I watched the latest James Bond blockbuster, “Skyfall” this week.
Spoiler alert: If you intend to see “Skyfall”, do not read on.
I remarked to my wife that the best part of the movie was when Adele sang the theme song. She replied, “No, I don’t think so – leaving was the best part.”
Our world today is awash with violence – at home, in schools, in sports, in media, in politics, in organizations – and between countries, religions, beliefs, genders and values.
Simultaneously, we celebrate violence in our media and yet decry it in the world – especially when it trespasses into our personal world. It is almost as if we cheer on violence when it is in someone else’s world, but protest it when it is in ours.
Changing this begins within each of us. Early in the movie “Skyfall”, one of the most gratuitously violent scenes (of many) that takes place occurs when a women is sadistically and deliberately murdered in “a game” of Russian roulette – if we celebrate and glamorize this, we accept and approve of gratuitous violence to women.
This movie is a meandering mess with an aimless plot based on guns, bombs, death, murder, soulless relationships, greed and revenge. (See where your country stands on this subject).
If we aspire to something better for humanity, if we believe in inspiring others to set examples that make us joyful, provide meaning and make the world a better place, then we all need to do better than this. And if we want to nourish our souls, and become leaders who nourish the souls of others, we might start by avoiding this piece of violent trash. By shielding our spirit from this energy, we will each accept personal responsibility for becoming inspiring leaders.
Bravo Lance!! Haven’t yet seen the movie, but you express my sentiments exactly.
Regards from the land where I could buy an automatic rapid-fire Glock without breaking a sweat.
Jackson
Posted the following in sharing Lance’s comments on Facebook. Well done, Lance!!
Lance Secretan is a mentor to me in many ways. I have read all of his books and respect his opinions and philosophies. He has helped me to understand myself better in order to serve others better. While I have not seen Skyfall, I trust his analysis is right on and perhaps I will skip this one. As he states in his post,
spoiler alert if you are planning on seeing the movie.
James Bond lost me when he played opposite “Pussy Galore” and “Ivana Humpalot” along with his bizarre molestation of a classic Aston Martin.
I’ll pass on Skyfall as well…
I completely agree Lance. It’s very sad that the writers and filmmakers felt they had to take the violence and vilification of characters to that level. Even ” our ” Bond became a heartless alcoholic!
I stopped watching JB along time ago.
The violence we see in the world is a reflection of the convergence of the collective consciousness that breaks out into spikes and we see it in the news. Underneath the cloak of humanity lies a dysfunction that is polarized, vying and jostling for position, praise, pleasure and power. Our entertainment merely reflects this trend. How much further have we moved since the Romans threw the christians to the lions and the gladiator fights to death?
I vaguely remember Arthur C. Clarke in one of his videos, when he said (paraphrasing) “Humanity could be living what is possible in the year four thousand, now”.
Were you in my brain? My thoughts as well.
Well-written. Thinking of you.
Thank you Lance! I thought I was alone in my abhorrence of these violent films. Bond, Batman, Sherlock Holmes for me they have moved to a place of unnecessary violence.