A Sobering Paradox

Edward Snowden among many others recently showed the World what America actually is; a shadowy government using digital technology to spy on millions of citizens and manipulate politics to push their agendas. Most of that isn’t new, of course. Deception and manipulation has been the standard in politics since the concept first emerged in social groups. But the advent of digital technology has profoundly changed this.

Not only has it made it easier for large governments to control polities, it also made it easier for the people within these polities to understand how their governments operate. Today, we’re virtually stuck in a giant paradox. We know how corrupt our government is and most of hate it, yet we’re simultaneously going along with it, as though it’s not a problem. I’m one of them so I know how it feels. It kinda makes you feel like the poor housewife who just found out her husband was heading a mafia. It certainly induces an array of emotions.

We’re finally opening our eyes to the World and how it really operates. Individually, we know so much more than we had before, it’s hard for us to process all of it. We know the industries and businesses that provide us with the things we love most do horrible things to get those products to us. Not all of them of course, but enough to sound the alarms, at the very least. Yet, everything is erriely quiet.

And what about our heroes? Our idols? Our Celebrities? We know way too much about them to the point that we can’t really call them heroes anymore, not after everything we’ve seen or read. Secrets about other’s are so scarce these days, it’s completely re-defining the way we see reality.

We’re in such a state of shock and awe, we don’t know what to believe anymore because we’re seeing too much of everything. That’s why everyone’s simultaneously a skeptic and a believer. It’s why we’re a society without a direction because there are just too many paths to choose.

Our entire World view rests on a bedrock of confusion; it’s hard to imagine any kind of future because every kind of future seems likely at this point. That’s why as a storyteller, I choose to explore this in film. The more uncertain you can make your audience feel about the outcome of a movie the better off you are. Uncertainty plague our everyday lives so it should be incorporated in our films. It can only bring us closer to ourselves.

Most films choose to explore areas of certainty; things that are safe; things that are sure to reap in the profits, but I’m a transcendentalist, so it’s my job to get an audience to confront their problems, not avoid them.

As a filmmaker, you want to entertain your audience, but you also want them to have a better understanding of themselves and their place within the universe and where they are in this particular corner of time. Today, we always walk around and lie to ourselves. We lie about our lives to make ourselves feel okay with what we do.

Unless you live completely off the grid, you’re guilty of propagating an engine that’s doing things you are morally against. Anytime you buy a macbook. Any time you pump your tank with gas or buy a piece of meat, you’re allowing something unjust to happen. And, I don’t have to list the details because we’ve all seen what I’m talking about through countless sources.

Its virtually common knowledge that somewhere out in the World slaves are mining precious metals that are being sold to computer companies to build computers just like the one I’m typing on right now. It’s common knowledge that the meat packing industry is horribly abusing a vast number of living beings right before they kill them and sell their parts to us. It’s the same kind of meat I cook almost every night.

I could go on forever but that’s wasting time because the question we shouldn’t be asking ourselves is whether or not we’re guilty. Rather, we should be asking ourselves what to do now that we know we’re guilty.

Unfortunately, most of us can’t really do much. It’s not because we’re incapable it’s just that we all have our own personal desires to live the lives we want and that’s great because we need different people and a diversification of skills. I’d be silly if it were otherwise.

Most of us aren’t going to be in huge positions of power so we’re not going to be able to really change the World significantly and yes, we all have choices and can choose to stop pumping our tanks with gas and buying Macbooks but, who the hell wants to do that?

So, what do we do? What do you do? Do we just keep doing what we’re doing and expect better results? Or do we rise up against the powers that be? Who are those powers? Who is the enemy and how do we hold them accountable? And for that matter, what do we put in place of these “enemies” whatever they may be? What do we build after we destroy? I mean, we can’t very well digress and rollback the technological progress that has made our lives so wonderful. That's suicide and a dishonor to the human race.

We’re upset with our state of affairs and we know we need to change, but what do we change into and how do we make that change happen progressively so that we continue on as a species. How do we do this without firing a single shot?

I don’t have a clear answer and I don’t think anyone does. But, one thing’s for sure. We gotta put the bong down; the beer; the remote control; whatever you call your drug of choice. We gotta stop distracting ourselves and accept the truth about who we are and what we’re doing to ourselves. We’re in a hot mess and we gotta get out of it. So, how are we going to do it?
 
(Hey, don't mean to be contentious, just trying to engage in a little conversation.)


...it also made it easier for the people within these polities to understand how their governments operate.

I'm not so sure about that.

We know how corrupt our government is and most of [us] hate it...

I'm not too sure of either claim. I think the second claim depends on many things: what you're talking about, who would be the "us", and regarding which of the many possible forms of corruption that might be considered. And who determines what is defined as corruption? That probably, typically depends on whose interests are affected, for ill or for good.

When it comes to the Snowden type stuff, the ever pervasive and invasive surveillance by the various secret police organizations, it's clear that many people do not hate it. It's clear that many people do not care, or they couldn't care less. Some, maybe more than some, even like it.

And what about our heroes? Our idols? Our Celebrities? We know way too much about them to the point that we can’t really call them heroes anymore, not after everything we’ve seen or read. Secrets about other’s are so scarce these days, it’s completely re-defining the way we see reality.

The end of privacy is here (or very nearly). And that's scary for so many reasons. But it seems inevitable. It's also a big reason why ---->

...it’s hard to imagine any kind of future because every kind of future seems likely at this point.

I think that is not the case. A totalitarian future is clearly the probable future. It's so probable that one can be forgiven for assuming it is the future.

All or much of the other stuff will be significantly affected by that.

As a filmmaker, you want to entertain your audience, but you also want them to have a better understanding of themselves and their place within the universe and where they are in this particular corner of time. Today, we always walk around and lie to ourselves. We lie about our lives to make ourselves feel okay with what we do.

I agree to an extant. It's a virtuous goal. On the other hand, I'm also a firm believer in the value of escapism. As for the lying, it's no doubt as old as humanity, and probably older. Monkeys lie. No doubt our proto-human ancestors were capable of lying, too. And, probably, thank heavens for lying! Recall that bit in The Big Chill about self-deception...delivered by Jeff Goldblum, right? If it weren't for such lying, I suppose people might be throwing themselves out windows more often. Or perhaps loosing themselves in things like heroin and pot and video games (among other things) more than they already do.

Unless you live completely off the grid, you’re guilty of propagating an engine that’s doing things you are morally against...

That's a big assumption about other people's moral senses, and it fails to account for divergence in what is thought to be moral or immoral, or for the possible absence of caring. Though it is probably generally true of many of us.

...now that we know we’re guilty.

I'm not too sure you've established that. After all ---->

Most of us aren’t going to be in huge positions of power so we’re not going to be able to really change the World significantly

Most of us won't even be in little positions of power to really change the World significantly.

We gotta put the bong down; the beer; the remote control; whatever you call your drug of choice.

Heyyyyyyyy, now just hold on there, pal!

We’re in a hot mess...

It seems we've always been in a "hot mess."

...and we gotta get out of it.

"No! There is no escaping here!"

But seriously, science, technology, and quality educations will probably help. Also, colonization off world.

So, how are we going to do it?

Possibilities include enjoying a beer, grabbing the remote and watching a movie, or perhaps making films.

:)
 
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I'm not so sure about that.

I don't mean intimate knowledge about how the process actually works. Rather, there's more transparency so those who do understand it who are outside the inner circle of power can inform others. Because of this most people are able to gain a clearer perspective of what's going on. For instance, everyone knows what the "Iron Triangle" is even if they've never heard of that term. That's basically talking about the mutual relationship between Congress, bureaucracy, and special interest groups that results in well...a lot of bullshit. We see it on the news everyday.


I'm not too sure of either claim. I think the second claim depends on many things: what you're talking about, who would be the "us", and regarding which of the many possible forms of corruption that might be considered. And who determines what is defined as corruption? That probably, typically depends on whose interests are affected, for ill or for good.

When it comes to the Snowden type stuff, the ever pervasive and invasive surveillance by the various secret police organizations, it's clear that many people do not hate it. It's clear that many people do not care, or they couldn't care less. Some, maybe more than some, even like it.

I mean't general corruption as in the aggregate of both small isolated deeds and large, interconnected scandals like Co-intel or what Snowden revealed. And by corrupt I mean, "having or showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain." And by who determines what's corrupt is, I mean what the general population would consider corrupt. Of course, there's tons of debates as to what defines corrupt but that's not important for this piece because I'm writing down a thought, not an academic paper ;).

And regarding Snowden and what he revealed, I'm inclined to disagree. I think the majority are discontent about it but the majority also feel powerless to stop it, which is why most people are going to either rationalize why it's okay so they can live with the fact that they have to live with it or they're going to do what I'm apparently doing right now...ranting and raving about it. I mean, most of us aren't stupid. Foolish? Yes. But, not stupid. Most of us know exactly what precedents we're setting and understand how dangerous this can be.


The end of privacy is here (or very nearly). And that's scary for so many reasons. But it seems inevitable. It's also a big reason why ---->

I think that is not the case. A totalitarian future is clearly the probable future. It's so probable that one can be forgiven for assuming it is the future.

All or much of the other stuff will be significantly affected by that.

Yeah, pretty much buuut, the notion that we're probably going to live in a totalitarian future is making quite an assumption for someone who likes to call out other' people's assumptions ;). Just because we're trending in that direction, doesn't mean it's probably going to happen. There's a lot more trending than higher degrees of governmental abuses.



I agree to an extant. It's a virtuous goal. On the other hand, I'm also a firm believer in the value of escapism. As for the lying, it's no doubt as old as humanity, and probably older. Monkeys lie. No doubt our proto-human ancestors were capable of lying, too. And, probably, thank heavens for lying! Recall that bit in The Big Chill about self-deception...delivered by Jeff Goldblum, right? If it weren't for such lying, I suppose people might be throwing themselves out windows more often. Or perhaps loosing themselves in things like heroin and pot and video games (among other things) more than they already do.

Agreed. Good point, sir.



That's a big assumption about other people's moral senses, and it fails to account for divergence in what is thought to be moral or immoral, or for the possible absence of caring. Though it is probably generally true of many of us.

Fuck, I forgot to write "most of us". Yeah, I know...damnit.


Anyway, nice points you made there. But once again, this is just a thought to present some good questions about living in a society that's more transparent then in the past. I mean, what does that mean for us? How do we deal with that? You can't just get up and fight because as you pointed out, who the hell would you fight and what would you even fight for? Also, how destructive would that honestly be? At this point, we'd be digging our own graves.
 
Sounds like this guy is reaching for ideas for a script lol...so many questions at the bottom...you reaching for a grand finale epic action packed ending there bud? Explosions and pretty ladies are the answer there mate.
 
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