So this is my first blog in a long time...been very busy lately and have less time to write these things. Lately it seems like disutopian films about post-apocalyptic and apocalyptic worlds are ringing more and more true. I think about "Total Recall" and am reminded of how we as people are using electronics and video games to escape reality with increasing emphasis put on making the game feel as real as possible. I think about "Demolition Man" and see a world of paternalistic governments designed to protect people from themselves. I think about "Apocalypto" and its look at the fall of the Central American empires and am reminded by the opening line: "A great civilization is not conquered from without until it destroys itself from within" and am reminded of how the United States has been gradually destroying itself since we were at our global peak. I think about "Children of Men" and see that we're quite possibly on a path towards destroying ourselves through war, pollution, disease, and the hopelessness many people face every day. Will we go down the path that Aldous Huxley or HG Wells drew out for us? Will we destroy ourselves as so many have predicted before? Will the people continue to push for harsh, controlling governments that do not act in the interest of the people? I'm not a "precog" like Isaac from the NBC show "Heroes", but I can see some visions of the future, and most of them scare me.
Total Recall takes place in a futuristic world where Mars has been colonized and people can take week long vacations (or longer) through virtual reality. This premise was repeated in an episode of the British Sci-Fi show "Red Dwarf" where the characters learn that they have just been playing a video game to escape the realities of their lives. One character became a stylish, suave and shallow catman in the simulation when he was a goofy and styleless in real life. One became a slacker in the simulation because he was the head of a fascist organization and couldn't live with the things he had done, so he became someone who did nothing. Total Recall shows the dangers of being too immersed in the game and losing touch with reality. Even Dave Chappelle commented on this in a skit on his hilarious TV show, showing how when playing Grand Theft Auto and starts to feel as if he's in the game even when done. With real-life simulators like "The Sims" or "Second Life", we may yet see a day where people never leave the comfort of their computer chair.
The Demolition Man example is becoming very prevalent these days, with cough medicines being held behind the counter and trans fats being outlawed. Instead of people being mature and strong enough to resist causing themselves harm, we ask the government to protect us. In California there is a campaign that the taxpayers are supporting called "click-it or ticket", where the cops are on patrol to fine people for not wearing seatbelts. To me this is a travesty of policy. Seatbelts should be mandatory in cars being manufactured, but people should be able to make their own choice whether or not they want to be safe without worrying about police. It ends up not really accomplishing anything except for making people waste their hard-earned money for neglecting their own safety. Shouldn't we just let natural selection work things out? If people want to continue killing themselves by smoking marlboros and eating McDonalds every day, LET THEM. As we become more and more irrational in our fears about everything we do and eat, things will only get less enjoyable. And for what? A few extra years when you're already ancient and unable to do all the things you wanted to do anyway. In fact, it's bad for our economy to promote healthy living, as Tobacco, Alcohol, Sugar and other unhealthy items have driven our economy over the years. What next, will they outlaw cars because driving makes us pollute the air, causes us to walk less and therefore become fatter?
Apocalypto was a cool movie, though historically inaccurate and more of a chase film than anything, it brought up some interesting points. Great civilizations have fallen every time they have risen in history, just as we will. And the greatest ones do not get destroyed by an outside force until they have begun to decline. Greece, Rome, Persia and many others have all gone through periods of decline and splintering amongst the people before falling apart and being overtaken by another power. Even though the world is different now and it's highly unlikely that a military force will conquer the US, but the world revolves around business and economics anyways. A steel company in India has already purchased a large company in England, completing the cycle of slave to slaveowner. We'll continue to see more and more of our interests controlled by nations from abroad (our ports have been controlled by an outside power for years, but Dubai has Muslims and THAT scared people) as we continue our collapse. The only way to stop it is to acknowledge it and to fight it.
So disutopian science fiction can serve a purpose, it gives us visions of what might happen if we let ourselves go down the wrong path. History shows us that whatever happens, someone has been there before...even if the technology and circumstances have changed. "Children of Men" just came out, and since I think EVERYONE should see this film, I wont say much about it. It takes place in a world where women have been infertile for 18 years and the people of the world have been destroying each other in a last ditch effort for prosperity and to settle old scores. All hope for the future is lost and the world is in Chaos. England remains as the only functioning nation in the world and it has made all immigrants criminals and deports and executes all who remain in the country. People think this is far-fetched to think we're on that path, but in WWII we did put Americans of Japanese descent into concentration camps, meaning it's not unprecendented for us to go down that path in times of crisis. What happens when the Oil runs out or when the oceans rise? Will society break down?
Sorry for the long delay in blogs if anyone missed them. I've been really busy and have less time at work to write them.
