Episode III, part 2: The Zen of the Jedi

Also, I noticed a very Zen moment from the Jedi master Yoda. "Let go of the thing you fear losing the most, you must." (or something like that). That and a comment about the dark side being about absolutes and the Jedi way not being fundamentalist. (Is it just me or did anyone else notice the polical commentary and how the rising empire mirrored what is happening here in the US?)

Letting go is something I'm not particularly good at. I am working on that on many levels, but the Scorpio in me makes that a challenge. Zen is all about letting go and making the most of the very moment here and now. Modern religion could sure learn a lot from the Jedi (and from Zen). Maybe I should train to be a Jedi... Now THAT is truly geeky, I must admit.

Episode III

Yes, it's the end of an era, the end of a saga (and sort of a beginning of one), and the official end of my youth, I think. Episode III of Star Wars was fun in its own way, mildly disturbing in another. You sense an ambivalence? Well, duh!

The storyline was fine. We all knew the outcome, but how we got there was, at times, gripping. The special effects were cool. And yet there seemed to be lacking a certain heart. Upon reflection, I think it may be attributed not to the film, but to the person who is me who watched this film (vs. the person who was me who remembers the original episodes IV and V). If I were that age again watching Episode III, I'd probably be saying how ultimately cool it was, and it was really pretty cool!

And yet, it seems to be a sort of bookend for the first part of my life. You, yes you, the occasional reader of this blog, know somewhat vaguely of the challenges of this past year. Lots of 'em and more I didn't detail here. I think they were all about growing up...

The tyranny of the majority

Before I start today, I encourage you to read this excerpt from John Stuart Mill's essay on liberty:

Like other tyrannies, the tyranny of the majority was at first, and is still vulgarly, held in dread, chiefly as operating through the acts of the public authorities. But reflecting persons perceived that when society is itself the tyrant — society collectively over the separate individuals who compose it — its means of tyrannizing are not restricted to the acts which it may do by the hands of its political functionaries. Society can and does execute its own mandates; and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with which it ought not to meddle, it practices a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. Protection, therefore, against the tyranny of the magistrate is not enough; there needs protection also against the tyranny of the prevailing opinion and feeling, against the tendency of society to impose, by other means than civil penalties, its own ideas and practices as rules of conduct on those who dissent from them; to fetter the development and, if possible, prevent the formation of any individuality not in harmony with its ways, and compel all characters to fashion themselves upon the model of its own. There is a limit to the legitimate interference of collective opinion with individual independence; and to find that limit, and maintain it against encroachment, is as indispensable to a good condition of human affairs as protection against political despotism.

Okay, so 'king W.'s whole administration and his congressional cronies, including Sen. Frist, have been exemplifying the tyranny of the (slight) majority--or, more probably, the tyranny of the vocal minority. They have been acting like they received a mandate even though the country is still pretty closely divided 50/50 on pretty much everything. They are in power, and they want to ensure they stay in power. They also want to force their opinions on basic birth control, a woman's choice, creationism, marriage, sexual preference, end of life issues, and general morality on everyone. Remember, Dr. Frist (yes he is apparently a real medical doctor) is the doctor who still doesn't rule out tears and saliva as major AIDS tranmission methods, even though it's basically an accepted fact they are not--but I digress.

Dr. Frist and 'king W. have also gone as far as saying that those who don't agree with them are against "people of faith." Apparently, these two men have a monopoly on God and what he wants (I've discussed this before). I'm sorry, but I believe in God and call myself a Christian. Yet, I certainly don't agree with these "people of faith." Where does that leave me? I am, apparently, a godless bastard doomed to an eternity in hell.

I am so very tired of the religious right-eous tyrannizing those who disagree with them. Although they would say that THEY are the ones being tyrannized. They brand those of us who disagree with them as faithless, yet they get mad when 'king W. is branded a "loser" (and yet he can get away with calling a reporter an asshole). I just don't get it! Isn't the hypocrisy glaringly evident to everyone?!? I believe that God probably sees it.

Let's get the church the hell out of government and back across the line into the churches again.

Rambling...

So what's the whole point, anyway? I've been thinking quite a bit lately about my place in the world. Have I made any kind of difference in my 38+ years here? Have I touched any lives for the better or has it all been vanity? So many things have changed for me in the past year, new job, new location, people coming into my life, people going out of my life. It's been a blur.

Regarding situations changing, people leaving: it's difficult. I was told don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened. Easier said than done.

Regarding meeting new friends: it's always exciting when you meet someone you click with and you share common interests with.

I guess I'm glad things change, that way we are always dealing with new potentials for positives. Still, it's difficult not to look back to those times you feel were really pivotal high points and wish that those moments could last longer. But one thing leads to another and so on and so on. It's quite a journey and we keep evolving and growing and building. Sometimes I just wish it was a little easier. Sigh.

Don't panic!

So I got a chance to see the movie The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy with my friend Charlie Blair this weekend. I'll admit I never read the books, but I did catch an episode or two of the British TV series. I have to say the movie was pretty enjoyable overall. Wacky, but in a good way.

My favorite part was the Infinite Improbability Drive, "a wonderful new method of crossing vast intersteller distances in a mere nothingth of a second without all that tedious mucking about in hyperspace." Using the Infinite Improbability Drive a ship "passes simultaneously through every point in the universe. It is then possible to decide at which point you actually want to be at when improbatility levels decrease." The effects of this type of travel can be disconcerting as you see the crew turning into knit dolls, planets changing into flowers or fruitcakes, nuclear missiles spontaneously becoming sperm whales or bowls of petunias, etc. Still, it's fun sort of concept.

42 everyone, 42!

Dollar Bill, Laura B. and a charmed media

So eveyone in the media thinks Laura Bush is a comedian after her comments at the White House Correspondents Dinner on April 29 about sneaking out with Lynn Cheney and Condi Rice to see some exotic dancers. Her salty story of how Lynn Cheney got her Secret Service code name of "Dollar Bill" was hi-larious, wasn't it!? Katie Couric and the rest of the gang in the media sure found her to be quite the Lenny Bruce! How properly hypocritical of this bastion of propriety to show a little humanity, eh? The faith-based, imperial couple seemed rather proud of themselves to yuk it up for the press (or maybe it was just a bunch of pre-screened supporters brought in to make them look good--who can tell these days?). I hope Mrs. Bush's comments made all members of the religious right-eous cringe just a little bit.

Now don't get me wrong, her comments were, in my mind, relatively tame, but they certainly fly in the face of the image of the first couple, who apparenly have a direct line to God (the vengeful Old Testament God, by the way)! Sort of like king W's comments of a few years back when he called someone an asshole when the microphone was inadvertantly left on... Maybe now they'll make guest voice appearances on South Park!

Blech!