2011年10月4日 Cruelty

Jim Henson on right with my cousin.

So I woke up Sunday morning to Labyrinth blaring on the TV, starring David Bowie and directed by Jim Henson. Outside of wanting to vomit on my groin, I couldn't help but wonder if this programming was actually helpful for children. How cruel was it to make them watch such a boring and tedious movie.

Alright, I take that back, the movie doesn't move nearly as fast as some of the shit on TV that most people watch. So having something that appears a little more deliberate was a nice change, and although I am not a fan of the movie I recommend that anyone who hasn't see it, at least watch the first 20 minutes, and last 10 minutes of the film. And more over, Jim Henson, enough said.

Somehow I thought about the lyrics from a quick ditty towards the end of the movie and how frankly no small child is going to really understand what it means.

Your eyes can be so cruel
Just as I can be so cruel
Though I do believe in you

Yes I do

Live without the sunlight
Love without your heartbeat

 

Live without sunlight?
Love without one's heartbeat?

Somehow I went back to reflecting on enduring suffering and unconditional sincerity. First, I don't think it's possible at all to love someone without a heartbeat, but that's just me. How can one genuinely care, if there is no fire inside? 

Obligation?

Probably.

Most people care for others the same way they care about sick animals. It's sad to say it, but it's true, no matter how cruel. A person of course will love X or Y person because society tells them to do it, or because the person receiving love feels great knowing that they are receiving love, - if you could call it that - and sure someone cares about them, even if secretly we know it's not true or at least real feelings. It's cruelty incarnate. And in some sick sense it also relates to war for some reason.

“War is cruelty. There's no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over.”

W.T. Sherman

I'm not supposed to like it.

I know how to live without sunlight, as I live in the Pacific northwest. No shit, right? But what about living in the darkness? How strange it is, that such a film bothers me well after I see it, or rather, the words it brings up. It makes me cringe every time people say X or Y film is for children, or how the Torah and/or Christian Bible is okay reading material for children. Some ideas are never really directly brought up. It's a shame, but it's also good at times. Sometimes living in our own darkness can conceal us from the cruelty. Obviously coming out of hell, one sees the glory of the Lord, and realize such, regardless of whether or not they believe in G-d or Chuck Norris (because you can only pick one or the other, just like American politics). And no, voting for Mickey Mouse doesn't count.

So yes, people should know about this film and watch it. It has a good moral message, which is masturbation, and for once Jennifer Connelly doesn't appear as if she's a big douche-bag. Also the end is kind of out there. You can see part of it here [link].

"Yes, should you need us, for any reason at all."

In my life I've been told this, I have told it to someone else, and I have been told and told what Jennifer Connelly says in response. Unfortunately, I live in the real world, and there was no dance-party after such words arrived on my ears or another's. Cruelty, due or not, just or unjust, was with me, with them, with us. 

I wonder if it's necessary?