Today's topic is on the heavy side. It has weighed on my mind in the past few days and I have organized my thoughts enough to write coherently about it.
Normally, I do not care a fig about award shows. They go above and beyond me and I have other better things to think about. The most I do is to keep up with the Oscars - only because I love films. The last time I watched an award show for just 5 seconds I felt repulsed. Somehow the showmanship, how excessive it was, the gaudiness, the falsehood of it, the display of riches, the pretentiousness, just the sheer notion of it made me feel sick.
Last Saturday morning, a terrifying terrorist attack was committed in Nairobi, Kenya. It has taken three days to overcome the terrorists and it is truly an international incident, both in regards to the perpetrators and the victims. There was also an explosion in a church in Pakistan which killed almost 80 people and an explosion in Iraq as well...
I have followed the news over the past few days. It is kind of hard to articulate my feelings on it - it ranges from fear to sincere sympathy and endless frustration with the world in which we live today.
Then I realize the Emmy's had just been hosted. And for some arbitrary reason I listened to the beginning monologue of the show - and quit after 2 minutes. I couldn't listen anymore after realizing that this show essentially revolved around people patting themselves on the back for producing TV shows (American) in an golden age of television. Where there were 6000 people in the room and 34 million people watching. It took me back to the Oscars this year when it was stated that the entire world was watching. Yes, quite apparently the entire world follows award ceremony which deals with American films pretty much exclusively and with American actors only.
It seems mind boggling that there are so many award shows hosted every year - Grammy's, Emmy's, Oscar's, Tony's, SAG, Golden Globe, MTV/MTV teen - I mean how often is it needed to celebrate achievements within the American entertainment industry? How often is the parade needed?
And then it hit me - there were people suffering in Kenya and a new threat has just arisen in terrorism, there were people dying in Middle-Eastern countries, civil wars, poverty, economic troubles - at the same time an award show was being hosted, a real glitz and glam and showmanship award show, celebrating achievements in TV shows in America. This paradox is just crazy. Absolutely crazy. In one place there is human suffering and terror - in another there is a display of wealth and superficiality. Both at the same time, in the same world, both involving real people.
I am not going to pretend that things like this are not happening all the time - I live a privileged life myself here in the North (I am not saying I ain't guilty in this paradox as well!). But that does not make this right in any way, just because things are this way does not mean they have to be. And it seems kind of mind boggling this paradox, mind boggling and sickening.
So as I observe this paradox - terror in one place - award show (otherwise known as display of wealth) in another - in the third everyday normal life of a university student.
I choose the things I care about, I choose my own attitude, I choose what annoys me and what not - Today I choose caring about this paradox and being reminded of my own privileges while at the same time reaffirming my own thoughts toward certain things.
Normally, I do not care a fig about award shows. They go above and beyond me and I have other better things to think about. The most I do is to keep up with the Oscars - only because I love films. The last time I watched an award show for just 5 seconds I felt repulsed. Somehow the showmanship, how excessive it was, the gaudiness, the falsehood of it, the display of riches, the pretentiousness, just the sheer notion of it made me feel sick.
Last Saturday morning, a terrifying terrorist attack was committed in Nairobi, Kenya. It has taken three days to overcome the terrorists and it is truly an international incident, both in regards to the perpetrators and the victims. There was also an explosion in a church in Pakistan which killed almost 80 people and an explosion in Iraq as well...
I have followed the news over the past few days. It is kind of hard to articulate my feelings on it - it ranges from fear to sincere sympathy and endless frustration with the world in which we live today.
Then I realize the Emmy's had just been hosted. And for some arbitrary reason I listened to the beginning monologue of the show - and quit after 2 minutes. I couldn't listen anymore after realizing that this show essentially revolved around people patting themselves on the back for producing TV shows (American) in an golden age of television. Where there were 6000 people in the room and 34 million people watching. It took me back to the Oscars this year when it was stated that the entire world was watching. Yes, quite apparently the entire world follows award ceremony which deals with American films pretty much exclusively and with American actors only.
It seems mind boggling that there are so many award shows hosted every year - Grammy's, Emmy's, Oscar's, Tony's, SAG, Golden Globe, MTV/MTV teen - I mean how often is it needed to celebrate achievements within the American entertainment industry? How often is the parade needed?
And then it hit me - there were people suffering in Kenya and a new threat has just arisen in terrorism, there were people dying in Middle-Eastern countries, civil wars, poverty, economic troubles - at the same time an award show was being hosted, a real glitz and glam and showmanship award show, celebrating achievements in TV shows in America. This paradox is just crazy. Absolutely crazy. In one place there is human suffering and terror - in another there is a display of wealth and superficiality. Both at the same time, in the same world, both involving real people.
I am not going to pretend that things like this are not happening all the time - I live a privileged life myself here in the North (I am not saying I ain't guilty in this paradox as well!). But that does not make this right in any way, just because things are this way does not mean they have to be. And it seems kind of mind boggling this paradox, mind boggling and sickening.
So as I observe this paradox - terror in one place - award show (otherwise known as display of wealth) in another - in the third everyday normal life of a university student.
I choose the things I care about, I choose my own attitude, I choose what annoys me and what not - Today I choose caring about this paradox and being reminded of my own privileges while at the same time reaffirming my own thoughts toward certain things.
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