criteek
The movie "Gladiator" came up in the discussion the other day, and I described it as melodramatic.
"Don't you mean 'dramatic'?" someone asked.
No, I didn't because for a movie with that title, there was more crying and lamenting than actual fighting going on. A shame really because a chance to reveal something new about the one-on-one combat in the ancient Roman style was lost in favor of yet another depressing story where the hero dies in the end. Granted the opening sequence against the barbarians was impressive, but the movie wasn't even about the art of war. It was yet another tragedy, the sort of which some many moviegoers seem to thrive on. Strange considering we, the United States, are quite the warrior nation ourselves. What we couldn't purchase on this continent, we took by force fighting the British, the French, the Native Americans and the Mexicans. And when there was nobody else to fight we fought each other in the Civil War, in the Old West and on the city streets. Meanwhile we have a military machine that puts some of finest soldiers ever on the battlefield, and one that is as high tech as it gets. Afghanistan was necessary, but our purpose in Iraq is less clear. At least, it's less clear to some. The fact is, we needed to kick someone's butt because a sleeping giant should not be wakened. Saddam was oh such a perfect target. The guy had it coming for so long, and we enjoyed how quick the operation went, and we chuckled to ourselves at finding him in a dirty hole in the ground hiding. We thrive on it. It makes us feel strong, and we are not ashamed. At least not those of us who know our nation's history. It's who we are.
Which makes it so strange that so often such a large group of moviegoers will take a pass on combat based movies in favor of touchy-feely types. Because people simply feed of the sorrow, despair and death in certain types of stories like some sort of psychic vampires. If asked, people will tell you that they enjoy personal stories with powerful emotions, etc. Nonsense. If they want real stories of inspiration, they've only to look at the firefighters and police who were at Ground Zero on and after 9/11. If they really want to know about what it is to survive difficult situations, they should find out for themselves rather than always immersing themselves in the tragic stories of others. Certainly, many of them would consider themselves compassionate, but few are compassionate enough to actually volunteer some time with the homeless, runaways, women's shelters, etc. That would be too much of to ask of them.
No, the interest in melodramatic movies is not about compassion at all, it's just another manifestation of people's inherent nosiness and actual enjoyment of watching others suffer. Just like a gaper's block at the scene of an accident and just like the those people who spend sizable amounts of money on the tabloids to ensure that the lives of celebrities are constantly invaded by paparazzi. The worse the news, the more satisfaction they take in it whether it be a teenage star with an eating disorder or whatever. None are safe from their "inquiring minds" no matter how young they are or how unfortunate their situation might be. Not even for a moment do they ever consider what it would be like for they themselves to be under that kind of scrutiny. At least not until they Patriot Act came out. Now they have something else to worry about. Maybe they thought of the government snooping on them as they've done to others will spark a change in them.
"Don't you mean 'dramatic'?" someone asked.
No, I didn't because for a movie with that title, there was more crying and lamenting than actual fighting going on. A shame really because a chance to reveal something new about the one-on-one combat in the ancient Roman style was lost in favor of yet another depressing story where the hero dies in the end. Granted the opening sequence against the barbarians was impressive, but the movie wasn't even about the art of war. It was yet another tragedy, the sort of which some many moviegoers seem to thrive on. Strange considering we, the United States, are quite the warrior nation ourselves. What we couldn't purchase on this continent, we took by force fighting the British, the French, the Native Americans and the Mexicans. And when there was nobody else to fight we fought each other in the Civil War, in the Old West and on the city streets. Meanwhile we have a military machine that puts some of finest soldiers ever on the battlefield, and one that is as high tech as it gets. Afghanistan was necessary, but our purpose in Iraq is less clear. At least, it's less clear to some. The fact is, we needed to kick someone's butt because a sleeping giant should not be wakened. Saddam was oh such a perfect target. The guy had it coming for so long, and we enjoyed how quick the operation went, and we chuckled to ourselves at finding him in a dirty hole in the ground hiding. We thrive on it. It makes us feel strong, and we are not ashamed. At least not those of us who know our nation's history. It's who we are.
Which makes it so strange that so often such a large group of moviegoers will take a pass on combat based movies in favor of touchy-feely types. Because people simply feed of the sorrow, despair and death in certain types of stories like some sort of psychic vampires. If asked, people will tell you that they enjoy personal stories with powerful emotions, etc. Nonsense. If they want real stories of inspiration, they've only to look at the firefighters and police who were at Ground Zero on and after 9/11. If they really want to know about what it is to survive difficult situations, they should find out for themselves rather than always immersing themselves in the tragic stories of others. Certainly, many of them would consider themselves compassionate, but few are compassionate enough to actually volunteer some time with the homeless, runaways, women's shelters, etc. That would be too much of to ask of them.
No, the interest in melodramatic movies is not about compassion at all, it's just another manifestation of people's inherent nosiness and actual enjoyment of watching others suffer. Just like a gaper's block at the scene of an accident and just like the those people who spend sizable amounts of money on the tabloids to ensure that the lives of celebrities are constantly invaded by paparazzi. The worse the news, the more satisfaction they take in it whether it be a teenage star with an eating disorder or whatever. None are safe from their "inquiring minds" no matter how young they are or how unfortunate their situation might be. Not even for a moment do they ever consider what it would be like for they themselves to be under that kind of scrutiny. At least not until they Patriot Act came out. Now they have something else to worry about. Maybe they thought of the government snooping on them as they've done to others will spark a change in them.