Hollywood movies are considered to be morally bankrupt by many, and mere popcorn-fare by most. If that's the case, I don't understand how they continue to pump out Jonathan Livingston Seagull movies. You know the type: Hero has a clear duty. Hero also has a dream. Hero struggles between the two. Hero finally chooses the dream. The dream comes true. Some would call them fairy tales. Regardless, the Heroes go with their hearts -- and it works. And there we are, cheering the Heroes on as they struggle between duty and dream: "Don't be stupid. You know what to do. Go for it." And we know if they do go for it, it will work out. And it does. And we feel good. Which makes me wonder how these movies can be morally bankrupt or mere popcorn-fare. Why does Hollywood keep making these movies? Because they make money. Okay. But why do they make money? Because we keep going to them. Okay. But why do we keep going to them? Because they make us feel good. Why do they make us feel good? Because that's how we think it should be. Why do we think that's how it should be? Because then we'd all be fulfilled and live happy, meaningful lives. So why don't we do what the Heroes do, then? Namely, "go with our heart"? Because that stuff's fine in the movies. It's safe in the movies. Well, relatively safe. Even in the movies, Heroes have a hard go of it before their dreams come true. We don't want to have a hard go of it, or to even have the possibility of a hard go of it. But having a dream and not going for it -- isn't that a hard go? Yes. Then what do we have to lose? |
