Film

Film, for most people, serves as a distraction, a way to temporarily escape the realities of life and plunge into a world of the fantastic and impossible.  In the modern world, it is rapidly taking the place of its printed predecessors – books and magazines are losing their appeal in the fast-paced world of animated entertainment.

All of these forms of media share the same fundamental problem: they harbor disbelief and encourage hiding from the unpleasantries of the physical world.

I do not deny that works of fiction have accomplished great things over the course of history, but more often than not these groundbreaking novels and stories are firmly rooted in reality.  Sinclair’s Jungle and Kesey’s Nest both completely changed their respective industries because, despite their classification as fiction, they gave accurate depictions of the meat-packing industry and of life behind the walls of a mental hospital.

Books, however, leave much to the mind of the reader.  They give their readers the illusion of control, the freedom to view each character in a different light and affix their own faces to the protagonist (or antagonist) as they choose.  I view such actions as unpleasant but necessary; without creativity and free will, our society would be even worse off.

Films have no such hidden subtleties.  Everything is presented on the screen in vibrant color, forever destroying any individual mental images the viewers may have had of the character.  Where books can be interpreted and discussed and debated over endlessly, films do not have the complexity to undergo such strenuous argument.

Of course, neither do most books.  I doubt that Shakespeare agonized over every word in every play or implanted hidden meanings into each line, as most scholars seem to believe.  He was in the business to make money, not to inspire people in future generations.

Irrelevance.  But, then again, this whole post is nothing but speculation and unverified claims, so an irrelevant tangent is the least of my problems.

Honor

There is no place for honor in this world.

In warfare, there is no prize for fighting honorably.  Soldiers who are struggling to survive on the battlefield have no use for morals or ethics, those relics from the days of mounted knights and trebuchets.  If an opportunity presents itself, it must be taken, no matter how immoral or dishonorably it may seem.  Your conscience may punish you, but better that than being dead.

In business, honor will lead to your downfall.  As long as you can stay within the legal limits, you must use every tool at your disposal to ensure your success, even if it means driving all your competitors out of business.  There is no prize for second place, and when a false move or missed opportunity can destroy you utterly, there is no room for doubt.  Take what you are able and do not trouble yourself with the consequences for others – your survival is the number one priority.

In the social world, if you are the type of person who wastes time on frivolous activities, honor is nothing more than a way of showing weakness.  If you are a righteous and just person who strives to do good, you will be mercilessly taken advantage of by your so-called “friends.”

Be resolute in this, as in all things.  Honor is dead.  Let it fade away into obscurity as you rise to power.

Self-Analysis – Social

I am certainly an introvert.  Left to my own devices, I generally do not seek out companionship or social interactions – although if thrust into a situation where such interactions are required, I perform my duties well enough.  Strangely, I despise most forms of communication: I am terrible at making and returning telephone calls and replying to email requires considerable effort and willpower, for example.  But I enjoy speaking face-to-face, and the free-flowing interaction of a private chat room or instant messaging service is almost as desirable.

I wonder what this says about my personality.  I wonder if it says anything at all, or if I am simply applying obsolete psychological techniques to a harmless dislike for communication.

In terms of who I communicate with, I hold no particular animosity towards anyone based on their gender or race or any other superficial characteristics.  Each person deserves a clean slate to begin with, and only after a suitable amount of conversing can I even begin to make judgments about their worth as a human being.

Egotistical, yes, but also sadly true.  But I digress.

I have never had a romantic or sexual relationship, but I do not have (nor should I need) a good reason why.  The “I have too much to worry about to get involved” excuse is just that, an excuse, and does not pass even in my mind.  I suppose the best I can come up with, setting aside my own feelings about romantic love and love in general, is that I simply have no interest in that particular branch of the tree of social interaction.

Which is not to say that I have never desired companionship of some kind.  I do confess my occasional jealousy, mixed with a touch of disgust, when seeing a happy couple, each comfortable with the other and able to speak frankly and honestly, possessing an emotional openness that I could never have…

No.  Never say never.  Perhaps someday I will set aside my armor and share something of myself with a trusted friend, but not now.

The appeal that this idea has is not limited or hindered by gender.  It is more about finding someone with whom I can share and foster trust than it is about any sort of physical relationship, and it certainly has nothing to do with society’s notions of the “acceptable partnership” (which, despite the steps forward we’ve taken, is usually still one of similar race, similar socioeconomic status, and opposite gender).

I appreciate the beauty of both genders, and can just as easily picture myself with a woman as I can with a man.  Does this make me bisexual?  Yes, I suppose so, although it still has nothing to do with sexual attraction – perhaps I am a bisexual asexual, if that makes any sense at all.

Nostalgia

I do not dwell on the past.

If I make a mistake, I take note of my error and resolve not to make the same mistake again, but I do not feel guilt or waste time wishing I had done something differently.  “Should have” and “could have” are phrases that I refuse to say.

It is the same with positive events.  I appreciate and enjoy things as they happen, but I do not turn back to those happier occasions in times of trouble or hardship.  Living in the past has never solved any problems or accomplished anything in the world, and I am not one to waste time on practices that have no value.

Other people may treasure their possessions because of “sentimental value” or other emotional attachments.  I value the things I own for their practical purposes, not because they are the focus of happy memories or were passed down from another person.  Material possessions have three, and only three, purposes: they can be used as intended, sold for a profit, or discarded.

Always move forward, never back.  The future is a lump of clay, waiting to be manipulated and shaped by those who reach it first.  And races are never won by those who focus all their attention on the past.