Slumdog Millionaire

My most prominent thought during Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire" is that everyone who can get out of India, should. As portrayed in this film, India is a merciless, crime-ridden jungle, where the police and other authorities do nothing to prevent the powerful and corrupt from stealing and ruining everything the weaker might hold dear e.g. friends, family or any monetary wealth accumulated, no matter how small. If someone has the physical strength to take it, they will. Perhaps, I am being naive about the state of my own country. However, I do feel that if I go to work five days a week, I am careful with keeping my belongings and family secure, then I will keep those things and be able to live comfortably and without fear of them all being taken away at the whim of a ruthless criminal. This is simply not the case for Jamal Malik, an Muslim orphan, who is trying to change his Shakespearean tragedy of a life by winning "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?". While the basic premise for this movie does nothing to prepare you for the horror of this boys life, it is anything but a cheesey melodrama.

Jamal has grown up in the slums of Mumbai India alongside his older brother Salim. Jamal and Salim are very troublesome children, always getting into trouble as shown in an early scene reminiscent of "City of God," where they both flee police officers,running in-between shanties, climbing on roofs, assaulting the officers from above and, of course, taunting them ludely. After their Muslim mother is killed by zealous Hindus, the boys quick thinking and resourcefulness saves their lives as they build a gang of "con-children," who scam tourists outside the Taj-Mahal.

Much of the story of Jamal's life is told in order to explain to the police how it is an uneducated kid from the slums has successfully answered the first seven questions on the aforementioned game show--enough questions to earn him 10,000,000 rupees. Since no one else in India has accomplished this feat, police have spent the night after the show, which ran just short of the final question, torturing Jamal in order to get him to confess to cheating.

During the course of Jamal and Salim's treacherous childhood they meet Latika, another child left alone after the Muslim massacre. While Jamal quickly develops feelings for Latika, Salim is sees her as a threat to the bond between he and his brother. Throughout the movie Salim attempts to end Jamal's infatuation, but Jamal refuses to give up hope of being with Latika.

Slumdog Millionaire's love story will capture many people's emotions, but what makes this story most compelling is the way these young children survive at all in such a cruel and unforgiving land like India. For the three main characters, life is brutal, and hope for a safe and comfortable existence is always beyond their reach. While it is obvious early on, Jamal believes that he and Latika were born for each other; as Jamal relays his story to the police, these are the questions Jamal was born to answer.

Who is to blame for America

I was thinking about this 'Letter from 2012,' and I am struck by the insistance that all the horror that is looming over us for our election of Barack Obama (and I stress "our")says nothing of what we Christians have done to get where we are today. It completely ignores our involvment in the shaping of the present United States. Perhaps that is because we have done so very little good. We have elected a president to term twice that only pays us our 'values' lip service. He wins elections on the issues we claim to hold dear, but does nothing to uphold those 'values.' For some time Christians have aligned themselves with the Republican party because of a majority in said party wearing the badge pro-life, pro-marriage and, curiously, self reliance. Why would self-reliance be a Christian virtue? While I personally put a great deal of value on personal responsibility, I do not see it in any Christian creed or scripture. I read proclamation and commandments asking my to put my faith, trust even hope in God. I am continually reminded by scripture that all good things come from God. He will provide. I must surrender my life and "cast all my cares upon him." Does this mean I am a socialist? Not hardly! However, when people are starving, it is no better for the government that represents me to turn a blind eye than it is for me to ignore this deficit.

Was our country founded on Christian principals. As much as Constantinople was. However, the Roman Empire is hardly a model for the body of Christ. At no time was America the Church, and it never will be. In a country with the diversity of America, we cannot hope to maintain our status by giving Christianity special license to run the government. Also, we cannot make people righteous with laws. Ancient Israel was a failed nation, and hardly the example by which we should hold our own nation up against. America will never be what God wanted for Israel for one simple reason. We were not chosen. No matter how much we insist it is so, we cannot make it so by sheer will. We can only foster a people in the body of Christ that will lead and vote for a just government. If our nation is full of Christians the we will be a nation of Christians, but we will not be a Christian nation

Wow, I have not written on here in a while!

I recently read Lord of the Flies by William Golding. I had been told that it influenced the making of the show Lost, of which I am a huge fan. I had already seen the movie, because when I hear about a story that i believe I will like, I often watch the movie, being too impatient to read the book. In this case it was a mistake to watch the film first, because it is so different from the book. I found that my knowledge of the film's story left me overly anxious for particular events that never happened in the book. This made me impatient while reading the book. It made ejoyment of the author's physical description of the landscape and characters nearly impossible.

However, after much frustration I finally latched onto the story itself, and was able to finish it with a profound appreciation of the book apart from the film. The story is about a group of young boys who survive a plane crash and are left to fend for themselves on a desert island. As one might imagine, this is a thrilling prospect for many of the boys: being on an island filled with unknown adventure and absolutely no adults. What unfolds are power struggles, childish irresponsibility and, eventually, brutality that is anything but child's play. The message Golding seems to be presenting is that humanity is brutal even in youth. He is denouncing innocence of the young child, which anyone might claim would produce a more peaceful or utopian society. For Golding, man is selfish and barbaric. Even with the strong and seemingly just leadership of Ralph, even with level headed rationality of Piggy as his adviser, the society will pull free of these at the first sign of weakness. Man will be assuaged by their own interests and the rhetoric of the brash and confident revolutionary to do unspeakable horror to their fellow man, or in this case child.

I agree that this story has likely influenced the writers of Lost. One big similarity, apart from the obvious plane crash on a desert island scenario, is the way the children go back and forth between rational and meta-rational or supernatural explanations of particular events e.g. "the Beast". This element of Lost has always been my favorite part of the show. I particularly like the contrast of the character of "Jack Shepherd" vs. "John Locke". Jack represents the side of science and rationality. While John Locke represents the side of faith and belief in the supernatural, i.e. fate, destiny or God.

Apart from this, I found myself fascinated by the similarity of this utopian experiment put forth by Golding with the experiment of the God of Genesis with Noah. In both cases the greater society is taken out of the picture. Golding hopes to exhibit man's cruelty, even with a fresh start. God is hoping that the new start will give humanity a chance to flourish. I see the wisdom in Golding's effort. However, I am having trouble in finding the wisdom in God's effort. I am certainly struggling with the justice of his experiment. I do not know that I believe It did any good. I am more inclined to agree with Golding that man will create another evil society, than I am with the idea that man will improve by having all but the righteous eliminated.

Having found this odd problem with the story of Noah, I am first inclined to believe that the lesson to be taken from this story is that God will preserve a remnant on earth in the end of time for re-creation or new Earth after judgment. However, I find this to be a valuable lesson only in the case that this story is merely a parable or myth. If it is a true story than I find it more troubling than the story of Job. I am perplexed by this dilemma, and uncertain what to think of it.

Oh, wait! There's more.

I realize that I should probably explain my title a little more. I am unfocused. I cannot decide whether to write a journal, a blog, a book, a movie or a poem. I cannot decide whether to honest or exaggerate in my words here in this blog right now. Therefore I am going to try it all at once. I am going to leave notes, random ideas, and whether I am profound or earnest or honest. I will be me. To that I am committed. Since I could not nail-down my theme I decided to combine two attributes that I believe I struggle to embody simultaneously earnestness and honesty--hence earnesty.

I have been thinking about my love for my friends, my tendency to procrastinate or spontaneously go see a movie alone and my neuroses. The reason I was thinking about them was that they are incompatible, and their incompatibility contributes to my intense need to connect with others on lonely nights. I immediately saw a chance for comedy.

I imagined a guy sitting in a theater alone with food, an iPod and a book. An old girlfriend approaches him joined by a date.
Girl: Steve! Hi, how are you?
Steve: Huh? Oh, I'm fine. (Steve only looks up briefly before returning to his book)
Girl: What are you up to?
Steve: Uh, I'm reading a book, and I'm waiting for the movie to start. (Steve looks annoyed by what seems to him such an obvious question. Girl seems slightly offended, but tries to maintain civility)
Girl: Did you finish school? I haven't heard anything about you.
Steve: Well, we didn't really have any mutual friends. Unless you're stalking me online I don't know how you'd hear anything. I'm not making any headlines.
Girl: O.K...well, are you here alone?
Steve: Well, I was...
Girl: Do you mind if we sit here? (Steve suddenly snaps to attention. He looks around confusedly)
Steve: What do you mean? Aren't you on a date or something? You guys don't exactly look like cousins or anything. (Girl looks embarrassed now. She rubs the back of her neck nervously and does that looking around with her head facing down thing)
Girl: Of course we are. I was just trying to be nice. I mean, you're at a movie...by yourself!
Steve: Look, I see a lot of movies. What kind of asshole would I be if I made my fiancee go to three movies a week?! (Steve makes a really exasperated expression now.)
(Confidence returns to Girl's face briefly and she smiles. Then she looks surprised.)
Girl: Fiancee? You're engaged? Is it happening soon? I mean, when is the wedding?
(Steve's attention has returned to his book.)
Steve: Tuesday. (Steve doesn't even look up as he says this) Listen, I don't need anyone to sit with me. I'm O.K. watching a movie on my own.
Girl: Do you really see three a week?
Steve: Uh, yeah. Something like that. I'm not on a fucking schedule or anything. I just have this thing. It's kind of like a compulsion or addiction, except other people just don't understand...(Steve looks up from his book as if he is thinking to himself) No, it's exactly like an addiction. Except, I don't have to do it. I mean I could stop. I just don't want to. (This time Steve actually looks a little self-conscious, but he quickly disregards it and returns to his book)
Steve: Look, I'm kind of busy. Could you just find some place to sit. I hate running into people in movie theatres. They always want to treat me like some damn charity case. Like I only came alone because I'm lonely. Whatever (Steve returns to his book. Girl looks embarrassed. She stiffens her top lip over her lower.
Girl: Oooo.K. (Girl grabs boys hand and pulls him past Steve and up the stairs. Girl's date looks a little amused. He has a small smirk on his face and goes rather limp as Girl pulls on his arm. Steve continues reading his book)

In the beginning..

I have often thought about writing a blog. I have to admit, part of my anxiety to do so was the name. I carry no pretense that I am the first to comment on this word, "blog." So, I'm not going to make this a post-blogging blog, or even one of those mindless rants of mock-rage that my fiancee, Briana, hates so much. I will move on.
I have avoided blogging because I simply do not know what to blog about. Actually, a few days ago Briana told me she heard on NPR that anyone serious about writing has to blog. Now I enjoy the idea that there is a collective of well informed people around the world, not listening to awful mainstream radio,who heard this broadcast and said, "today is the day I become a writer." I am inspired by the thought of a community of intelligent professionals that talk about how something they heard on public radio changed their lives. It is because of this sentimentality that I am driven to blog today. However, at the same time, cynical about this group of know-it-alls who are probably 'Friends' of the public library and the Nelson Atkins Museum. I hate their smug, overly enthusiastic and way-to-gay voices that respond by phone with a giggle at the "serendipity of the topic discussed by today's guest. The truth is, I cannot which team to choose.

I want to be both the classy and impeccably dressed Bushwood's member and the uncouth white trash caddy, with a perfect swing. I want to play both sides, but not just for both benefits or to double cross one side for the other. I just do not know to which one I am better suited. I am obsessive about punctuation and spelling, and yet I like the way I naturally cut the letter 'g' off the 'ing' ending of a word. I love the dressed-down effortless fashion of torn jeans and a t-shirt, but I hate the look of a suit without a tie. I am perpetually conflicted in my life with the choice between kitsch and class.

Another area of my life, in which all polarizing opposites look appealing is the social world. I recently been considering a writing project about my schizophrenic social preferences. I am both intrigued by the detached loner or hermit, unaffected and stoic as he walks through a culture and society that disgusts and confuses him. I am also drawn to the idea of the high class and well educated socialite, who is plugged into not only his local art but also community. I find that my strong sympathy and profound spiritual calling to the poor means that I must be social and outgoing, instead of reclusive. However, I want to be prepared to take on that world with all its problems, and I feel the only way to be completely prepared is to be well read.

Part of my desire to read I believe comes from the guilt I feel over having squandered much of my education, which I did not appreciate and milk for all it's knowledge, and I am now paying for my apathy by way of one graduate school rejection letter after another. I am scared of the future, and it is my philosophical conflictions that leave me so petrified. I am an existentialist and I am certain that it is all my fault. I have to take responsibility for where I am today. To my credit I have stayed focused enough to convince the most wonderful girl in the world to marry me, but giving girls attention has never really been a problem for me. It is like Nick Hornby says in High Fidelity through the character Rob. Rob explains that he has always been good at remembering the names, birthdays and miscellaneous details of the girls he is interested in, because they are all that he thinks about. This naturally acquired attention to detail has served me well enough to land a great wife, but this fact adds a new difficulty.

Perhaps it is my lingering misogyny that keeps me from being comfortable with the fact that my wife-to-be is much more successful at everything than me. This minor imbalance should really seem like belated justice considering the centuries of male dominated marriages and households, in which a wife accomplished next to nothing unless she was some kind of counter-cultural wonder woman like Virginia Wolf or you were willing to wait until death like Emily Dickinson. I should be fine with the prospect that I may become a regular working stiff doing something I do not like until the right opportunity comes along or becomes possible after proper experience is acquired. I will resign myself to this and keep my eyes and ears open for any spiritual guidance from above, which I probably should have been listening for in the first place.

Well, I do not know if any of my friends or enemies will find this blog. I do not plan on telling anyone about it. I am merely leaving this out there in the great big abyss of cyberspace to float around until I write something profound enough to receive a comment. Maybe I will not even receive that much. But maybe, just maybe I will learn to focus my thoughts better, and maybe my fears and purposes, as well.