go slow

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

after watching "the soloist"

i was kind of reluctant to watch this film as i was suspicious that it was a simple, heart-tugging film, but i found it to be grittily honest. furthermore it reminded me that life is fleeting, and we need to take advantage (in a positive way), learning, understanding, feeling. today's world is so full of distractions, be they digital or otherwise. it reminded me of a field interview that i performed in Brazil, which resulted as follows:

"- ...I believe, truthfully, I don’t know if you believe, but I believe that the Apocalypse is already the end of the times. It’s biblical.

But isn’t that the definition of the word? [laughs]
- I believe in the end of times. I believe that God exists and is arriving because there’s no repairing. Whatever repair… principally Brazil and the whole world, because it’s destroyed. Only God. Only someone very powerful, because men here on earth…

Would you say that you don’t think that humans can get themselves out of this situation?
- No. They can’t anymore.

Why not?
- Humans have no energy for this. No, sir. It’s over. It’s over. In my mind, I only believe in God. Invented planes, invented everything, now I want to see if they [humans] can conquer the violence in the world. No man has appeared to do so. So much sickness, violence, and they haven’t been able to do it. When a man has the knowledge of God. I believe and I trust."

after i turned the tape off, i turned to this woman, who had been generous enough to give me her time, sit with me in her home with her daughter to discuss goals for the future. i told her that i didn't believe in this, that humans are beyond the help of anything but God. this is why i search, this is why i learn, because i believe that the solution is within us. all of us. not some of us. for me, this doesn't write God, or whatever you may believe out of the equation, we are all part of the same thing.

in the tone of the last post, i feel like we need to be creating things, moving toward better understanding of others, as i feel that this, learning from others, appreciating others, family, friends, acquaintances; this is key in life. i feel like most of the time we're tempted to preach, tempted to urge others on in the way that we feel is best suited to them. life's too short to dictate passions, needs, etc (ironically, now i am being preachy here).

i find it humorous that many these days are so open, so frank with their lives to an audience unknown here on the web, and at the same time, are relatively invisible to their families, their friends. not to de-valorize the need to be connected online, but i think life's about disconnecting from the web, taking a walk, taking time for tea or coffee with a friend, sitting down with your wife, your girlfriend, your significant other to truly connect. i think that's about it for now.

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