Indulgence

the killing joke

Natalie Portman taken from her quotes found in IMDB
The moment you buy into the idea that you're above anyone else is the moment you need to be slapped in the face.

Watched Syriana with my brother and Dad last night and I was absolutely revolted by what I saw. I couldn't believe it, really. The whole concept of what people will do for money, for the control and the power. And then, right after, my Dad decided to watch some CNN and they were showing the muslim faction in Lebanon attacking the Danish embassy because some European newspaper did a political/editorial cartoon with Allah (or was it Muhammed) in it. They were very pissed off.

It's almost as if I just want to put my hands over my ears and just shouting as loud as I can. Drown out the volume, wish it all away. The Muslims were making a statement regarding their beliefs. The Muslims were protecting their faith from criticism. But I also believe that the European newspaper was making a political statement using irony, parody, satire -- that's what a political/editorial cartoon is for! It has become a world where one cannot say what's on his mind; state his opinion -- someone gets defensive, rallies a big group of people and starts marching into the Danish embassy and destroying it.

Violence doesn't solve anything. Violence begets more violence. When does it end? It ends when you decide to not follow violence with another act of violence.

It's all about respect.

And let me put my two cents regarding the stampede over Wowowee. Please! How embarrassing that you'd lose your life over a show that makes fun/fools out of people who just want to make a quick buck. These people are hoping to make some money to get out of the horrible economic situation they are in and what happens? They are required to dance around like idiots -- the more foolish they look, the better. We are being made to think that it's okay to laugh at other people's desperation. People acting like idiots is funny. Laugh at that toothless grandmother dancing to Hollaback Girl. Give her 10,000 pesos while she's at. Applaud. Laugh. Point at her. Now, wouldn't you want to be on that show as well? Sure! Why not? 10,000 bucks to answer a few questions and then dance around is the perfect way for me to spend my afternoons.

Now on their big anniversary, 79 people perished, died and 400 people or more are injured. You know what I heard? The 1,000 plus people who were unharmed demanded that the show continue. They went so far to be there, they said they're dead anyway, let's just continue with the show. Talk about respect. Talk about propriety. Talk about what's right. I'm ashamed. This is what we are reduced to. This is where everything leads up to. People shooting each other, fighting over oil, keeping the status quo rather than making things better, people laughing at poor people who are doing whatever they can for money, people stampeding to get in, getting in line for a chance to make a fool of themselves on national television for a bit of cash.

That's Philippine quality television for you. You've got the MTRCB and the FRB saying movies like Brokeback Mountain to be risque; ensuring that television shows cannot show sex or too much violence or cursing and swearing but for them it's moral and proper for people to make absolute idiots of themselves in television for money. That's moral and that's okay. We can watch that. That's allowed.

Is it just me or does anybody else not get the joke? Cause somebody is laughing. I'm pretty sure somebody gets it because I don't.

posted by wanggo @ 3:51 PM