This will be a very quick post as it is no more than an elaboration on a previous post (Gentlemen in Today's World). Enjoy!
I spoke earlier of the evolution of gentlemen and quickly touched upon manners and politeness, this post is an attempt to address the evolution of manners. While gentlemanry has evolved negatively, some would argue that manners have evolved for the better. They are an integral part of society and life on the planet that we live in. We are somehow disgusted when we are not given a proper thanking. And we should be, that is the world we were brought up in. The problem is, that is the world we were brought up in.
Manners no longer have full meaning. Please, thank yous and sorrys do, but it's the actions that no longer carry true effect. Handshakes used to be a sign that you come peacefully. Two men would shake eachothers hands using their dueling hands in indication that they do not plan to pull swords.
Saluting carries that same evolution: it was originally two knights raising their visors to show that they are not afraid to show who they are as they do not intend to kill.
The fact is that our "evolution" has lead us to lose the essense of what once existed.
This has to be the end of this particular post due to a lack of time but it's very easy to learn more on the topic, and I plan to address it again in a later post.
July 24, 2008
July 8, 2008
Fight Club- Pop Culture's Most Misunderstood Child
As stated in the title, I truly believe that the novel (yes, NOVEL) Fight Club is one of the most misunderstood, beautiful creations in existence. Most people reading this will have only seen the movie as it is much more known than the novel (written by Chuck Polahniuk) but do not worry, the novel and the movie are similar enough that it should make no difference.
The thing is, the general population view Fight Club as a violent work. A product designed to disect an infected mind and to infect those of readers and viewers everywhere...
WRONG!
Fight Club is in no way a violent work, I would argue that it is, instead, a work of art and supports many of my ideals. If you pay close attention, you'll notice that no members of "Fight Club" or of "Project Mayhem" inflict any true pain on people. All those involved in the underground fight clubs do so at their own will and enjoy it just as much as the man they're fighting, they see it as a way to express themselves in a world where emotional drives are so negatively viewed. I do agree that society does not accept emotional guidance, but instead expects rationalisation at all times. This is simply not logical or human. "Project Mayhem" on the other hand inflicts pain upon corporations, but never upon the individuals within a corporation (directly). They blow up large corporate buildings and icons but never harm a human while doing so. I'd argue that this is almost noble in a world that is now run by corporatism and capitalism. I would say that the extent to which Chuck Polahniuk describes the necessary destruction of corporatism is a bit extreme, but the world we live in paints and extreme picture.
Even when Tyler Durden held a gun to a convenient store workers head, it was without the intention of death. Instead it encouraged the worker to pursue his dream of being a veteranarean (mispelled). Potential bad created great outcomes for one individual, with possible great effects.
There are only three true inflictions of pain:
1. The brutalization of a judge's manhood due to the fact that he was trying to shut down various fight clubs. Although the result was pain, those involved in the infliction saw it as necessary in order to cleanse the world.
2. Big Bob was shot in the back of the head... by the police. The establishment inflicted more death than those they considered criminals!
3. Tyler Durden... driven insane by the effects of a world gone to Hell.
I do not advocate such extreme action as that in the novel/ movie Fight Club but, as it is one of my favorites, I ask for a bit of understanding. Look past the initial violence that might be "clear" to the untamed eye, and look instead at the indications that corporations and capitalism will continue to take over our world unless we decide to take action against such a monstrosity.
The thing is, the general population view Fight Club as a violent work. A product designed to disect an infected mind and to infect those of readers and viewers everywhere...
WRONG!
Fight Club is in no way a violent work, I would argue that it is, instead, a work of art and supports many of my ideals. If you pay close attention, you'll notice that no members of "Fight Club" or of "Project Mayhem" inflict any true pain on people. All those involved in the underground fight clubs do so at their own will and enjoy it just as much as the man they're fighting, they see it as a way to express themselves in a world where emotional drives are so negatively viewed. I do agree that society does not accept emotional guidance, but instead expects rationalisation at all times. This is simply not logical or human. "Project Mayhem" on the other hand inflicts pain upon corporations, but never upon the individuals within a corporation (directly). They blow up large corporate buildings and icons but never harm a human while doing so. I'd argue that this is almost noble in a world that is now run by corporatism and capitalism. I would say that the extent to which Chuck Polahniuk describes the necessary destruction of corporatism is a bit extreme, but the world we live in paints and extreme picture.
Even when Tyler Durden held a gun to a convenient store workers head, it was without the intention of death. Instead it encouraged the worker to pursue his dream of being a veteranarean (mispelled). Potential bad created great outcomes for one individual, with possible great effects.
There are only three true inflictions of pain:
1. The brutalization of a judge's manhood due to the fact that he was trying to shut down various fight clubs. Although the result was pain, those involved in the infliction saw it as necessary in order to cleanse the world.
2. Big Bob was shot in the back of the head... by the police. The establishment inflicted more death than those they considered criminals!
3. Tyler Durden... driven insane by the effects of a world gone to Hell.
I do not advocate such extreme action as that in the novel/ movie Fight Club but, as it is one of my favorites, I ask for a bit of understanding. Look past the initial violence that might be "clear" to the untamed eye, and look instead at the indications that corporations and capitalism will continue to take over our world unless we decide to take action against such a monstrosity.
July 6, 2008
Gentlemen in Today's World
I will start by saying that I am insanely tired after a very long week of work and am falling asleep as I type. Having said that, if this post seems to make less sense than others or if I trail off every now and then, I blame my exhaustion.
I was forced to watch Brigette Jones' Diary today for the first time and it brought up a few interesting points in my mind. Not because of the movie itself but because of one of the characters in the movie: Mr. Darcy.
Darcy is a character who becamse Lizzy's love interest in Pride and Prejudice and who was evidentally viewed as the perfect gentleman, being used in Brigette Jones' Diary. I found this to be very interesting. Let me state very clearly that I thought Brigette Jones' was a terrible movie, and the second one (which I also, unfortunately, watched) was even worse. There was no true premise to the story except for a weak shadow of P&P (Pride and Prejudice).
So instead on elaborating specifically on the novel or terrible movie, I choose to elaborate on Mr. Darcy's character, and further extrapolate in order to relate it to our modern world.
Mr. Darcy is known as being the ideal gentlemen with obvious flaws. He respects women and all that good stuff, but unfortunately lacks a certain amount of manners that we would consider common today (and that would be considered common when the novel was written). This flaw is of course the reason that he does not initially succeed in his love interest.
Taking this information into consideration and applying the status of gentleman in today's world, his lack of manners would run his gentlemanly image into the ground. He was proven to be a fine man, willing to commit and to be everything a man should be, he simply lacked certain social skills. Let's apply that to todays world:
We are defined by the way in which we act. We can have the best intentions in the world but if we lack certain social skills (even just a certain few) then we are left on the side, disregarded as a gentleman. On the other hand, if a man's intentions are shallow and misleading, he can still be considered a gentleman and succeed in the world of "womanizing" if he is capable of wielding words.
This is all incredibly interesting to me because men in general now carry certain labels. A true gentleman in today's world may fall into the same category as a player simply because it is not common that ladies in today's world experience true gentlemen. Our world is based upon lies and manipulation, many guys choose to exploit that fact and THAT is why the good guy always loses, either being completely misunderstood or being disregarded as a true man.
I'm sure I could write more in regards to gentlemen in our world, and I plan to do so in a later post; however, my exhaustion leads me to sleep and so I'll cut this post short.
I was forced to watch Brigette Jones' Diary today for the first time and it brought up a few interesting points in my mind. Not because of the movie itself but because of one of the characters in the movie: Mr. Darcy.
Darcy is a character who becamse Lizzy's love interest in Pride and Prejudice and who was evidentally viewed as the perfect gentleman, being used in Brigette Jones' Diary. I found this to be very interesting. Let me state very clearly that I thought Brigette Jones' was a terrible movie, and the second one (which I also, unfortunately, watched) was even worse. There was no true premise to the story except for a weak shadow of P&P (Pride and Prejudice).
So instead on elaborating specifically on the novel or terrible movie, I choose to elaborate on Mr. Darcy's character, and further extrapolate in order to relate it to our modern world.
Mr. Darcy is known as being the ideal gentlemen with obvious flaws. He respects women and all that good stuff, but unfortunately lacks a certain amount of manners that we would consider common today (and that would be considered common when the novel was written). This flaw is of course the reason that he does not initially succeed in his love interest.
Taking this information into consideration and applying the status of gentleman in today's world, his lack of manners would run his gentlemanly image into the ground. He was proven to be a fine man, willing to commit and to be everything a man should be, he simply lacked certain social skills. Let's apply that to todays world:
We are defined by the way in which we act. We can have the best intentions in the world but if we lack certain social skills (even just a certain few) then we are left on the side, disregarded as a gentleman. On the other hand, if a man's intentions are shallow and misleading, he can still be considered a gentleman and succeed in the world of "womanizing" if he is capable of wielding words.
This is all incredibly interesting to me because men in general now carry certain labels. A true gentleman in today's world may fall into the same category as a player simply because it is not common that ladies in today's world experience true gentlemen. Our world is based upon lies and manipulation, many guys choose to exploit that fact and THAT is why the good guy always loses, either being completely misunderstood or being disregarded as a true man.
I'm sure I could write more in regards to gentlemen in our world, and I plan to do so in a later post; however, my exhaustion leads me to sleep and so I'll cut this post short.
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