Take Me To Your Leader

NASA/courtesy of nasaimages.org

I finally got around to watching Avatar and I can see what the hype was about.  James Cameron accomplished what he set out to do in terms of action, special effects and theme.  By the closing credits, I found myself entertained, exhilarated …and totally ticked off. This wasn’t just a foray into the world of science fiction and mythology. It was too accurate a portrayal of mankind’s historical tendency to destroy in the guise of progress.

Astronomers have recently announced the discovery of yet another cluster of planets orbiting a sun like star.  It is inconclusive whether or not any of these planets, including a small earth like orb, are life sustainable. The quest continues.

We are one step closer to actually making the fantasy of discovering life on other planets a reality. This may not be a good thing.  I suppose it depends on how we choose to explore the Final Frontier.  I wonder if we’ll play nice.  But, as history shows, just because we play nice doesn’t mean we don’t take a few toys that don’t belong to us at the end of the day.  After all, humankind has mistreated a few playmates right here on Third Rock.

In real life, many indigenous people did not rise to conquer as the Na'vi tribe of Avatar.  The indigenous tribes of the Americas, for example, did not welcome the new settlers, nor make a willing gift of their ancestral lands. In real life, they did not live long, and they did not prosper.  We have enslaved millions, and attempted to eradicate entire races and cultures, using religion, science and prejudice to fuel mass hysteria to legitimize and justify our behavior. At the end of the day, the actors in our science fiction fantasies have a chance to go home. The people in our history books did not.

Human beings have long had a nasty habit of discovering places that are already long inhabited and destroying others in favor of our own gain.  In our quest for greatness, we just Manifest Destiny all over the place.  Survival of the fittest long ago disintegrated into ruthless aggression and greed.  We are a smart species, and have learned appreciation of the varying cultures of our world, and to respect and treat ethically our fellow human beings.  Meanwhile, as someone recently reminded me, ongoing skirmishes and military activity across the globe indicate that we have simply learned how to mask our intentions, but the intentions remain the same. Like children, jealous of a neighbor’s toys, the ruthlessness prevails. 

But, I subscribe to optimism. It is sometimes our greatest weapon against repeating the sins of the past.  We must maintain the hope that, as we move toward exploring Terra Incognita, we boldly go as we have not gone before—with genuine peace and reverence.

How will we approach our new neighbors? Will we board the Enterprise bearing welcome baskets and home baked pies; or will they arrive first in a shiny Trojan horse filled with shiny beads, pretty blankets and promises of brotherhood.  Whose destiny will manifest first. Will life imitate art imitate life?  

Maybe Avatar is a veiled warning against repeating one’s history. Maybe it’s just entertainment. The questions linger, and we are still light years away from knowing.

Cheers,
-Ceddy

Beam Me Up...

My friend Magen and I are excited about the invention of 3D TV. Actually, I’m slightly nervous about inadvertently creating a Nightmare on Ninth Avenue by switching on a Freddy Krueger movie and Magen’s excited at the thought of how amazing 3D porn must be on 3D TV. Let’s face it, it’s probably very amazing!

Doesn’t the new invention usually trump the predecessor?  We lost interest in centerfolds when we discovered video.  We stopped stashing video when we discovered we could log on to get off.  Naturally, 3D would be the bigger, better, autostereoscopic deal. Right? Such is the evolution of technology.

Each day, ruins of ancient civilizations are newly uncovered to reveal how they lived and what tools and technology were at their disposal.  It’s a constant reminder of how we were able to drag ourselves up from our primitive beginnings to walk, to run, to drive, to fly.  From the crank of a Victrola to the download of an mp3, each new invention piggybacks off of an older, less sophisticated one.  I might not be typing this article today without the development of the typewriter in the 1800s.

CREDIT: "Alexander Graham Bell at the opening of the long-distance line from New York to Chicago," 1892. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. Reproduction Number LC-G9-Z2-28608-B.

I’m lucky enough to have witnessed the launch of a few of our civilization’s most recent great inventions.  I was born in the 70s, raised in the 80s and entered adulthood in the 90s. Thus, I lived in a world without cell phones, DVD players and home computers. The only tablet was my Etch-A-Sketch, and I found hours of enjoyment listening to radio mix tapes on my cassette Walkman.

I fondly remember the flashing green letters against the infinite darkness of the computer screen , the exciting beep of my pager and, despite having been there from the beginning, I’m still a terrible video game player.

The twenty year old Assistant at my day job has never seen a real, live answering machine.  In her, such things may as well belong to a lost civilization, like eight track players, rotary phones and, soon to be (deep sigh of regret) books.

I fully embrace advancement. I do.  Some things, however, are irreplaceable.  Searching the World Wide Web from the palm of my hand is truly amazing. But, the crackle of a needle placed into the groove of a record, and the musty smell of pages that have been on a book shelf for far too long, make me melt.

Another unsettling realization is that while our technological advancements enhance our lives, they also increase our capacity to destroy.  The same types of inventions that allow us to reach out to one another in social camaraderie across vast distances, also make it possible to eliminate entire nations with the press of a button. We must be wise in our knowledge.  The future, if we’re careful, could be an amazing place to live.

I’m excited to see what the techno geniuses will come up with next.  I’m actually waiting for someone to fully develop Holodeck technology.  In the meantime, I’m off to find someone with a 3D TV to watch 3D porn with.

Cheers,

-Ceddy



Uniforms

A few weeks ago, while doing background work for the film Tower Heist, quite a few of us were caught in the trap of constantly forgetting that the NYPD officers in charge of crowd control were not actually officers in charge of crowd control.  They were actors.  Not only were they extras like ourselves, but admittedly, we were more dependent on them than common sense dictates.  Why would police officers have answers to questions like, “when are we breaking for lunch?”

It was the uniform.  We were subconsciously drawn to it, and we gave them more responsibility. In the spirit of make-believe, they accepted. We do this everyday.

A businessman walks into a board room wearing a business suit because that is universally recognized as professional attire.  Immediately the people around him know that he means business.  It is up to him to continue that impression once the meeting is in session.  Were he to attend in a clown suit, it would be a different type of meeting altogether. 

How we present ourselves to the world, is how we are accepted.  Let’s face it, if you dress like a slob, you will be treated like a slob. Many people subscribe to the belief that “what you see is what you get.” Like those actors, you may be mistaken for something you’re not, and assigned a role you do not wish to play.   

For all of our virtuous insistence about judging what’s inside vs. judging what’s outside, we are constantly judging books by their covers- on the subway, in the grocery store, as we’re walking down the street. We first respond to what we see.

Despite the pressure, be true to yourself. What you put on will not change who you are.  Dressing up like a lion will not make you a lion when you’re really an armadillo at heart. Wearing that tiara to Duane Reade will not make you royalty, no matter how shiny. Trust me on that one. It’s not about designer labels or sewing your paycheck to your bum. But a neat and clean appearance– whatever your personal style, will make a better impression when you present yourself to the world. If you’re an armadillo, be a well groomed armadillo.

Our police friends were acting; playing dress up. We must play dress up everyday.  We wear uniforms to work, and black tie to the opera; sweats to the gym, and jerseys to games. We dress up for occasions, and we dress down for leisure.

No matter what you wear on it, be comfortable in your own skin. That’s the most important uniform of all, because being who you are is the most important role you’ll play.

Cheers!

-Ceddy