this sort of epiphany/realization last night. About another one of my hypocritical incongruencies that I should probably figure out to be the most me-ish me I can be. It all came about because Smalls I and were discussing The Matrix as we were going to sleep last night. Smalls loves that movie. I watched a part of it over Thanksgiving break on T.V., and was pretty hooked. But its not really surprising, cause I like violent movies.
Die Hard.
Vantage Point.
The Bourne series.
The Matrix.
What's the problem, you ask? I know at the moment I'm not a very peaceful person, but I do have this peaceful idea, philosophy on life. I want to be peaceful. I love Cloud Cult and the always make me want to be more loving. I just watched The Royal Tannenbaums, and Richie's easy-going reactions to things also inspired me to act more acceptingly. Atticus from To Kill A Mockingbird is my all-time hero, and he is so mild and patient. I want to be like these people. I want to accept that we're all coming from painful places deep inside, and that sometimes we do things that aren't great but we need a little love and forgiveness.
Then I think of these movies, and how excited I am when the hero beats the crap out of the bad guy. It all came together in my head when Smalls realized the R rating on the Matrix came after the Columbine shooting. Some argue that we can't be responsible for what people do, can't blame the media and so forth. But this is my blog, and I can.
If we don't want to live in a world like those movies, why do we like those movies? If we don't want a society full of rapists and killers, then we gotta stop making movies where people rape and kill, movies full of sex and violence. I've seen what it does to kids. I guess we've all seen it. So why do I wanna watch it? Why do I enjoy the fighting and the glory over the loser?
This hit home very hard last night. I thought about Jesus. Funny right, but it is December. Would he ever bash someone bloody and senseless? Prob'ly not. Then should I want to, or want to see someone else do it? I thought of how death isn't even enough anymore. It's not satisfying enough to just watch someone die. Over to quickly, not enough intensity. So we create these superhumans. Bourne, matrix, transformers, anything that can cheat death for a long enough fight scene to fill our cravings for violence. Yet we don't understand the connection with this and the rising generation, playing videogames all day and watching these movies...I don't know. I don't like it.
But am I gonna stop watching these movies? I don't want to. They are my favorites. And I like connecting with people. You know, we all get a little worked up, just like with sports. Hockey is my favorite sport. "Bash him", cheering when they knock someone down, a great sack in football. I think if someone actually got hurt, I wouldn't enjoy it. But would I? Cause at some point the crowd does turn from thinking, feeling human beings, to bloodthirsty animals pounding victims without mercy. that seems extreme but history has shown it.
So when do I start living my ideals? Change my life to fit my philosophy?...
just not today.
Cookie Jar ~Jack Johnson
I would turn on the TV but it's so embarrassing
To see all the other people I don't know what they mean
And it was magic at first when they spoke without sound
But now this world is gonna hurt you better turn that thing down
Turn it around
"It wasn't me", says the boy with the gun
"Sure I pulled the trigger but it needed to be done
Cause life's been killing me ever since it begun
You can't blame me cause I'm too young"
"You can't blame me sure the killer was my son
But I didn't teach him to pull the trigger of the gun
Its the killing on this TV screen
You can't blame me it's those images he seen"
Well "you can't blame me," says the media man
Well "I wasn't the one who came up with the plan
I just point my camera at what the people want to see
Man it's a two way mirror and you can't blame me"
"You can't blame me," says the singer of the song
Or the maker of the movie which he based his life on
"It's only entertainment and as anyone can see
The smoke, machines and makeup and you can't fool me"
It was you it was me it was every man
We've all got the blood on our hands
We only receive what we demand
And if we want hell then hells what we'll have
I would turn on the TV but it's so embarrassing
To see all the other people I don't know what they mean
And it was magic at first but let everyone down
But now this world is gonna hurt you better turn it around
Turn it around
Richard
3 years ago
3 comments:
Found this blog because I have a goolge alert for "Cloud Cult." Nice playlist.
You are being too hard on...everyone. Violence in entertainment has existed since...cave drawings (and probably before!). Also, in the movies you talk about, the hero is a kind of superman and the plot is cut-and-dry good versus evil.
Everyone wants to see the bad guy defeated whether it's a terrorist-killer, a machine or a guy who talks like a surfer and uses karate in a computer world of some sort that isn't altogether clear to me but sure looks really cool.
The only difference these days is the technology has allowed for the enhancement of the fantastical world. Improved cave drawings.
In our caveman drawings these days sometimes it takes a few robots throwing cars at each other to get the whole fable across I guess.
All this aside though, think about this: didn't even your proclaimed hero lived in a world where horrible violence and injustice occurred? It's not the stories. Some people just aren't all that good.
I have no clue though. It's Friday and I am commenting on some blog I never heard of for crying out loud! Time to head out...
I have had these thoughts, or at least thoughts like them. And I have come to this conclusion: When you get past all the social programming and all of the media mess and you get past our social safeguards, all that really matters is that we have to figure out what we want to do, and then do it. If you feel that violent movies are not good for people, don't watch them. There are whole genres of movie that I don't watch anymore because I feel they leave a mark on my spirit. There are whole genres of music I have left behind. And, while we certainly shouldn't proclaim them to be unarguably evil and forbid the world from ever touching them, we can at least do that ourselves. So, if you feel this way about these movies, then I would like to encourage you to stop watching them. I'll help you...somehow... Probably with grilled cheese sandwhiches or something.
Also, this just came out in a rush, so I really have no idea what it says. I hope it is accurate/inoffensive.
I like what Dan said.
Time and again I just think of the scripture, "The natural man is an enemy to God and has been since the fall of Adam, and will be forever and ever unless he yieldeth to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and putteth off the natural man."
Violence is typically a natural man reaction. I mean, we read in the scriptures time and again that even in times of war when the Lord has been on the side of the righteous, they are still inclined to solve it without violence if they can, and if not, then in the least violent manner possible.
Killing Laban was not about the gory act of killing him itself, it was about the higher purpose behind it, and that was the focus. While that can be the focus in some films with a lot of violence, the effects continue to place the main emphasis on the violence itself, because the natural man craves to see it and feel it.
I am now babbling, but I think Dan is right, if we don't want it, we must reject it. Put off the natural man.
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