1984 arrived in 2001
I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we're really talking about peace. George W. Bush I heard this quote from our President on the radio the other day. I'd heard that somewhere before, I thought. I didn't think too hard, it popped directly into my head mere seconds after hearing this speech from Bush.
"War is Peace."
George Orwell in his book Nineteen Eighty-Four spoke over and over again of the three slogans Big Brother's party used to control the populace.
War is Peace.
Freedom is Slavery.
Ignorance is Strength.
Nineteen Eighty-Four was a look at totalitarian regimes at the time from Hitler's Germany to Stalin's Russia, and he noted these tactics to keep the people of these countries in line. Constant war kept the people at home fearful and patriotic, warning people about the dangers of personal freedom stopped rebellion, and keeping the people away from art and other forms of free thought kept the nation strong and the people oblivious to the fact they were being repressed.
Sounds something like a certain regime I know.
A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier, there's no question about it. George W. Bush
America must not ignore the threat gathering against us. Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof, the smoking gun that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud. George W. Bush
Every nation in every region now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists. George W. Bush
Free nations are peaceful nations. Free nations don't attack each other. Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction. George W. Bush
(Note: the US attacked Iraq and continues to develop weapons of mass destruction.)
Hundreds of thousands of American servicemen and women are deployed across the world in the war on terror. By bringing hope to the oppressed, and delivering justice to the violent, they are making America more secure. George W. Bush If you're sick and tired of the politics of cynicism and polls and principles, come and join this campaign. George W. Bush
(Not much to do with my topic, but just had to throw that one in there.)
On September 11 2001, America felt its vulnerability even to threats that gather on the other side of the Earth. We resolved then, and we are resolved today, to confront every threat from any source that could bring sudden terror and suffering to America. George W. Bush
Only a liberal senator from Massachusetts would say that a 49 percent increase in funding for education was not enough. George W. Bush
The story of America is the story of expanding liberty: an ever-widening circle, constantly growing to reach further and include more. Our nation's founding commitment is still our deepest commitment: In our world, and here at home, we will extend the frontiers of freedom. George W. Bush
(I've noticed his methods for doing so don't involve diplomace, nor the approval of the people we bring "freedom.")
We don't believe in planners and deciders making the decisions on behalf of Americans. George W. Bush We know that dictators are quick to choose aggression, while free nations strive to resolve differences in peace. George W. Bush
Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's trustworthiness. George W. Bush
You can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on. George W. Bush
A recent survey was taken in which people were asked to name leaders in our country in Bush's administration, in the House and Senate, and in the Supreme Court. It was found that 69% of Americans could name our Vice President, 45% the Speaker of the House, 35% the Secretary of State, and very few knew who Carl Rove, Scooter Libby, and many other prominent political figures of the moment.
The interesting part of this survey to me, though, was that these results were tied to what these people considered their major news sources. Those who scored best on the survey watched "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" regularly. These are both shows with a very liberal slant that are not so much news shows as comedy shows which satirize current events with a focus on politics. Those who scored the worst depended primarily on Fox news, a station with a very conservative slant, and which tends to "forget" to cover the major scandals which go on in Bush's White House.
Ignorance is Strength, indeed.
Why not getting backrubs is sometimes okay
If there is one thing I am an expert at, its feeling sorry for myself. I really wish I understood why I have this mindset which focuses on the negativity in my life, but without a doubt it is there and it is powerful. I fight against it, I search for the positive, and more and more lately I've been successful in this fight. But, eventually, the negativity wins out, and I have to start over again crawling out of the hole I dig for myself again and again.
For the past couple of years, this negativity has been focused on the people - or more accurately the lack thereof - in my life. Over and over again with friends and coworkers when they mention something about a loved one caring for them when they're sick or saying they're going to demand a backrub when they get home to relieve stress or talking about their sex life, my immediate response, whether vocalized or not, is along the lines of an incredibly sarcastic "must be nice."
Then the other day, I was speaking to one of my bosses at work. She was asking how my weekend was, and I mentioned that it was more or less uneventful. I really just fooled around on my computer and watch a movie and the like. When I asked her if she'd done anything fun with her weekend, I was met with a long rant about how she didn't have time for fun. How her day every day was taken up by cleaning up after her family, taking her father to doctor's visits, grocery shopping, and the long typical to do list.
We've had this conversation before, but for some reason it really impacted me this time. I may not have anyone I can turn to for support on a regular basis, but I also don't have the responsibilities that come with that. I'm free.
I'm not saying one way or the other is necessarily better than the other. Far from it. Lonliness is a horrible thing to have to deal with on a day to day basis. However, I can do what I want when I want, and there is nobody who will complain when I do, and noone (aside from work) that I have to feel any obligation to. And there is something to be said for that, as well. Quite a lot to be said for it.
The grass is always greener... as they say. Its a cliche' we're taught as children, but one we all too often forget. This time, at least for this particular instance, I won't be forgetting. I think its something my mind has been trying to tell me for some time, after all, I picked out "My Life" as one of my personal theme songs at my karaoke nights some time ago. But, my mind was trying to beat me over the head with the lesson, and I tend to be stubborn when people beat things into me, especially myself. I hope its happy that happenstance finally got the message through.
Now, onto the movie of the... whatever time period I choose to write my blog over -
Casino Royale
I'm sure most people have heard the hype about this film by now. I'm a little behind the curve in finally seeing it, but if you haven't yet, let me assure you that all the hype is true. Second only to "Who is your favorite Beatle?" is probably "Who is your favorite Bond?" in the office cooler mass opinion poll that centers on personality and how that affects the people you feel drawn to.
My answer is no longer Sean Connery.
Casino Royale completely reinvents the Bond franchise while still remaining a true Bond movie in every way. The campiness and silliness are gone, the gadgets are cutting edge but very much real, the villain has true motivations, and Bond seems more like an actual spy than a superhero who traded in his spandex for a tuxedo. Yet the film and the character still retain the charm and ideologies that have kept Bond as an icon for the past 30 odd years. One of my favorite throw away scenes in the film is when Bond walks up to the bar and asks for a martini. "Would you like that shaken or stirred?" the bartender asks. "Why on Earth would I give a damn?" This one small scene shows that the creators of the film know that Bond needed a face lift, but that they hadn't forgotten their roots.
This film also has a strong theme unlike most others in the franchise which just have campy fun with the situations and characters. Bond falls madly and completely in love, and goes so far as to give his resignation to MI6 so that he can be with this woman without endangering her. I won't say how this ultimately plays out, though I think most people can make an educated guess, but ultimately, we see Bond learn a lesson about trust, obligation, and motivation. Its not the deepest moral ever taught in a film, but when was the last time we saw a Bond film that worried about morality, at all?
Until next time,
Shaun
"Lately, do I seem a little crazy to you?"
"What do you mean 'lately?'"
