Instead of the usual sentiments, I'd love to see a new sobering greeting card, something like:
WAR ON EARTH AND BAD WILL TOWARD MEN!
Because the fact is, all the empty bromides, platitudes and clichés slapped onto mass-produced cards and mailed around the world won't do a damn thing to bring about peace on Earth and besides, if we really had peace on Earth it would only mean one thing: all humans were dead. If that's not a Gypsy Curse then what is?
Instead, why not kick back and enjoy the war and mayhem, the racism and intolerance, the poverty and illiteracy, the homophobia, xenophobia and jingoism that "makes the world go round"? Or, join in!
Am I a Grinch or pro-Devil? Not exactly, but if Jesus was crucified and Gandhi and MLK shot to death, if the War to End All Wars not only didn't end any wars but actually inspired another century's worth of wars, what's a vapid sentiment like "Peace on Earth" going to achieve?
In fact, it's probably good to be a little wary of anyone who says, "I come in Peace." People rarely do.
The above picture is from The Lathe of Heaven (1980) which has been digitally restored and transferred to DVD. Though low-budget, it's every bit as thought-provoking as I remember. When Dr. Haber, a key character, directs Orr, his prophetic "patient," to dream of peace on Earth, aliens invade the moon. When he wishes for an end to overpopulation, a plague wipes out three quarters of everybody. And so on in this excellent tale of Gypsy Curses. The ultimate take derived from Ursula K. Le Guinn's 1971 novel is, via Orr, that it's better to live flowingly like a taoist than to try to tinker like an engineer at the big issues without seriously considering the consequences.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, next stop is Vietnam. Oh, I mean Iraq. Or is it Iran? Hard to keep up, what with so many cards to open and all.
As for next year's greeting cards, how about taoist poems instead of holiday pablum?
Today's Rune: Defense.
In the "immortal words" of Walter Cronkite: And that's the way it is. . . . .
5 comments:
NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - [U.S.-trained] Iraqi soldiers bit the heads off frogs and ate the heart of a rabbit as signs of courage on Wednesday at a ceremony to transfer Najaf province, home to one of Shi'ite Islam's holiest shrines, from U.S. to Iraqi control. . . . . five soldiers stopped before the grandstand to bite the heads off frogs. A sixth holding a live rabbit slit open its stomach and ate its heart before tossing the carcass to his comrades to chew on.
Have faith young man. One day, peace will come.
Why not turn all our traditions upside down?
Wow, that was really depressing, but oh, so true. Bummer.
The film sounds like it has some elements of "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" with its warped take on world events. For "Caligari" context is also important: young men returning from WWI.
No, peace will never come. Things may start to get better but it will never be completely peaceful for everyone. Thats just the way our world works unfortunately. All we can do is hope and pray for the best and hope that some of those prayers get answered.
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