Etikettarkiv: movie

Kids for cash

Publicerad den av
Svara

We’ve got to see this documentary, my husband told me. So we did. Last night. It’s called Kids for cash, and it’s well worth a watch. But if you’re anything like me, you will be horrified at what you will witness.

If you’re in Sweden, the documentary is available another month on SVT Play. Otherwise you can find out how to watch it here on the official website for Kids for cash.

I won’t tell you the details, because I’d rather you watch it yourself, but honestly, how in the world can anyone believe that what doesn’t work with adults will work with teenagers, whose brains aren’t even fully developed yet?

What I am talking about is deterrents. Hard punishments. Putting people behind bars, to scare other people not to head down that road. It doesn’t work. It never has worked, as far as I know, but it certainly doesn’t work now. And if it doesn’t work for adults, why on earth would it work for children?

Oh these poor children, and their families. What were they put through, and for what? For WHAT?

kids for cashAs the credits are rolling at the end of the movie, Creep playing in the background, I sing along to:

But I’m a creep
I’m a weirdo
What the hell am I doing here?
I don’t belong here
I don’t belong here

… with two cats in my lap, and I think:

What kind of a world are we creating? Surely this isn’t as good as it gets? Surely both you and me can do better than this, be better than this?

The Imitation Game

Publicerad den av
4

A few weeks ago I watched The Imitation Game, and was deeply touched by it. Watching it at the movies, At the movie theater, after my emotional breakdown. when the final minute was up, I was crying my heart out (as you can see in the snap shot selfie I took of my puffy face and red eyes). Fully aware I was in a movie theater, it didn’t really feel like the space to have an emotional breakdown, so I tried to regain my composure. Luckily, my company at the time, took a look at me, and knew precisely why I was crying hard. She said ”The things we humans do to each other”, or something similar. And yup. That was the thought running over and over in my head:

The things we do to each other.

Today I watched the film again. It’s as good. Or perhaps even better. I didn’t fall into complete heartbreak at the end this time around though, but a few tears were shed, not surprisingly. I strongly suggest you watch the movie.

And again. My head keeps on churning on the things we do to each other… Why oh why? Why do we do the things we do to each other? The bad things, the nasty, evil, inhuman and horrendous things we do to each other?

no one can imagineBecause, man, are we ever missing out! Here’s a genius, who…. no. I don’t want to spoil the movie for you, if you haven’t seen it yet. But suffice to say, without him, the world would indeed be a very different place than the world we live in today. And it would have cost a lot more human lives at that.

And Alan Turing is but one example. He made a huge contribution to mankind, but what about the rest, who perhaps are shut down – and there are many ways of doing just that! – before being able to share their gifts with the world? What unimaginable things are we missing out on? Can we really afford to continue this way, where the norm and the normal are for ever deemed ”the way to be”, and if you are not within that ever narrowing spectrum, we shut you out, ignore, ridicule, bully and harass you?

Why, oh why, do we do the things we do to each other?

12 years a slave

Publicerad den av
Svara

Flying to the US for my last and final weekend on the 2014 Supercoach Academy, I watched 12 years a slave on the in-flight-entertainment system. 12 years a slave And I was horrified. It’s a magnificent production, excellent acting, and absolutely horrible to watch. And I actually had never even thought about the possibility of free African-American men, women and children being kidnapped and sold into slavery. But it happened, and the movie is based on the book written by Solomon Northup himself, after managing to get out of slavery. Apparently one of very few kidnapped to manage to escape.

There is one thing I believe slavery builds more than anything else, and that is more fear. I can only imagine what those who are enslaved fear, but I can hazard a guess: Fear of their owners, fear of being sold, abused, mistreated, separated from loved ones, worked to death, etc. And the very concept that slavery exist must put fear in those who aren’t enslaved as well, especially those in close proximity of slavery, somehow. Fear of falling into slavery oneself, must be there. It just must. Unconciously or conciously.

One of the most absurd things – for me – about the entire concept of slavery is the notion that human beings can be owned by someone. Isn’t it absolutely absurd? I wonder how and why this notion ever got rooted in the culture of humanity, especially since it’s such an old tradition. It’s been around for thousands of years. But why?

I don’t know. I ramble. But I do know this: ownership is definitely something worth looking into. Asking myself some questions around ownership, I’ll reflect more on it. Because what can I own, really?

The Cove

Publicerad den av
Svara

Watched The Cove with my husband. He’s seen it before, but was glad to watch it again with me. Or rather, glad might not be the proper word for it, he warned me I might not sleep soundly after watching it, but at the same time ensured me it was worth watching.

And he’s right. It is a movie worth watching. But at the same time it’s a movie that is dreadfully depressing. I have a hard time to fathom how lethal and cruel man can be. Mankind is lethal for everything and everyone, including ourselves. This is one of those movies I would like for everyone to watch. So please, if you have avoided this, in the same way I have, please watch it. It will make you tense up, and become horrified, but it must be watched!

Paul Watson, the famous environmental activist, quotes Margaret Mead when being interviewed in the movie, and this is the piece of hope I bring with me from it:20130614-001539.jpg

And in a strange way, I agree with that. It seems like that’s the way of the world. Hopefully not 100%, but still… I cannot help but feel that way too many governments, authorities and institutions seem to get lost in their How’s, while forgetting their Why. And that’s when it all goes to pieces. Sooner or later. And The Cove is a clear example of that.

Sign the petition like I did, or do something else to stop this senseless annual atrocity! Hopefully the slaughter will stop completely, but the number of dolphins killed each year have diminished since The Cove was released. So keep on being a passionate individual, because that’s what makes the world a better place!

My passion lies with the #schoolspring, aka #skolvåren – where is yours?