Victim of an "Authentic Fake"

Throughout my lifetime I have fallen victim to what Umberto Eco calls, "The authentic fake", also known as hyperreality. For example, the movie "Arachnophobia" directed by Frank Marshall and released in the 90's which depicts, "a wayward tropical arachnid that promptly sets up web in [a] barn out back," in a small town residence and proceeds to multiply and kill numerous people, may have some bearing on why I am mildly creeped out by spiders today. When I was really little and my mom and dad thought I was asleep, I was standing behind the couch they were sitting on while they were watching this movie. I happened to come out at the absolute best time, as one of the unreal and horrible eight legged freaks crawled slowly down a man's sleeping bag whereupon its fangs glistened and sunk into the man, sending me bawling and falling desperately for cover behind the couch. A further example of my falling victim to hyperreality was after watching the movie, "Big Fish" which sappily portrays, "a love story that pushes the limits of plausibility," (Overstreet). Within this movie Edward Bloom the main character falls deeply in love with someone who he claims to be destined to be with. (Alright, here it goes......*sigh*). I had a huge crush on a girl at school and even in the midst of another relationship, I felt I had to be with this other girl who I was "destined" to be with and who I would end up happily with, living out the wildest love tale of my life. What I learned from this was that this girl who used to like me, whatever that means as it pertains to highschool romances, had moved on and the girl I broke up with to be with this other girl ended up getting her feelings hurt. Concluding sentence: Again, keep it real........and avoid highschool relationships that become romantically involved.

http://www.ultimatedvd.org/en/trailers/Details.aspx?Trailer_Id=1014
Overstreet, John. http://www.christianitytoday.com/movies/reviews/bigfish.html

Hyperreality: A Social Distorter

Hyperrealitly saturates our culture and is a product of an advancing technological age. Garry Crystal defines hyperreality in his article on wiseGeek.com as, “an inability to distinguish between what is real and what is not,” or, “enhanced reality.” Hyperreality is seen in such things as myspace because myspace can be used to present a sort of fake reality of who someone is. Movies also depict hyperreal situations, using CGI technology and unreal situations that may end up giving people and unreal view of how things really are. This affects people such as celebrities who, “reach a point in their life at which every aspect of their lives is taken care of by someone,” and as result, “lose their ability to interact with people on a normal level and are cocooned in hyperreality,” (Crystal 1). A hyperreal world can become isolating for someone and that isolation can yield problems such as having unreal expectations of people. This a formula for social catastrophe as one has an expected need that they feel others should meet. Crystal also comments that, “some people who watch soap operas fro a long time develop a view of interpersonal relationships that is determined by the writers of the soap,” (1). Movies, TV shows, and the like can influence society through what it produces. Soaps might be responsible for some of the drama that is found especially in high school relationships. Hyperreality can be damaging to people’s social lives, setting unreal expectations on those around an individual and giving a distorted view of love that is based on ones own needs not a giving of oneself. Conclusion: Keep it real.

The War of Ideas

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
2 Corinthians 10:3-6

The Silent War
War is a fact of life. Beyond the physical fighting that takes place in the world there is a much more important, yet seemingly silent war that rages at the root of every physical conflict. It is the war of ideas, worldviews, ideologies, etc. Postmodernism has recently rose up as one of the dominating worldviews in American society. It's celebration of disorder manifests itself through music, the media, movies, and the like. Postmodernism also asserts that truth is unobtainable on a grand scale. Little truths are created by social constructs or the culture one occupies. This presents a problem to those who believe in an overarching story that prescribes absolute truth such as those that adhere to Christianity. How should Christians respond to or deal with the crisis of postmodernity?

Truth Warriors
As 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 explains, Christians are in a war against the philosophies and pretensions that set themselves up against the Truth of the Word of God. It is clear that Postmodernism is such a philosophy. In combating the philosophy of Postmodernism, Christians ought to gain an adequate knowledge of Postmodernism. If a Christian individual knows little to nothing about the ideas of the age it would make it harder to really go after the chinks in armor of Postmodernism. Christians should also be actively sharing the Truth of God's Word in a loving manner to those who they may come to know. Online forums and other means of argument are also useful. Christians also need to remember that there not trying to beat the truth into anybody. God is the only one that can deal directly with the heart. Christians jsut need to be faithful in arguing and present the Truth so that the Holy Spirit might move in thier life and show them the error in their worldview. Arguments that deal with the Moral Law, as C.S. Lewis presents are good to use in an argument against a relativistic Postmodern. The main thing is to do this in a loving matter knowing that we were once in darkness (and still tend to run there every so often), but are now in the light of God's glory. Let's be Truth warriors that fight the epic and widespread war against the strongholds that set themselves up against the knowledge of God.

Capun' Jack: A Postmodern Character?

Like we have been discussing in class, Postmodernism is big on personal preferencs as well as tiny narratives instead of more grand narratives. Jack Sparrow, the Keith Richards (guitarist from the Rolling Stones) inspired character of Pirates of the Carribean, illustrates Postmodernism in the following ways. As you pirate loving fans know, Jack is always looking out for the most important thing that is of concern to him, other than the Black Pearl, and thats himself! Jack is motivated by his personal preferences to be the pirate above all pirates, and of course gain mass amounts of wealth for himself. He always has a personal agenda that he is seeking to achieve, an almost little narrative that he creates for himself, based on what he thinks is right for him. This why he such a postmodern character. He is constantly doing things on the basis of what feels right to him, a sort of relativism.

On The Outskirts of The Ant Colony

Every second Tuesday of the month our worship team at Westside Christian Fellowship has the opportunity to lead worship at the Union Gospel Mission in Seattle near the newer library. The place has a way of jolting you out of your normal daily routine. Sometimes, I think it even helps me break out of the autonomous state of existence that I fall into; walking past potentially hurting, lost, and lonely souls that may find healing in a kind confrontation. This last Tuesday that I went to the mission wasn't as eventful as some, but I at least had a run in with a guy who wanted some money for the bus. Thinking I had a one dollar bill in my wallet, I reached in but found only a ten. I was hesitant at first and I think I even looked up at the guy nervously. "He's probably just going to go blow it all on drugs or alcohol," I thought. I don't ever want to enable people to bring harm on themselves or others, but in this case I gave him the benefit of the doubt. He was very thankful, giving me a, "Chya! Thanks man!" He turned and walked away. As he went, I wish I would asked him about his story. Why he was down at the mission and such. Like KC was saying, all these homeless people have a story. And in just listening to them, sometimes you get the opportunity to provide hope and comfort. Whether that be through meeting a physical or spiritual need. The next time I go to the mission I hope I can have a more in depth confrontation with a soul that just need somebody to listenj.

Symbolism of "The Game of Questions"

The Existential Dilemma

How ought one to define a question? Is it not the seeking or imploring of one who wishes to satisfy the deep unknowns brought about by thought, or to gain knowledge of something that is not quite clear to the individual? So, can it be implied that because humanity thirsts to know what is not clear to them that questions such as, "Why didn't I get to choose to exist or not? Why didn't I get to choose when I exist? Why didn't I get to choose what I would be called during the existence?" arise to satisfy the dry sponge of thought? Don't these questions posit the idea that existence is completely and utterly out of ones control? In fact, does it even help explain how we came to be? What if our existence is unexplainable? Why question? What would be the purpose to ask questions if in fact such knowledge is unattainable? Wouldn't questions be reduced to mere childs play? Why not just play games with questions? Didn't we establish they are useless any other way?

Application To Question Badminton Match in "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead"

Why in the middle of a movie concerning the existence of two characters is there a scene that features a full on badminton question game? As stated before, or should I say more appropriately, questioned before, the idea that existence is beyond explanation trumps the idea of questions. Questions are useless for finding out fact, if fact, in fact, does not exist! (A bit redundant and confusing, I know). The badminton game in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead symbolizes this dilemma there in. Questions are useless, so might as well just play with the madness because that's all its good for!

A T.O.'d Horatio?

"So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to't." - Horatio (Act 5.2; Line 56)

In line fifty-six, Horatio completes Hamlet's dialogue concerning the fate of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. From textual evidence surrounding Horatio's quote, it can be concluded that Horatio disapprovingly states this phrase to Hamlet. In response, Hamlet quotes, "Why, man, they did make love to this employment." Hamlet seems to be justifying Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's death as a fate well deserved. This means of trying to justify these deaths hints at the possibility that Horatio replies to Hamlet disdainfully and in turn Hamlet explains to Horatio why they had it coming in the first place, and further explains, "Their defeat does by their own insinuation grow." Rosencrantz and Guildenstern willingly spied and stuck their noses in on their "friend's" business. Hamlet reasonably disapproves. So why would Horatio be all aghast about the death of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? It may not even be inferred to in the text, but one speculation could be that Horatio believes, despite Hamlets claims, that maybe Rosencrantz and Guildenstern did not know the full implications of what they were doing.