The Declaration of Dependence
Have you ever experienced a power outage during the day or night and quickly learned just how dependent you are on your phone, your TV, your air conditioning/heating system, your lights, and your appliances? Yes, indeed! Frustration and boredom soon follow! I'm not sure if many of us get super excited at a power outage. I always think that it would be no big deal and that I know how to do without it to a certain extent. Every time I face this particular situation, I realize just how many things I can't do or can't live without. I think I've been mildly disturbed by this and even disappointed in myself. On the other hand, it makes me immediately feel gratitude, even deep gratitude for all that I have, for modern day convenience, and the literal power of electricity.
This is the most obvious example of waking up to a personal Declaration of Dependence. I grew up without some modern-day conveniences. I would like to think that I could be resourceful enough to solve problems in the absence of things like electricity, but the honest truth is that I have become very dependent on so many things. I hate power outages! I don't have time for them. I have a closet full of games, bookshelves full of all of my favorite hard copy books, and even flashlights and lanterns throughout my house. When a power outage derails my day, or night, I find myself getting super irritated becoming even more sarcastic than usual, and even mad about it. I often find my mind transporting me back to my very simple, not overly stimulated childhood. Just because that life was without modern convenience does not mean it was necessarily harder. Some of the solutions to having no air conditioner in the middle of southern Utah in the summertime were in fact simple. Hanging clothes out on a line to dry did not actually take all that much time. Doing dishes by hand was not all that bad either, especially when more hands made light work. Sometimes I do wish I could go back to that time where time seemed to go slower and everything about life was simpler. What is progress? We think that making our lives easier is progress. We think that letting our guard down and always being more inclusive and always being kind is progress. We are under the impression that if machines can do it for us, we are better off, and that is progress. We think that the truth and morals becoming increasingly more relative is progress. My question is: is it really? In many cases it may be, but I think there is a certain amount of hindrance that comes with it. Just in my own life I can point to things that my grandparents had far greater knowledge of and more control over, than I ever have. My generation and the ones after sit around touting fancy and very expensive pieces of paper that say we are intelligent. If we are really honest about that though I think we could admit that that paper, you paid thousands of dollars for is not actually a declaration to how smart one is. It's an accomplishment for sure. It says you put in so many years of work and study that has expanded your knowledge of a particular subject.I got a degree in Biology/Criminal Justice because I worked hard, studied hard, and took a lot of tests that could prove some competence in that field. At the real core of it all though was finding out what answers the professors wanted to hear, how they wanted things done, and even written. It's more about finding out how/what the professor wants you to learn rather than learning in general. It really is about the professor's wants over actual education. At least in my field it was very specific much of the time. Another point of honesty here is to point out that many professors are very high on their own accomplishments. They really love themselves and are very proud of their work. There's nothing really too wrong with that, but truthfully part of the college experience involves a certain degree of back-end kissing, sucking up, brown nosing, and praising the professors. I could argue that none of that is absolutely necessary for getting a degree, but it certainly can help in many cases. It depends on the field of study and the professor.
Anyway, back to grandparents and ancestors...........we think that we are smarter and more advanced than they were because we can build machines to do things for us. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not ragging on all advances. It is true that they can increase our efficiency, effectiveness, comfort and even increase our life spans. What we fail to realize, however, is our lack of ability to survive without them. Many would say that it's not possible, that it would never happen. It's very possible for part of our electrical to go down, and repairs could take longer than expected. What are we doing to prepare for something like that? Could we get through it without losing our minds? I hope you have your solar powered charging banks!Our grandparents and ancestors knew how to grow food. They could essentially get along without markets and grocery stores if they had to. My parents always had a big garden every year. I loathed the weeding! I never minded the planting, the watering, or the harvesting, but that pesky weeding is what drove me away from it. I always thought I could just buy what I need, so there's really no need to grow it, end of story. Not end of story! Growing things, or just the knowledge of the condition of your soil and what you can grow in your area, is incredibly valuable. I've thought about gardening a lot, but those thoughts have yet to turn into anything actionable. I actually have little knowledge on the subject. It's easy to say that in a crisis or hard time we'll just go get some seeds and put them in the ground and there we go, voila! We have food! Nope, sorry, not that easy! So much more goes into that process than we realize. The soil, the insects, the biome, the chemical levels, PH, and weather all play super important roles.
Cooking! Here's one we probably could all relate to. I don't enjoy cooking; it's just not my thing. When I do cook, out of necessity, I feel like I just climbed Everest! It's a huge accomplishment. I would liken cooking to climbing a mountain. That's what it feels like. How is the cooking going today? I'd venture a guess that less people overall cook their own meals today than 80 years ago, or even 30 years ago. The convenient food industry, including fast food has made us less healthy. Pre-made meals consisting of bagged, boxed, cans, and frozen foods are full of fake food, chemicals, dyes, and fillers. Convenient food and microwaves have indeed discouraged cooking whole food meals, thus contributing to declining health and the very useful skill in the kitchen.Sewing, gardening, cooking, and writing in journals might seem like reasonable things to dismiss as not wanting to do or learn. A disturbing trend I've noticed in newer generations is the dismissal of literacy. "I don't need to learn to write by hand because everything is typed...........I don't need to learn to read because I can just listen to the book.......I don't need to read classic literature because it's no longer applicable............I don't need to understand math processes because I will always have a calculator............I don't need to know how to compose a writing of any kind because now we have Chat GPT." Suddenly, it seems, that we are also looking to AI to create masterful art, music, and movie scripts. I've seen so many talk online about how great AI is at literally taking our place. This truly seems extreme to me. How did we get here? We got here by each generation dismissing their parents and grandparents in the midst of increasing technology and renaissance. Does the technology and renaissance make us better though? I would argue, NO! Somehow, we have reached the conclusion that we will be healthier, happier, and smarter if we outsource everything in our lives to computers, machines, and now AI because it makes our lives easier. "How much better would life be if you did not ever have to get pregnant? You could have a child but not have to go through the process!" Talk of artificial wombs and designer babies haunts me with an eerie feeling as dehumanization is slowly more acceptable in society.A few years ago, I came across a commentary on AI and Vincent Van Gogh. I delved into the comments and found an interesting expression that reflected that of my own.
"Vincent has been my go-to argument against those who try to defend artificial intelligence in the arts. Was Vincent somehow an amalgam of all that had come before him? Was he the convergent manifestation of their styles and techniques? Was he a masterful blend of Rembrandt, Caravaggio, and Rubens? No, he was just uniquely expressing how he himself saw and felt things, and that is what made our (humanity's) spectrum of artistic appreciation expand. It is also why AI will never be more than the grating echo of a coffin being dragged across the floor of a tomb; the life is missing from it, so it is all really rather pointless."
This quote was next to a self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh with his quote: "I don't know if I'm extremely sensitive or life is unbearable." Here were my thoughts on it at the time:
".......I love Vincent Van Gogh. His works are some of my favorites. His story is a sad one, but he created some of the most beautiful art this world knows! I'm not sure why anyone would ever want to replace the creations of humans with AI. As humans, it is in our nature to create whatever the driving force is, happiness, sadness, depression, or joy. The spectrum of emotion is ours to harness and grasp. It is a catalyst to creation! No matter what life is like for you, a blank canvas exists as an opportunity for expression. I can't imagine a world where we leave the expressing of emotions and creating to AI. In that we deprive ourselves of an innate characteristic of humanity. Even if your catalyst comes from a darkened place, it's only through expressing it in some way that healing can come.....and in turn bring healing to others. There is no real substitute for reality and the real thing. There is no substitute for what humans can create."
Have we already begun to accept the mediocre because we've become so far removed from the greatness of the past that we can no longer be inspired by it? I think so. The movie theater industry is predicting their nonexistence within 20 years; maybe sooner. Why? Many movie theaters have gone great strides in bettering the movie going experience. They have added more theaters, luxury lounge seating, movie clubs with discounts, arcades in the lobby, splash pads and playgrounds outside. I'm surprised they haven't incorporated valet parking. So, what's the deal? The movie experience is better than ever! I love going to the movies; I always have! Could it be the quality of the movies then? BINGO! I've noticed a gradual decline in the quality of stories, scripts, and dialogue in movies. Studios seem to be going for the cheap shot money makers with constant reboots, live action versions, or sequels. Although that has worked for them for a little while, people are getting fatigued of it. This is probably one contributing factor to the lazy writing; they aren't writing, they are making copies. That's not to say that there isn't some value in some of the remakes, copies, or various renditions of movies, art, and music. With the movies, it's getting harder to tell them apart because they lack their own uniqueness.People suggest making something new, yet nearly everything new is just not very good. People are losing the ability to write great things and becoming detached from their own creativity! I think people are losing faith in the industry. The industry itself has become so detached and out of touch with general audiences. The strategy now is that if the audience doesn't want to see the movies because they are bad, then the audience is entirely blamed for the failure.
Studios now use their marketing campaigns to deceive people into filling the seats. I know that sounds a little crazy but hear me out. The Barbie movie was huge, and the marketing was a bit of genius, but it was also very manipulative. They marketed this movie to everyone, but they marketed it heavily to kids. My kids even wanted to see it. They told us that it didn't matter if you liked Barbie or not, this movie was for you, and you would love it! Marketing it to kids was smart because if the kids want to see it, then mom and dad will see it too. When the movie's rating came out as PG-13, nothing was said. It was still widely marketed to kids. It was overlooked by parents because it was Barbie! How bad could it be? When parents came out of the movie, many were surprised that it was straight up feminist propaganda. I know this because everyone I know that saw this movie, which was almost everyone I know, said that it was different than they expected...............even if they liked it, they were surprised at what it turned out to be. After some backlash came out about this and many reported that their kids didn't like it or were bored, the studios brought out their gas lighting torch.Suddenly, it was all the parents' fault. "Well, you know it was PG-13! It wasn't made for kids!" When they received criticism for various reasons, the studio, director, and actors came out saying, "Well, if you didn't like it, then it wasn't made for you...............if you didn't grow up playing with Barbie, then it wasn't made for you!" The entire marketing campaign was literally about how this movie was for everyone and was targeted at kids. There are many other examples of this gas lighting: Iron Heart, The Acolyte, any Star Wars movie or show since Disney took over, and now Superman.........excuse me, James Gunn's Superman.
The ironic thing about the Barbie movie was just the perfect example of what feminism actually does for women in the real world. After the movie was out and the hype died down, I frequently checked Mattel's website. I do this anyway once in awhile because I like Barbie and am a collector. The most sold items and the ones that were out of stock most often were the Ken dolls, Ken merchandise, and my favorite, the sweatshirt that said, "I am Kenough!" Shortly after the movie was in theaters, everyone's favorite song was the Ken song. I think Ryan Gosling might have won an award for the song or his acting, I'm not sure, but Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie threw a fit because they thought they should have won best picture just because they made a billion dollars. So, the moral of the story is, even when you make a movie written by feminists, directed by feminists, acted by feminists, and made for feminists, the biological man still has a place at the top! Just like in women's sports, and beauty pageants right now, but never mind that! Is it time to just accept that men play an important role in society, and we are in fact equals? Isn't that good enough? No matter how hard we try to get rid of men, they still somehow come out on top with us. Is modern day feminism and the constant acceptance of everything under the sun, progress?Barbie the movie showed us that even the misogynistic, white supremacist character can be the most loved in a feminist propaganda movie. So, did the patriarchy actually really win here? Ken was everyone's favorite character. This was completely unintentional, I think! I can literally chew on the irony! The feminist Barbie backfired on its own agenda! A year later no one is talking about the Barbie movie! No one talks about how their daughters couldn't stop playing the music, watching the movie, or had to have all of the toys. No one is saying how it's a great classic that will always be remembered, or that it's even anyone's favorite movie of all time. Margot Robbie's Barbie doll can probably still be seen on the discount aisle. You know who you're not going to find on discount? Ken!
On further examination, it's clear this exact thing has taken place with the Superman movie. Before Superman hits theaters, the Studio and James Gunn have already been busy back tracking their marketing and claims a little bit. The gas lighting has already begun. A few months ago, this was the hope the world needed. EVERYONE would have hope restored if they just "look up" on July 11th, 2025. This movie will be a sure Billion-dollar movie and the best movie of the year! No doubt! That's what everyone was saying back in April! Funny, though, the more that comes out about this movie, the trailers, scenes, special showing leaks, and toys, the less people want to see it..........wow! I wonder why? The visuals look bad, every marketing poster and photo looks bad, except for the China poster. I think it's safe to say that, if marketing had kept more content under wraps more people would be willing to see it. I know that's true for me.
We are slowly learning that this will be the silliest, most juvenile, and unhinged Superman of all time. The Clark and Lois relationship looks to be somewhat toxic with very clear feminist undertones. This Superman is supposed to be the kindest of them all, so James Gunn tells. However, the clips show a different spin on the story...........an angry, beat up, out of control, overly emotional character. This Superman made for the modern audience is progress? Is this the new, bold, never before seen, direction that is going to wow audiences, or is it something familiar from James Gunn's past writing? Is it Star Lord repackaged as Superman? Oh, and yes, this is being heavily marketed to kids despite the PG-13 rating. Everyone seems so happy about that! It's so cute and sweet that they would want kids to see this. Is it for kids, or is it not? I'm not sure you can have both unless it's a really good PG family movie, but even then, that would discourage the most die hard comic book fans because they don't all really want a kids' Superman. People are seeing the marketing and this is not what they asked for, expected, or wanted for Superman, so far. Now maybe I'm wrong and this could still turn out okay, but Gunn has recently said "this movie wasn't made for everyone.......not everyone is going to like it."Huh? But back in April you claimed that I would like it............HMM! Gunn is also talking about how you don't want everyone on your side and how that's a good thing. I think, when it comes to the entertainment industry, you want to please as many people as possible who like the particular genre, at the very least. At most you want everyone you can get to like your stuff! I could be wrong.............I know it's impossible to please everyone, but I think the money matters!
Before this thing even releases the pre-sale projections for opening weekend have gone from $185 million down to $125 million on the high end, even reaching a possible $90 million on the low end. Now the narrative is that this movie is just one little piece of a big puzzle, and it really doesn't even need to make money to be successful!? What? No studio in history has ever said that.........James Gunn did say this last week. The WB is in real trouble financially and this could be their last-ditch effort to save themselves. I'm sure WB wants to make their money back. After all, this movie is costing them $225 million for production and another $200 million in marketing, approximately. The other very apparent problem with studios now is that they spend way too much money on making and marketing movies. So, in order for this movie and many others to be profitable they must break the $800 million dollar mark, which may include merchandise sales as well as box office. A movie has to make 2.5 times its production budget to be to break even just on the production budget. That is crazy! Largely, it's become style over substance and the pandering to our over stimulation!
People do show up for good movies; movies that they believe are well done and not preaching ideology or agendas. People showed up for Lilo and Stitch, even though they kind of botched the original story line. People still widely enjoyed it! People showed up for the Wild Robot, Inside Out 2, and Minecraft. Why? Probably because they weren't preaching an agenda, they already had a large fan base, and they were pretty well written and well produced stories. They produced trailers and marketing that made people want to go see it. These movies were fun to see! I thought Minecraft looked stupid, but even I took my kids to it, and I have to say, it was really fun and funny and creative! I really enjoyed the experience! These movies allowed audiences to truly escape, and they didn't take some moral high ground to preach to audiences. They just told a good story! They let their work speak for itself. The marketing was simple and effective, they didn't spend as much money to make it, and the word-of-mouth campaign turned out to be highly rewarding for those movies. These studios did not release too much beforehand, and they did not declare that everyone would love it before it hit theaters. The Chosen and King of Kings productions have also proven to be the kind of entertainment people show up for. I think there's a significant portion of the population that are yearning for these kinds of stories to be told on the big screen.Divine gifts from God cannot be outsourced by AI. AI cannot simply replace humanity or God by proxy. I think we know this. Regardless of what we are told, we know it's smart to learn things and not be completely reliant on technology. We know the value of writing, reading, math, having independent thoughts, and just being human. The worth of souls is great in the sight of God! Nothing, absolutely nothing can come close to replacing the value that each of us holds. It can't be substituted, reinvented, or created by humans because it wasn't created by humans in the beginning. It was created by God! The only way for us to even play a small role in God's grand creation is to have babies! That's the divine power of creation God gave us!
The photo below was part of letter written to Vincent from his brother Theo speaking about Theo's new son.
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