CRASH
I've been thinking more and more about the fact that we don't touch people. Not that we don't "touch" people in a physical way. I am not advocating that. I wouldn't want to bear the responsibility of all your arrests. It's more that I have been thinking about how we walk around amidst a million strangers and they simply stay that way. Strangers. Then we die. Why is that? I've already talked before about how if we were capable of getting past our own shit, we would clearly see that everyone else has shit as well. Shit that they believe to be as valid and important as our shit. You know? And they have a point. Don't they?
I want to make a proposition. Granted this is only a theory, because I'm as guilty as the rest of you, of making my situation primo in my life. And why shouldn't I? I'm the one who has to live with me. Right? But here me out for a moment…I propose that we get outside of ourselves. Once a week, say. (That's 52 times a year. Not a big leap.) And extend a little love and kindness to someone we wouldn't normally make the effort with. Maybe even a stranger. (OOOOHHHHHH, strangers!) How hard can it be? Me, a serious introvert, it's going to be hard. But I would propose that it will be worth it. Showing this little bit of yourself. Giving this little bit of yourself. To someone who might need it. More than yourself. Believe it or not.
Now, I don't know if this will work out for sure. I don't even know if I will be successful, but I will give it a fighting chance. After all, isn't that what we should be doing anyway. Showing a little love? Being a little Jesus to the bane of this hurting world? This is what I think will happen if my little experiment should prove successful - suddenly, as if by magic, not only will the pains and troubles of some unsuspecting recipient be salved, but the giver (that would be you) and their own pains and troubles will temporarily lose priority. Maybe it's a first step to learning how to live righteously (and maybe even Godly) in this present world. What do you think? All you selfish bastards out there?
So, why do I make such a sudden proposal that seems so utterly devoid of self. Instead of railing about the absence of Nicole or the evils of Starbucks and filling your minds with pop culture tidbits? I'll tell you why. Because I went to see the film Crash last night. This is the new, and first-time, film by Paul Haggis, the writer of Million Dollar Baby. (Which we are not going to get into again. Not at this time.) Anyway, everyone needs to go see Crash because it talks about this whole thing I am proposing. (Well, in a round about way) But I think it is one of the most important films of this decade. Especially this decade. Where segregation and race wars and culture classes and hatred has pushed us all into little boxes that leave us living in fear and anger, unwilling to step outside of ourselves and reach out to those around us. (Especially those who aren't like us) This film takes all this fear and rage racial stereotypes and explodes it in a way that I believe to be brilliant. This guy has captured something that makes me jealous. I want to have made this movie. He has made a film that should be required viewing by EVERYONE.
You may not believe the hype. That's your problem. I don't believe I am exaggerating. This film confirmed two things in me:
1. I want to do something important with my life. Something that matters. Something that points to the truth. Something that will shake this place up.
2. I want to touch more people. More people with my life. I don't ever want to be guilty of living for myself.
If a film can inspire that in me, I would call that a pretty damn effective film. So go see it. Don't wait to rent a dvd copy. This deserves your recognition. Now.
Oh yeah, the cast is great too. So many good actors. So many great performances. But the soul of movie lies in its words. Its message.
Don Cheadle, (who was also in Hotel Rwanda - the other most important movie of this decade so far (now on dvd) - this guy knows how to pick ‘em) has this thing that he says at the beginning of the film. The thing that sparked my first paragraph in this blog entry. I wanted to quote that for you now. I am paraphrasing here, but you get the picture:
(Talking about the city of Los Angeles, while sitting in a wrecked car) "We move around here, surrounded by so many people, in this city that isn't anything like a real city. Because we stay behind this glass and steel. Alone. So many people, but we are numb, because we don't touch each other. There is no human contact. Maybe that is why we crash into each other. To try and feel something."
And it's only the beginning.
http://www.crashfilm.com/
I want to make a proposition. Granted this is only a theory, because I'm as guilty as the rest of you, of making my situation primo in my life. And why shouldn't I? I'm the one who has to live with me. Right? But here me out for a moment…I propose that we get outside of ourselves. Once a week, say. (That's 52 times a year. Not a big leap.) And extend a little love and kindness to someone we wouldn't normally make the effort with. Maybe even a stranger. (OOOOHHHHHH, strangers!) How hard can it be? Me, a serious introvert, it's going to be hard. But I would propose that it will be worth it. Showing this little bit of yourself. Giving this little bit of yourself. To someone who might need it. More than yourself. Believe it or not.
Now, I don't know if this will work out for sure. I don't even know if I will be successful, but I will give it a fighting chance. After all, isn't that what we should be doing anyway. Showing a little love? Being a little Jesus to the bane of this hurting world? This is what I think will happen if my little experiment should prove successful - suddenly, as if by magic, not only will the pains and troubles of some unsuspecting recipient be salved, but the giver (that would be you) and their own pains and troubles will temporarily lose priority. Maybe it's a first step to learning how to live righteously (and maybe even Godly) in this present world. What do you think? All you selfish bastards out there?
So, why do I make such a sudden proposal that seems so utterly devoid of self. Instead of railing about the absence of Nicole or the evils of Starbucks and filling your minds with pop culture tidbits? I'll tell you why. Because I went to see the film Crash last night. This is the new, and first-time, film by Paul Haggis, the writer of Million Dollar Baby. (Which we are not going to get into again. Not at this time.) Anyway, everyone needs to go see Crash because it talks about this whole thing I am proposing. (Well, in a round about way) But I think it is one of the most important films of this decade. Especially this decade. Where segregation and race wars and culture classes and hatred has pushed us all into little boxes that leave us living in fear and anger, unwilling to step outside of ourselves and reach out to those around us. (Especially those who aren't like us) This film takes all this fear and rage racial stereotypes and explodes it in a way that I believe to be brilliant. This guy has captured something that makes me jealous. I want to have made this movie. He has made a film that should be required viewing by EVERYONE.
You may not believe the hype. That's your problem. I don't believe I am exaggerating. This film confirmed two things in me:
1. I want to do something important with my life. Something that matters. Something that points to the truth. Something that will shake this place up.
2. I want to touch more people. More people with my life. I don't ever want to be guilty of living for myself.
If a film can inspire that in me, I would call that a pretty damn effective film. So go see it. Don't wait to rent a dvd copy. This deserves your recognition. Now.
Oh yeah, the cast is great too. So many good actors. So many great performances. But the soul of movie lies in its words. Its message.
Don Cheadle, (who was also in Hotel Rwanda - the other most important movie of this decade so far (now on dvd) - this guy knows how to pick ‘em) has this thing that he says at the beginning of the film. The thing that sparked my first paragraph in this blog entry. I wanted to quote that for you now. I am paraphrasing here, but you get the picture:
(Talking about the city of Los Angeles, while sitting in a wrecked car) "We move around here, surrounded by so many people, in this city that isn't anything like a real city. Because we stay behind this glass and steel. Alone. So many people, but we are numb, because we don't touch each other. There is no human contact. Maybe that is why we crash into each other. To try and feel something."
And it's only the beginning.
http://www.crashfilm.com/
posted by The Passenger at 9:05 PM
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