A stunning film about the Serbian war, shot almost as a documentary. A dark comedy brilliantly acted out. The story line is pretty simple; 2 soldiers from the opposite camps find themselves stuck in a trench in no man's land. They cannot move anywhere as the fields surrounding them are mined.. They manage to get noticed and both camps respectively call the UN for assistance in the matter (there is a excellent scene in which both soldiers jump frantically along the trench in boxers, each brandishing a white shirt).
Other than being entertaining, this war satire depicts with emotion the issues that the UN faces in pacification processes across the world. The many restraints in UN policies and use power are at times extremely frustrating, not only for the citizens and soldiers concerned; but also the outsiders aware of the situation, and people in the UN itself. I think this is the most powerful and important theme of the film, although it does span over other subjects such as the obvious hypocrisy of war, how soldiers lives through it, and its relation with the media (another great scene where the newsroom in Europe is contacting the reporter on location, ignorantly asking her to film inside the trench and interview the soldiers in order to get a good story - when it was made very clear to anybody present on the scene that such things were implausible). I liked this representation of the many "layers" that exist in reality. What seems obvious to some is unknown to others.. And although we attempt to present reality as best as we can through news and footage, it never is truly replicated. Add to this Perspective, which is in almost every news report, and the notion of reality becomes truly distorted. I'm not saying that a 100% un-biased view is achievable, but it should be a standard to be sought by any news outfit.
Media is the second most important theme, as in the films context the media plays an important role by forcing the UN to make an affirmative decision that enables UN troops present to take action and help the 2 soldiers. The role of the media is of course limited; what the film attempts to show us is that when used correctly, it can effectively push enough weigh to consequently resolve pressing issues. In such contexts the media is a great tool that enables a democratic proceeding - by which I mean that if the issue is brought to the public eye, then whoever is in charge of resolving that issue will do so with more thought and responsibility - as this isn't always the case.
The debate about the media is an extremely important one.
As a principle, the media stands out to be the greatest tool to spread information and hence awareness to the biggest possible audience. However, the enormous content that the media is in control of is submitted to a process of selection and editing, and all that content is filtered through. The end result is what we see on our screens. The only way media can effectively be used productively (few can argue that it currently is - and I welcome your views eagerly!) is by submitting this ongoing selection and editing to deeper analysis and control. For it is controlled by the major media outfits, and should really be controlled by a conscious branch of the state concerned with society and its welfare. What I'm putting forwards here is not a totally radical idea, simply the idea that who decides what goes on our screens should be making wiser decisions based on what is going to be good for those watching - not what is going to be good for numbers and tv ratings, hence profit for the industry. The media is a tool almost as powerful as Education and Family (the extent of this is debatable) and sadly is being manipulated by the profit industry. How can such a powerful tool be in the hands of people who's priority is to seek greater profits, as opposed to people who seek to improve the global community by spreading un-biased awareness and truth?
17.12.08
Notes on "The Power of Nightmares", documentary by the BBC
Governments have got themselves in trouble. They have created, a trend, an ideology, that is entirely based on thinking up a scenario, and acting upon it. They think of a worse case scenario and then make all the moves possible in order to prevent it. The issue I raise are the ways in which they prevent a fictional scenario. They arrest, incriminate and kill, to prevent a disaster from striking.
What is the basis for this disaster? On what evidence do those in charge effectively decide that it is a matter of national security?
The reason they are in trouble, is because they have created such a wild worse-case scenario, that they themselves are having trouble grasping it.
"Bin Laden was, though, a product of a monumental miscalculation by western security agencies. Throughout the 80s he was armed by the CIA and funded by the Saudis to wage jihad against the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. Al-Qaida, literally "the database", was originally the computer file of the thousands of mujahideen who were recruited and trained with help from the CIA to defeat the Russians"
"The truth is, there is no Islamic army or terrorist group called Al-Qaida. And any informed intelligence officer knows this. But there is a propaganda campaign to make the public believe in the presence of an identified entity.. The country behind this propaganda is the US"
- Robin Cook - former British Foreign Secretary
Governments are at war with an illusion they themselves created. In order to keep this up, the public must obviously support them and their actions. The media helps a lot. The media feeds to the people whatever will catch their attention the most. And the way in which politicians dramatize the illusion gives way to a huge cascade of delusional ideas. We are being mislead. The little information or evidence the government comes up with is being distorted and presented to us in a specific manner, which advocates their policy, the direction they want to go in. The problem is that it has all gotten dis-proportioned. Blown up far too big, too quickly for anyone to make any sense out of it. And has therefore gone ahead lead by the few in charge..
We no longer know where we are anymore. We identify to nothing. Society is facing a major issue here. An issue we do not want to face. Nor is this an issue that the powers above are attempting to resolve, as they are more than content with perpetuating the dumbing down of the nations. Democracy seems to have inverted itself, and we are slowly starting to be governed by the top of the pyramid. They have their own agenda, and in their eyes we are but strategic pawns. Their greatest task is to manipulate our minds and skillfully manage to direct us across their chessboard, without even touching us. Men cannot play god, as we remain men, and can always see through each others cards. The fact that some have attempted to do this, as delicate and considerate they may have been, strikes me as one of the most disgraceful and criminal acts of all times. These are old games though, that mankind has been playing for thousands of years, and has never ceased. But the general public used to be aware and involved, and disputed their position of "inferiority" with the powers that be. There were uproars and revolutions, to attempt to salvage their dignity.
Yet where are we today?
Society doesn't believe in anything, and is driven by fear. We fear those who Do believe in something, and we label them with many names, classify them into groups and organizations. They are different from you, and this scares you. They even go as far as becoming enemies for some. Since when has difference been correlated with conflict; and what triggers conflict in the first place, other than self-interest? Our society is one of "Survival of the fittest". We seem to be bread to fight each other. Beat each other. Defeat each other. Be bigger and better and richer and stronger. Have the thirst for power. Instead of having the thirst for love. This comes 2nd. Power is the priority, and we are constantly reminded of this.
I guess we do believe in something; the necessity of power.
What is the basis for this disaster? On what evidence do those in charge effectively decide that it is a matter of national security?
The reason they are in trouble, is because they have created such a wild worse-case scenario, that they themselves are having trouble grasping it.
"Bin Laden was, though, a product of a monumental miscalculation by western security agencies. Throughout the 80s he was armed by the CIA and funded by the Saudis to wage jihad against the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. Al-Qaida, literally "the database", was originally the computer file of the thousands of mujahideen who were recruited and trained with help from the CIA to defeat the Russians"
"The truth is, there is no Islamic army or terrorist group called Al-Qaida. And any informed intelligence officer knows this. But there is a propaganda campaign to make the public believe in the presence of an identified entity.. The country behind this propaganda is the US"
- Robin Cook - former British Foreign Secretary
Governments are at war with an illusion they themselves created. In order to keep this up, the public must obviously support them and their actions. The media helps a lot. The media feeds to the people whatever will catch their attention the most. And the way in which politicians dramatize the illusion gives way to a huge cascade of delusional ideas. We are being mislead. The little information or evidence the government comes up with is being distorted and presented to us in a specific manner, which advocates their policy, the direction they want to go in. The problem is that it has all gotten dis-proportioned. Blown up far too big, too quickly for anyone to make any sense out of it. And has therefore gone ahead lead by the few in charge..
We no longer know where we are anymore. We identify to nothing. Society is facing a major issue here. An issue we do not want to face. Nor is this an issue that the powers above are attempting to resolve, as they are more than content with perpetuating the dumbing down of the nations. Democracy seems to have inverted itself, and we are slowly starting to be governed by the top of the pyramid. They have their own agenda, and in their eyes we are but strategic pawns. Their greatest task is to manipulate our minds and skillfully manage to direct us across their chessboard, without even touching us. Men cannot play god, as we remain men, and can always see through each others cards. The fact that some have attempted to do this, as delicate and considerate they may have been, strikes me as one of the most disgraceful and criminal acts of all times. These are old games though, that mankind has been playing for thousands of years, and has never ceased. But the general public used to be aware and involved, and disputed their position of "inferiority" with the powers that be. There were uproars and revolutions, to attempt to salvage their dignity.
Yet where are we today?
Society doesn't believe in anything, and is driven by fear. We fear those who Do believe in something, and we label them with many names, classify them into groups and organizations. They are different from you, and this scares you. They even go as far as becoming enemies for some. Since when has difference been correlated with conflict; and what triggers conflict in the first place, other than self-interest? Our society is one of "Survival of the fittest". We seem to be bread to fight each other. Beat each other. Defeat each other. Be bigger and better and richer and stronger. Have the thirst for power. Instead of having the thirst for love. This comes 2nd. Power is the priority, and we are constantly reminded of this.
I guess we do believe in something; the necessity of power.
Views on the West
Western societies are simply not interested in different schools of thought. The United States is a great example of this. It is the biggest most powerful country in the world, with the biggest influence. USA represents the epitome of modern democracy.
Why don't they (when I say “they”, I refer to the majority. Excuse the generalization, it is not an accusation, but relevant) manifest a higher amount of interest or curiosity for cultural, social, political difference? Do they fear this; or rather don’t have any incentives to do so. All our incentives are already here in our society, and there are so many of them, each individual is bound to find some that entirely captivate them. The need to re-evaluate ourselves and the structures we live in doesn't occur, for we have grown to become content with this and its many distractions. We are stuck in our own creation, preventing us from expanding. Progression is in direct contradiction to our system.
What is awful is the amount of people who realize and acknowledge this. Yet fail to act upon this knowledge, firmly believing that it will be of no use. Things are the way they are, we must accept this and attempt to live happy lives as we can, even though we live in a – Globally - shitty corrupt world, that's life. Well, shame on all of those who cheat themselves into falsely believing that. When will people start getting angry and enraged at the system, hence ourselves, and make a conscious decision to stop this madness?! When will we all wake from our disgusting slumber and see ourselves as the drones we really were.
Forgive my rashness. I can't blame anyone for this today. For we are brought up by this, into this; and therefore we perpetuate this. However we have a say in our system, in the way it functions. This is a democracy. What enrages me and causes me to be overly provocative is the lack of responsibility we impose on ourselves. We have let our dignity, our sense of self, be stripped away from us. We have let ourselves be diminished, dropped level, regressed. The devilish truth is that money is our modern form of slavery; and it works brilliantly grâce à the 4th branch of the government- the media.
“None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free”
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
This statement isn't arrogance; it's a piercing truth we can't face. Because if we took this truth for what it really is, it would mean everything we've been brought up in, everything we've been told, everything that surrounds us and constitutes the whole; everything we stand for, is fake. All this will crumble, leaving us with no identity, no base, nothing to cling on to give us the slightest sense of purpose. It is this fear that upholds our decadent system.
One of the ways of conquering this fear of ours is to unite. For together we are sheltered, together we are strong, together we can lead the battle that will free us. Together we will stand upon a new earth, to build our incredible revolutionary world of abundance joy creativity love and prosperity. All collaborating, each one of us contributing our purest intentions to the whole. Fear not the unknown, for it is us who will form it. Believe in our passion and will to create a world of magisterial equality and freedom, in which all humans will work hand in hand to enrich our species and our planet. Remember that we all share the same mother, the same father, for we are all children of the earth. It is in this truth that we must dwell. This is our power of creation, our road to our species ascension. It is only in unity that we shall surpass all expectations and achieve the unimaginable. Let this beautiful gracious ideal sweep over your mind body and soul empowering you with the urge to turn this into reality. Our reality; the one we want the future generations to inherit and build upon. Indeed, seeing life as an eternal contribution to what you love most,
Life
We need a passive Revolution.
Why don't they (when I say “they”, I refer to the majority. Excuse the generalization, it is not an accusation, but relevant) manifest a higher amount of interest or curiosity for cultural, social, political difference? Do they fear this; or rather don’t have any incentives to do so. All our incentives are already here in our society, and there are so many of them, each individual is bound to find some that entirely captivate them. The need to re-evaluate ourselves and the structures we live in doesn't occur, for we have grown to become content with this and its many distractions. We are stuck in our own creation, preventing us from expanding. Progression is in direct contradiction to our system.
What is awful is the amount of people who realize and acknowledge this. Yet fail to act upon this knowledge, firmly believing that it will be of no use. Things are the way they are, we must accept this and attempt to live happy lives as we can, even though we live in a – Globally - shitty corrupt world, that's life. Well, shame on all of those who cheat themselves into falsely believing that. When will people start getting angry and enraged at the system, hence ourselves, and make a conscious decision to stop this madness?! When will we all wake from our disgusting slumber and see ourselves as the drones we really were.
Forgive my rashness. I can't blame anyone for this today. For we are brought up by this, into this; and therefore we perpetuate this. However we have a say in our system, in the way it functions. This is a democracy. What enrages me and causes me to be overly provocative is the lack of responsibility we impose on ourselves. We have let our dignity, our sense of self, be stripped away from us. We have let ourselves be diminished, dropped level, regressed. The devilish truth is that money is our modern form of slavery; and it works brilliantly grâce à the 4th branch of the government- the media.
“None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free”
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
This statement isn't arrogance; it's a piercing truth we can't face. Because if we took this truth for what it really is, it would mean everything we've been brought up in, everything we've been told, everything that surrounds us and constitutes the whole; everything we stand for, is fake. All this will crumble, leaving us with no identity, no base, nothing to cling on to give us the slightest sense of purpose. It is this fear that upholds our decadent system.
One of the ways of conquering this fear of ours is to unite. For together we are sheltered, together we are strong, together we can lead the battle that will free us. Together we will stand upon a new earth, to build our incredible revolutionary world of abundance joy creativity love and prosperity. All collaborating, each one of us contributing our purest intentions to the whole. Fear not the unknown, for it is us who will form it. Believe in our passion and will to create a world of magisterial equality and freedom, in which all humans will work hand in hand to enrich our species and our planet. Remember that we all share the same mother, the same father, for we are all children of the earth. It is in this truth that we must dwell. This is our power of creation, our road to our species ascension. It is only in unity that we shall surpass all expectations and achieve the unimaginable. Let this beautiful gracious ideal sweep over your mind body and soul empowering you with the urge to turn this into reality. Our reality; the one we want the future generations to inherit and build upon. Indeed, seeing life as an eternal contribution to what you love most,
Life
We need a passive Revolution.
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