I think it's fair to say that this world of ours is going through some turbulent times right now! Bad things have been happening and emotions are running high and as always there's people waiting in the wings looking for their chance to exploit the situation to advance their own cause. People who treat disagreement and differing perspectives as obstacles to be ruthlessy buldozed and shamed into Oblivion rather than the basis for a civilized conversation.
Pair all of this with spineless media companies who care only about turning a profit willing to bend over backwards and compromise the silent majority in order to appease the vocal minority and you get...well, exactly what's happening over the past years or so.🙄 The editing, censoring and outright removal of movies, books and TV shows which although perfectly acceptable when they were made are now considered problematic because they don't measure up to the high standards we've set today.
You know, clearly a movie made 81 years ago and revolves around the Civil War should absolutely conform to our present-day cultural norms, it just make sense.🤪 A beloved TV show that uses controversial language in some of its jokes clearly that needs to go, a three-second movie clip that shows a glimpse of a woman's bare ass, yup, that's ripe for a high quality edits. Really, there's no limit to all the cuts, deletions and changes you can do almost without anyone noticing, but here's the slight problem with all of this crap, slowly but surely it's diminishing the characters in movies and also us the Fans through all of this harmful influences!
See, every single piece of entertainment we consume, from the humblest amateur movie to the grandest Blockbuster is a unique and special piece of art, it may not appeal to all sensibilities or represent the Pinnacle of its genre, but it's art all the same! It exists, because it can, not because it must exist, because we chose to make it so. People exercise their imagination, their creativity and their Ingenuity to turn a simple idea into a reality and that is something to be treasured!
See, art is what makes us who we are from the first time we learn to use tools we've been driven to express ideas that transcend the limitations of our existence, we've been compelled to create things that will Outlast our short lives to tell stories that enthrall and Captivate people long after we've lived and died. Our art is an expression, not just who we are and who we might be, the goods and the bads, it allows us to explore our highest aspirations and our deepest fears, the power of our compassion and kindness and the Darkness of our cruelty and hatreds.
Art can thrill us with stories of courage and determination, adventure and excitement or Vengeance and anger, it can impart wisdom and knowledge, stir our Wonder and Imagination, carry us to far-off Worlds and different cultures, it can show us the strength of love and friendship or the dangers of anger and conflict, it can give us Heroes and terrifying villains, it can make us laugh and it can make us cry, it can show us the best and the worst of humanity or even challenge what it means to be human.
Movies can do all of these things and be all of these things for one reason and one reason only, because it's free! It's free to be bold and creative, inspiring and frightening, challenging and thought-provoking, it can dare to be provocative and controversial because all of those things are what make life worth living, but we're not careful it won't stay away. Already we're seeing the Insidious changes being made to the entertainment, the art that we consume, the blandless, the laziness, yes, the pandering and the politics.
Slowly leeching the fun, ambition and individuality out of everything, all in a Relentless crusade to avoid offending people, and it's not just the art that we produce now which is being compromised, these same voices calling with increasing volume and decreasing patience to alter the things that have already been created instead of being preserved and respected they're being altered and removed. It'll start with little things of course, a clip scene here, A minor edit there, a change of dialogue or an altered meaning.
"Hey Joshua, you Suave connoisseur of culture" I hear you say, "it's not that much to ask, is it? You're making a big Deal out of nothing! If a piece of entertainment causes offense to people to do, why not switch it a little so that everyone can enjoy it?" Well, my shockingly naive friend, that's where it may start, but that's not where it all ends! Slowly but surely, the changes will spread and grow, they'll get bigger and more severe and you'll keep trying to appease them. The offended voices will grow louder and more strident and still you'll try to appease them until eventually they'll demand something, that you won't give up, but by then, it'll be too late!
There have been appeased too many times, they'll have grown too bold and too loud to be silenced, they'll have perfected the Weaponry of social media shaming to Target and Destroy anyone who disagrees. By that point I have to mention the companies who own the rights to our Arts, the keys to our entertainment will be too afraid to do anything except capitulates, and what will be left when it's all over? A cold, sterile, censored, soulless world, a world where creativity, imagination and free expression are forbidden, so as not to risk offending someone.🤐😢
What we're talking about is a dystopia that could soon become bitter reality, a world constrained by fear and shame instead of driven by curiosity and inspiration, but it doesn't have to be that way! Our art is who we are, who we were, who we could be, it's our aspirations, our fears and our Legacy, it's the best and the worst facets of our nature and every time we chip away to censor it, alter it or remove it, we lose another little piece of ourselves and some of us don't get it till it's too late to stop in this development.
Our culture becomes depleted, not enriched, we become a little mind timid and fearful instead of Bolder and more confident, we learned to obey and conform instead of question and Challange and we disrespect the work and the legacy of previous generations for all their vices and virtues, their strengths and feelings, their triumphs and failures, they too are a part of us, they like us should never be compromised with that in mind.
I conclude with with some words from a wiser and smarter man than I could ever hope to be, words that I think should be a lesson to us all.
The first frame of the first image of the post corresponds to the film Bicycle Thief with a splendid Vittorio de Sica. At the time it was considered one of the 10 best films in the world and the masterpiece of Italian neorealism.
Greetings and good Sunday.