Just to let you know, I’m participating in “National Not Writing a Novel Month.” Excpect not to see any updates about my progress, or samples of my work. I’m so excited!
A fucking brilliant point about LOST
Well stated, from Entertainment Weekly:
About “The Pearl” station:
…I wonder if what Alvar wastrying to do was teach human beings one simple behavior that could savethemselves from self-destruction. That behavior?
Becoming self-aware.
And then, after enlightenment — action.
Consider again the Pearl video, which begins with a quote from Dr. Karen DeGroot, one of his Dharma collaborators:
”Careful observation is the only key to true and complete awareness.”
Alvar’s hope was this:
The Pearl occupants would grow increasingly curious about the things they hadn’t been told, and more than that, concernedabout the test subjects in the Swan, especially as they ”struggled tocomplete their task.” In fact, I think Alvar hoped the observers inthe Pearl would become appalled by what they saw happening inThe Swan, and feel guilty about their own participation in theexperiment. Hanso hoped that the Pearl-based watchers would revoltagainst the system, free the Hatch inhabitants, and reveal to them thehidden structures that govern their lives.
In other words, what Alvar Hanso was trying to do was upload intothe MG Field a bold new biological imperative that would change theworld, a new appetite to replace the appetite for destruction:
The drive for ENLIGHTENMENT.
A desire for CHANGE.
But it didn’t work.
WHY?
Because The Pearl observers didn’t become curiousabout the alarming mysteries of their endeavor. They didn’t becomeconcerned about the struggles of The Swan occupants.No, like good little worker bees, they just did their job, as instructed by the dubious dude in the video.
And like good little TV watchers, they just sat back and enjoyed the show.
Silly Alvar. He thought watching TV could actually save the world.But if he knew then what we know now, he would know that could neverhappen. Why?
Survivor. Big Brother. The Bachelor. Wife Swap. Temptation Island.
Inother words: the guys in The Pearl were your average REALITY TV FANS.Watching people suffer… well, that’s just funny! And those journalsthey were keeping?
BLOGS.
Television without pity, indeed.
Fortunately, we have Lost. Because Lost is all aboutpromoting introspection and redemption; about taking a journey thatreveals that truth of our lives, and inspiring us to live our livesdifferently, and for the better.
Right?
RIGHT?!?
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to watch Survivor exploit some racial stereotypes. HILARIOUS!
Succinctly my view on LOST’s satire of survivor, in specific and general. It’s a great article.
Halloween, LOST, etc.
So Halloween was fun even if I was feeling Mr. poopy pants.
So, I’ve decided to extend Halloween to this weekend. I’m going to attend a friend’s wedding that is day-of-the-dead themed, plan to carve pumpkins, and will put up decorations.
Besides, I’ll get in trouble if I don’t produce some Pumpkin Cheesecake.
Tonight is the first LOST night where we’ll have Blair & Sara over. Reminds me of the old ST:TNG nights we would have once at Heather’s (or Leslie’s) house when I first met heather. We also had Buffy nights at our place when we lived in Petaluma, but it wasn’t quite the same since it was pretty much Heather and myself.
I’m still loving LOST with both hands, as it were.
I sure am tired today at work, though.