Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming

Es Ist Un Ros Entsprungen (or Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming) is my favorite Christmas hymn, and really one of my favorite musical compositions period. Written sometime in the 16th century, this German hymn uses the metaphor of a rose rising up through the snow to represent the birth of Jesus. And, as anyone who reads this blog knows, I tend to have my own way of interpreting religious myths. Basically, it's important to me that these ancient stories are not simply about worshipping a diety or messiah, but that they somehow celebrate my own life, and the lives of my loved ones, here in this reality. So, to me, Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming is a celebration of kids in general, all of whom are saviors in their own way, and who represent hope and rejuvination for the world. The reference to Mary, meanwhile, is a reference to all mothers, whose love and selflessness makes all of that hope and rejuvination a reality. (I still haven't reconciled myself with the lack of a father figure in the myth of Jesus' birth, but that's a post for another day). So this post is dedicated to my lovely wife and our wonderful son, both of whom feel to me like roses in midwinter. In honor of them, here's a few versions of this very cool hymn.

Here's a clip of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performing with soloist Renee Fleming (lyrics below)...

Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming from tender stem hath sprung!
Of Jesse's lineage coming, as seers of old have sung.
It came, a floweret bright, amid the cold of winter,
When half spent was the night.

Isaiah 'twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind;
With Mary we behold it, the virgin mother kind.
To show God's love aright, she bore to us a Savior,
When half spent was the night.

O' Flower, whose fragrance tender whose sweetness fills the air,
Dispels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere;
True Man, yet very God, from sin and death now save us,
And share our every every load.

 

Tori Amos created a very cool song by combining Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming with The Holly and the Ivy, and adding a few lyrics of her own. The song also includes some verses sung by Amos' daughter, Natashya...

But probably the most beautiful way to experience Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming is when it is performed by a children's choir. Here's some kids dressed like sailors who also happen to sing like angels. Enjoy...

The Art of Christian Mythology

Just in time for the season of lights, here are five of my favorite works of art inspired by Christian mythology. Hope you enjoy...

1. Mass in B Minor

Near the end of his life, Johann Sebastian Bach pieced together a number of his smaller compositions and the result was the Mass in B Minor. It's essentially a complete Latin Catholic mass set to classical music. And it's also considered one of the greatest classical works ever composed.




2. La Sagrada Familia

This modern-day cathedral is the brainchild of the great Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi. Construction was begun in 1882 and is still ongoing. If you're ever in Barcelona, it's a must see, along with Gaudi's other unique and inspiring creations.




3. Christmas Music. Okay. I admit it. Every year, come the end of November, I get a little bit excited to hear Christmas music. Here are my top 5 favorite Christmas albums.

Charlie Brown Christmas

The Christmas Collection by Il Divo

Christmas Favorites by the Vienna Boys Choir

Noel by Joan Baez

Songs for Christmas by Sufjan Stevens

4. Hieronymus Bosch and The Garden of Earthly Delights

In addition to having one of the coolest names ever, this guy was also a famous painter. This triptych is one of the most bizarre and creative paintings ever, and for that reason it makes my list. 

5. Jesus Christ Superstar

What do you get when you mix 70s culture with Jesus? That's right. You get apostles driving hippie vans through the desert, disco-dancing angels, and some seriously rockin' guitar riffs. Thank you Andrew Lloyd Webber for creating one of the coolest works of art to ever come from Christian mythology.

Into the Mouth of Madness Part III (or Metaphorically Speaking)

In this third and final part of my exploration of The Bible, I wanted to share some of the perspective and insights I've gleaned from reading The Bible my own way. Here goes...

So What Exactly Is The Bible (In My Own Words)?

The Bible is essentially an ancient mythological account of the cause of, and the cure to, the difficulties of human existence. By difficulties, I mean those four existential concerns that we humans all struggle with; death, meaninglessness, isolation, and freedom. And while the Bible may use slightly different verbiage - original sin, the fall of man, the cross we must bear - the message is essentially the same. It’s not easy being human. As for the answer to our pain, The Bible is very clear in stating that it is to be found in Jesus. But what exactly does that mean? Well, when taken literally, it means that if I accept Jesus, the magical son of a man with a beard from another dimension, as my Lord and Savior, I will be rewarded with eternal life in a land of clouds and butterflies, where I can forever listen to my grandfather’s war stories and eat my Aunt Jane’s fruit cake. Let me say that again. Forever. The Bible's answer for my existential concerns, when read literally, is that I need not worry about them because there is another reality where my existential concerns will all come to an end. Unfortunately for me, I would need to believe in the literal truth of The Bible for this answer to assuage my earthly concerns. So what’s a skeptic to do? Well, as I’ve discovered over the past few weeks, The Bible’s mythology, when read as a metaphor for life in this reality (rather than a literal, inter-dimensional battle between good and evil), actually has quite a bit to offer me in my path through this life. Here’s my guide to reading The Bible as metaphor...

I. Creation (or The Days Before Us Humans):

This one’s pretty obvious. Those seven days? Right. Not really seven days, but a metaphor for a really long time. No reason why I can't read me some Genesis on Sunday morning and still keep up with current evidence that supports things like evolution, the big bang, and dinosaurs.

 

II. The Garden of Eden (or The Dawn of Human Suffering):

To me, the story of the Garden of Eden is essentially the story of the dawn of human consciousness. The tasting of the fruit from the tree of knowledge represents the moment in human evolution when we developed our consciousness. The expulsion from The Garden, meanwhile, represents the fact that our development of consciousness pretty decisively separated us from the rest of the animal kingdom, and nature in general. The depiction of our consciousness as “original sin,” (a negative thing) is an interesting perspective and one I sympathize with. It is, after all, our consciousness that causes us to suffer from existential concerns. It's what gives us our ability to reflect on our behavior, and feel guilt and shame for our actions. So yeah, it makes sense that the Old Testament depicts our human condition in such a negative light. This disparaging view of humanity changes, however, with the arrival of a new kid on the block in the New Testament.

III. J.C. On The Scene (or An Answer to Human Suffering): 

While the answer to our suffering from an Old Testament perspective largely involves punishing ourselves for our sinful nature, the arrival of J.C. brought about a different vibe. J.C. noted that while human beings, with our fancy conscious brains, do at times seem fated to suffer and to cause harm, there is another, more positive side to being human. He noted for example, our ability to love, to empathize, to help others, and to show compassion. Practicing these positive attributes of our humanity, according to Jesus, was the path to knowing “God.” And here’s where I have found it immensely helpful to read the words of Jesus as metaphor. To know “God,” does not have to involve knowing a man in the sky, nor does reaching “the kingdom of heaven,” have to refer to another reality. Metaphorically speaking, knowing “God” and reaching “Heaven” are just others ways of describing a change in consciousness here in this reality. Through following his path, Jesus believed we humans could actually live at a heightened state of being, one where the suffering of our existential concerns was no longer important. As for how to reach this higher level of consciousness and escape our suffering, J.C. had some very specific advice...

1. Avoid Attachment: J.C. believed that when we become consumed by greed, self-interest, and materialism, we lose touch with our good nature, and we create our own private hell.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

                                                                -Matthew 19:23-24

What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

                                                                -Matthew 16: 26

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

                                                                 -Luke 12:15

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

                                                                  -John 2:15




2. Live for Others: J.C. also felt that a life of service was an essential step towards achieving a higher consciousness.

Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

                                                                    -Matthew 5:42

But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.

                                                        -Luke 14:13-14

3. Forgive Others: Another pattern that binds us to our earthly suffering is holding onto hatred, jealousy, and resentment. Jesus was clear in stating that we should forgive all who do us harm.

If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them. 

                                                                       -Luke 17: 3,4

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

                                                      -Colossians 3:13

You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else?

                                                                        -Matthew 5:43-47

4. Love: I would say that this one word basically captures the teachings of Jesus better than any other. Love is an outward, transcendent way of experiencing life. It's a way of living in which one is humble, doesn't judge, is peaceful, focused on the moment, is joyful, and sees the world clearly. In this sense, Love is similar to the Buddhist idea of Enlightenment. It's a state of higher consciousness, where the existential concerns of human consciousness no longer impact one in devastating ways. It provides one with meaning, guidance, and peace.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

                                                                 -John 4:7-8

Dear children let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

                                                                              -1 John 3:18

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

                                                                  -Luke 6:45

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

                                                                              -1 Peter 2: 1-3

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

                                                                     -Matthew 5:13-16

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. 

                                                                 -Matthew 7:12

Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.

                                                                 -John 8:7

5. Follow Your Bliss: Let's face it. Jesus was a non-conformist. And the following passage is emblematic of that spirit. In finding our way through life, we shouldn't simply choose from the pre-existing options, but rather, look inward and learn about our own unique selves. From there, we can then create the lives we are each meant to live.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

                                                                       -Romans 12:2




Okay. Well that about sums up my current thinking on The Bible. I've really enjoyed this process of making peace with, and finding personal meaning in, this text that is so intertwined with my heritage and culture. Coming up next, I'll be talking about some of my favorite Christian works of art.

Into the Mouth of Madness Part II (or How To Not Do What You're Told)

  "I did it my way."

  -Frank Sinatra

In my last post I spoke about my desire to sit down and spend some quality time with my old childhood friend, The Bible. It's a book that for many has been the cause of a great deal of unnecesary guilt and shame (not to mention therapy), and yet for others has been a reason for joy and celebration. Reading a book this emotionally charged, and this dividing, with an open and curious mind may seem a near impossible task. But, I'm going to give it a try. My plan is to forget about all of the rules for how The Bible is supposed to be read, block out the voices of those who would dictate its meaning for me, and quiet some of the emotional resistance I've developed towards the book over the years (see last post). My thinking is that if I'm even a little bit successful with these three goals, I just might find some personal meaning in The Bible. Hey, it's worth a shot right? I guess we'll see...

Part I: Choosing a Version of the Bible

When I was a kid, my parents had this really cool book lying around our house called The Way. The reason it was really cool was because on the cover there was a photograph of a woman who looked just like my mom. And, being that I was probably around 7 years old at the time, it just didn't get much cooler than that. Funny thing was, I don't remember ever taking the time to see what was actually inside the book. Recently, I decided to look up "The Way" on the old Internets, and discovered that it's a "paraphrased" version of The Bible (i.e. a modern language Bible you can actually read without a thesaurus). After doing a bit more research, I also learned that the book is well-regarded as a fairly reliable source for lay readers. So, given that I don't really care if I'm reading an exact English translation of the original Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek, I got myself a copy of "The Living Bible" as it's called today.

Part II. What's the Point?

Part of my goal with this blog has been to develop a personal mythology. Basically, I've wanted to identify those myths and works of art that enrich my experience as a human being in this world. And given that The Bible is a defining work of my Irish and German heritage, I think it deserves its fair share of consideration in my life, even if it hasn't been particularly useful up to this point. My goal, then, using the Four Functions of Myth as laid out by Joseph Campbell, has been to see how The Bible might...1) provide me with Philosophy that helps me reconcile myself with the realities of human existence, 2) provide me with a mythical model of adulthood, 3) provide me with a helpful image of the cosmos, and 4) enrich my understanding of a well-functioning human society. Basically, how does this book, as one of the thousands upon thousands of human spiritual texts in our history, fit into my life as an adult in the modern world?

Part III. What Exactly is 'My Own Way' of Reading The Bible?

I then took the time to identify a few of my personal beliefs that would significantly guide my interpretation of The Bible. Here's what I discovered...

• I am not reading The Bible out of any need or desire to worship a deity, prophet, or messiah. My aim in simple: To explore an ancient text in search of any wisdom and/or meaning it can provide me for life in the modern world. Many will no doubt say that mine is a self-centered view. And they would be right. But, from my experience, devoting my time to self discovery and improvement is just about the most selfless thing I can do. It improves life for everyone around me, and honors this one small chance I get at living.
• The events described in The Bible do not have to be interpreted as accurate, factual history. The flood, the miracles, the rising of the dead: the important thing is not whether or not these things actually happened or whether or not I believe they happened. The important thing is how they can enrich my life today.
• The language of The Bible does not have to be read literally. "God," for example, does not have to refer to a man with a beard who lives in a different dimension called Heaven. The Garden of Eden does not have to refer to a real geographic place. And the Ten Commandments don't have to refer to actual stone tablets. These things can all be interpreted figuratively.

Part IV. Finding the Meaning.

As a final step, I thought about how I could re-interpret certain elements of The Bible in a more symbolic way (and in a way that made more sense to me). What follows is a list of some of my personal interpretations of Biblical themes and symbols that I hope will make the stories more relevant to my adult life in this modern world.

• God: To me, God is the Universe. Nature. All things. This view of God is often called pantheism.
• Jesus: To me, Jesus was a man with a deep connection to God (again, the Universe). When he called us "sons and daughters of God" he wanted us to appreciate our importance in the Universe. He understood that we are special creatures, in that we are able to live lives of compassion, love and forgiveness. And he devoted his life to modeling this positive human potential, and encouraged others to follow in his footsteps. Essentially, Jesus represents the super human being we can all become if we accept the Jesus potential with which we are each born.
• The Cross: This symbolizes the existential burdens of life we all must carry as human beings. To live is to struggle with Death, Meaninglessness, Freedom, and Isolation. It's a cross we all must bear.
• The Soul: A person's humanity (i.e. consciousness, love, peace compassion, forgiveness)
• Heaven: Enlightenment, Transcendence. This is what we can experience if we embrace the full potential of our humanity.
• Hell: Suffering. This is what we experience if we lose touch with our humanity.
• The Good News: We can escape suffering by accepting our inner Jesus and striving towards our human potential for compassion and peace.
• Christmas: As a remembrance of Jesus' birth, this day, to me, is essentially a celebration of the new Jesus that arrives with every new childbirth. It's a day to honor new human life, and children in general.
• The Crucifixion: A symbol of Jesus' ability to embrace life with arms wide open, even when faced with life's existential darkness (isolation, meaninglessness, freedom, and death). More importantly, though, I think the story represents Jesus' ability to maintain his humanity (his forgiveness, his love, and his compassion) even when he has been crucified by his fellow man. Essentially, the message is that anyone can be a good human being when things are going well. That's easy. But to be truly Jesus-like and transcendent, you have to walk the path of love, compassion and peace in all situations, including times when you've been treated unfairly or rejected, whether the economy is good or bad, in times of war, and in times of peace. 

Part V. The Results

So that about does it for my process so far. Up next, I'll be talking about the stories of The Bible, and how they pertain to my own life today.

Into the Mouth of Madness Part I (Revisiting the Bible)

The Bible has never been high on my list of personally-meaningful texts. Not for a lack of trying. As a child, I spent every Sunday morning dressed in my bleached-white altar boy garb, ineptly performing the ancient rituals of the Catholic Mass before a packed church, all the while pondering how I might get some of the girls from the congregation to talk to me and how I might beat the 7th level on Zelda (It never occurred to me that there might be a conflict between those two concerns). On Thursday nights it was off to "Sunday School" with the cool long-haired dude who would talk to me and about 5 other kids about Heaven and Jesus and Iron Maiden. Maybe it wasn't the impact he had hoped to have on me, but our Thursday chats inspired me to purchase Somewhere in Time, an album that undoubtedly helped me survive my sophomore year of high school. And it's hard to forget those terrifying monthly visits to the confessional booth, where I'd receive instructions to recite a number of Hail Mary's equal to the latest lie I'd told Mom and Dad. Five hundred Hail Mary's later and I still feel bad about not telling them where I was on New Years Eve 1989. Sorry guys. It wasn't Timmy's house. The truth is that this mystical world of my Irish Catholic heritage never developed into anything more than just something I had to do. Making matters worse, our church was to eventually experience a tragic, and all-too-familiar, incident in which our priest, Father Caparelli, took advantage of several young boys in our congregation. Why I was spared this treatment I'll never know. Like a few of the other kids at church, I had gone to the movies with Father Caparelli, and helped out with gardening of the church grounds. But for whatever reason, the worst I ever experienced was a pat on the rump that lasted a bit too long.

After the scandal broke, my parents were quick to switch churches and I spent the remaining Sundays of my childhood in the more relaxed and ritual-lite environment of a Lutheran Church, minus the whole altar boy part. There my adventures in Christianity continued. Each week, I sat through variations of the same Bible readings, hymns, and sermons. I faithfully mouthed the prayers I knew by heart. I took my weekly communion, and became confirmed. And I even joined the youth group, attending a number of camping and rafting trips in honor of Jesus (but mainly in honor of the three cute girls who were in the group). And through it all, the worldview of the church failed to capture my imagination. It never had anything to do with the whole Father Caparelli situation either. I've always been of the opinion that there are bad apples in every group out there, and I'm fairly certain that the vast majority of Christian priests are lovely, compassionate, and responsible individuals. The fact of the matter is that the Bible never gave me what my mind needed.

Fast forward twenty years, and I've got a bit more perspective on this disconnect. The basic problem has always been with the church's compartmentalization of good (God) and evil (Satan). Inner peace, for me, wasn't going to be found by rejecting and repressing all things deemed "evil", and accepting an all-good deity into my life. It was going to be found by accepting the "good" and the "bad" inherent in all things, identifying those things in this reality that perpetuate the good and bad, and finding ways to improve myself and the world with this real-world knowledge in mind. So when I left home and went to college, I became a fairly passionate seeker of knowledge. It didn't matter if it was scientific, spiritual, or artistic. It was all part of the puzzle. And, over time, I've managed to find the peace I never had as that confused kid in church. Meanwhile, aside from my occasional appearance at a Lutheran mass while visiting my parents, I've pretty much let go of my Christian upbringing. And in the 15+ years since my church-going days, I've probably built up my fair share of emotional reactivity to all things Christian.

Which brings me to the larger point of this post. Because one of the tasks of adulthood (in my humble opinion) is to try and reduce the emotional reactivity we develop towards those things we leave behind. For me, this means being able to read the bible with as much openness and curiosity as I might read a book more in my own comfort zone. And so, I thought I'd take the opportunity to revisit those mysterious and confusing chambers of my childhood, with the benefit of my adult calm and perspective, and see if there might be any wisdom the Good Book has waiting for me. I mean, I am talking about my heritage and my family here. And so, for a few weeks now, I've been reading about floods, and burning bushes, and people rising from the dead, and it's been...well, sort of fun, and kind of enlightening. So stay tuned for my next post, in which I'll be talking about how I've learned to read the Bible my own way.

Critically Panned / Personally Admired

So after 1) a post defending the Star Wars prequel trilogy, 2) a glowing review the much-maligned Dune movie, and 3) a tribute to Vanilla Sky, a film that got pretty slammed by reviewers, this blog is slowly devolving into Mike's Best of the Worst. But hey, this blog is about embracing the person you are, no matter what the critics say. So, in the spirit of going all out, I thought I'd devote a post to what I consider to be some of the most unfairly maligned movies in recent history. Here's 5 of my favorite panned films, with their corresponding Rotten Tomatoes review scores in parentheses...

 

 

The Fountain (51%)

I really, really like The Fountain. And I couldn't even begin to explain why. That's why I've included an interview with the star Hugh Jackman, in which he talks about his initial reaction to the script. I like how he describes his attachment to the film as a sort of visceral, almost spiritual experience. I think a lot of our responses to art can't be explained or intellectualized. And that's been my experience with The Fountain. The visuals, the music, and the dialogue all work together to form a tapestry that, for me at least, is both moving and unexplainable.

The Chronicles of Riddick (29%)

This sequel to the minimalist sci-fi flic, Pitch Black, got trashed for its over-the-top special effects and overly serious tone. Well, as I'm fond of saying every now and then...Whatever. I love this movie. I think the visuals are imaginative. Vin Diesel is cool. And I'm just a sucker for sci-fi involving futuristic religious fanatics. Very fun stuff.

 

The Happening (18%)

I actually love The Happening. It's a feat possible only through my decision to view it as an intentionally bad film. And as M. Night Shyamalan, himself stated about his completely absurd creation, "I wanted it to be a fantastic, fun B movie." So yeah, all of the bad acting, awkward pacing, and plot loopholes, he totally meant to do that. Boo ya! I guess movies that play games with the audience are not for everyone. I, for one, think this movie is loads of fun.

The Family Stone (52%)

Sure it's a bit silly and has its fair share of flaws, but I'm still a big fan of The Family Stone. For me, it hits the mark way more than it misses. The cast is stellar. And the film's characters are interesting and different. And Luke Wilson's line about 'flying your freak flag' is one of my favorite movie lines ever.

Hollywood Ending (47%)

Woody Allen's late career is not as bad as critics have made it out to be, and his early career is not as perfect as said critics would have you believe either. Aside from some truly weak films (Read: Anything Else, Whatever Works, and You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger), there are many gems to be found in post-2000 Woody land. I can't help but wonder if Hollywood Ending got poor reviews just because it was poking fun at movie reviewers. In any case, I think it's one of Woody's funnier movies.

Existential Freedom and the Modern World (Part 2): Finding the Balance

"But where shall I start? The world is so fast, I shall start with the country I know best, my own. But my country is so very large, I had better start with my town. But my town, too, is large. I had best start with my street. No, my home. No, my family. Never mind, I shall start with myself."

                                                                                        - Elie Wiesel

In a recent post, I discussed a few things that make it difficult for the modern-day individual to identify what he or she can control in this ever-confusing world. And yet, I also made the case that appreciating the parameters of one's existential freedom may be more important than ever. So the question now is, given all of the variables of our modern environments that seem perpetually close to swallowing us whole - our social stratification, our genetics, our family histories, the media, politics, advertising - how do we modern adults get in touch with the one variable that matters most: ourselves? Well, essentially I think the answer to that question is two-fold: 1) On the one hand we need to acknowledge our ability to direct our responses to the world and make choices about our actions. The fact is that we all have the tendency to get overwhelmed, and to stop paying attention to what we're doing. And yet, we are not completely at the mercy of the world's forces. We can exert control over our lives. 2) But we also need to make sure that we don't take responsibility for that which is out of our control. Because we also, from time to time, accept the burden for far too much, and develop delusional beliefs and expectations about the extent of our power and influence over the world. We are, each of us, tiny creatures, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Sounds easy, right? Ha. Here's what the modern adult struggle for existential freedom might look like on a hypothetical continuum...

    Existential Freedom 

<------------------------------------------------------> 

    Powerless               Self-Empowered          Overburdened

Powerless: On one end of the spectrum, we become overwhelmed by the world's larger forces. We may constantly go along with whatever our culture, the television, our friends, and our families are doing. We may forget to take the time to identify our own identity, our own values, and act accordingly.

Overburdened: On this end of the spectrum, we actually develop a delusion of having too much power and control. We take personal responsibility for all of the world's problems. We may become depressed by the actions of others, whether they be our family members, state and national politics, or global issues. And yet, the problem is ultimately with us. We are taking on too much personal responsibility for the rest of humanity. We must remember that we cannot control the actions of other people. All we can do is take responsibility for ourselves, and do the best that we can. 

Self-Empowered: The ideal relationship with our freedom, I would argue, would be some place right in the middle. In this ideal state, we take responsibility for the role we play in our relationships, the work we produce at our jobs, and the way we respond to our problems. And yet, we let go of those things we can't control. We realize that we are not at fault for the experiences of injustice that we suffer. We accept that we cannot control the actions of others. And we play our small part in impacting the big global issues that face humanity without carrying the weight of these problems on our shoulders. 

How each individual reaches this ideal self-empowered state, I can't say. We each inevitably have our own challenges, and our own path towards improvement. I am able, however, to speak about my own challenges in this area. So keep an eye out for some upcoming posts on my own struggles with feeling both powerless and overburdened. Until then, thanks for reading.

Personal Mythology Addition: Vanilla Sky

"Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around."
                                                       -Sofia Serrano

Ever since first viewing it about 12 years ago, I've felt a strong connection to Vanilla Sky. And yet my adoration for the film has often been a little hard to place. I mean, I've appreciated the performances of Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz, both of whom it seems to me put their all into making this movie. And I've found the story, of the protagonist losing his one chance at true love, to be sad and moving. But I've also had a sense that there were deeper themes at work that, while I never managed to identify, had nonetheless worked their way into my experience as a viewer. And then, a few nights ago, I decided to watch Vanilla Sky for about the umpteenth time, and it all fell into place. Thanks to my recent musings on existentialism, it occurred to me that Vanilla Sky is basically existential thought put to film. And I think that it is the film's engagement with existentism that really elevates it from being just another one of my favorite movies to being a work of art that has had a significant and meaningful place in my life. If anyone out there has yet to see the movie, I suggest checking it out before reading ahead (i.e. spoiler alert). For anyone else, here's a breakdown of the film from an existential perspective...

Vanilla Sky touches upon a variety of existential motifs, most notably death and freedom. David Ames, the protagonist, is a man who has it all; money, power, and friends. And without want or worry, David's life is pretty much just an extended party. His frivolous existence, meanwhile, only serves to distract him from ever paying attention to the big existential concerns in life (i.e. freedom, death, isolation, and meaninglessness. For more, read here). When tragedy strikes and David is horribly disfigured in a car accident, he experiences for the first time in his life the harsher realities of existence - rejection, heartache, pain, loneliness. Finding his new life intolerable, David falls into despair. He becomes defeatist and self-pitying. And, ultimately, he ends his life. But thanks to a slightly confusing sci-fi plot the film doesn't end there. David, it turns out, has signed a contract with Life Extension, a futuristic company that provides clients with the opportunity to enter a state of suspended animation and permanently dream a life of their own design. Upon David's death he begins the "lucid dream" that he has purchased; a virtual reality of sorts in which his life has turned out much differently. A surgeon has now corrected his disfigurement and he is living happily ever after with his true love Sofia. Over time, however, David's subconscious rejects the dream, which throughout the film slowly devolves into a nightmare. David is eventually visited by a Life Extension representative, who offers him a new choice. He can have his lucid dream corrected and continue to sleep, or he can wake up and live a real life again, with all of its pleasure and its pain. In one of his last lines of the film, David states "I want to live a real life... I don't want to dream any longer."

The beauty of Vanilla Sky is that what should for all intents and purposes be a depressing movie is an uplifting treatise on embracing life, meaning, and freedom in the face of pain and loss. Ironically, David's previously carefree life of partying, snowboarding, and womanizing - what most Americans might refer to as living life to its fullest - was just an empty charade. It is not until the film's conclusion, when David chooses to return to the real world with full knowledge of life's difficulty, that he finally understands what it means to really live. As one of the film's characters is fond of stating "The sweet is never as sweet without the sour." Here's the film's climactic scene...

As an additional point, I have to say that the decision to take a heartthrob actor like Tom Cruse and ruin his good looks was, in my opinion, a pretty brilliant move by the film-makers. Say what you will about Tom Cruise, the man has shown throughout his career a desire to take on serious and challenging roles. And the yearning and despair he shows in this movie reveal the depths of his talent.

In any case, Vanilla Sky has definitely made canon status in my personal mythology. I should add that the film is actually an American re-imagining of the Spanish film Abre Los Ojos, so anyone with an interest in Vanilla Sky might want to check that one out as well.