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Defining Privilege, WW, and Movies...
Aug. 26th, 2012 05:34 pm1. Heard a rather interesting definition of privilege today at church, sorry I can't provide a link or the exact wording - since I didn't write down who the speaker cited. But the gist was this:
Privilege is akin to being given a free travel-ready, compact backpack with all the necessities, passports to anywhere in the world, visas, driver's license, water, energy bars, gym membership, bandages, medical supplies, and several blank checks.
Amongst the 50 things people who have privilege take for granted are "flesh colored band-aids" that hide don't highlight their wounds. Also, and more importantly, people who have privilege tend to be oblivious to societal institutional regulations and practices.
The other thing that was interesting was...about how Power, Privilege and Dignity work together. Power through others as opposed to over them. Not using power to control someone else. Or using one's privilege to do so. And finally respecting the inherent dignity of all people, regardless of their views, political stances, religious beliefs, race, ethnicity, crimes, actions, birth, class, physicality, age, gender, sexual orientation...to see each person as invaluable, unique and necessary. (Far harder to do than one might think.)
It's made me rethink everything I've done lately and see it in a different light. Oh, well, I have another chance tomorrow to do better, right? Or worse as the case may be.
There's the rub. Allowing emotion to rule me doesn't always work to my benefit, although logic has its pitfall as well.
2. Came up with a plan for WW...
* Going to stop eating gluten-free breads and/or baked goods outside of maybe udi's pizza which has a thin crust and doesn't bother me. For two reasons - they are higher in carbs and more fattening, and they make me feel bloated and crappy afterwards. I don't process carbs well.
* Increase vegetable and fruit intake.
* Follow online friends advice and stick with quality chocolate and sorbet. (Got prickly pear sorbet). I tend to eat less of it for one thing, because it is more satisfying. Also more expensive.
* Stop buying chocolate at work.
We'll see if that helps. Also need to up the exercise quota.
3. Saw the flick The Descendants last night. Don't have a lot to say about it. Except I'm not sure I'd have liked it without George Clooney, yet at the same time I can't help but feel he was somehow miscast. Although I don't know who I'd cast instead. Clooney reminds me a little of Cary Grant - he has this disarming charm. Rather loved the characters - the three kids, and Matt King (Clooney's character) relationship with them.
It was hard to feel much sympathy for his comatose wife...which I think was in part because we were in his pov throughout.
That said - I did enjoy it. Far more than I expected to, and oddly more than I enjoyed The Artist. Yet both films have the same central problem - they are about white male middle-aged angst. I'm getting tired of white male middle-aged angst. Too many high caliber works of art are about that topic. However...The Descendants does do white male middle-aged angst very well, and definitely gets across how you can squander your life on the wrong things, yet get a second chance to do things differently. And seriously, what do I expect Paul Anderson to write and make films about? He's writing and directing what he knows. You can't really fault the guy for that. Nor for doing it really well. I mean, I suppose you can, but what would be the point? Besides - I enjoyed it. It gave me a different perspective on Hawaii...less the pristine tourist destination of one's dreams and more a run-down island community, struggling like the rest of us.
Next up? One for the Money - which I tried to watch this afternoon but kept getting bored by. It's a lot like the book. And better than expected. But it still feels like a Lifetime Made For TV Movie. Cheaply directed and acted. Without the oomph or energy that was in the books. The books were funnier somehow...the movie just feels a bit stale, like a day old Krispy Creme Donut. Not sure why yet. It may be Katherine Hegle, who is more of a television actress than a movie star - she doesn't quite charm. I wanted someone more ethnic in the part, more volumptous, someone like Debi Mazar. Comical. With lots of Curves.
Heigle is neither. But she is better than I expected.
Am going to try again, shortly.
Privilege is akin to being given a free travel-ready, compact backpack with all the necessities, passports to anywhere in the world, visas, driver's license, water, energy bars, gym membership, bandages, medical supplies, and several blank checks.
Amongst the 50 things people who have privilege take for granted are "flesh colored band-aids" that hide don't highlight their wounds. Also, and more importantly, people who have privilege tend to be oblivious to societal institutional regulations and practices.
The other thing that was interesting was...about how Power, Privilege and Dignity work together. Power through others as opposed to over them. Not using power to control someone else. Or using one's privilege to do so. And finally respecting the inherent dignity of all people, regardless of their views, political stances, religious beliefs, race, ethnicity, crimes, actions, birth, class, physicality, age, gender, sexual orientation...to see each person as invaluable, unique and necessary. (Far harder to do than one might think.)
It's made me rethink everything I've done lately and see it in a different light. Oh, well, I have another chance tomorrow to do better, right? Or worse as the case may be.
There's the rub. Allowing emotion to rule me doesn't always work to my benefit, although logic has its pitfall as well.
2. Came up with a plan for WW...
* Going to stop eating gluten-free breads and/or baked goods outside of maybe udi's pizza which has a thin crust and doesn't bother me. For two reasons - they are higher in carbs and more fattening, and they make me feel bloated and crappy afterwards. I don't process carbs well.
* Increase vegetable and fruit intake.
* Follow online friends advice and stick with quality chocolate and sorbet. (Got prickly pear sorbet). I tend to eat less of it for one thing, because it is more satisfying. Also more expensive.
* Stop buying chocolate at work.
We'll see if that helps. Also need to up the exercise quota.
3. Saw the flick The Descendants last night. Don't have a lot to say about it. Except I'm not sure I'd have liked it without George Clooney, yet at the same time I can't help but feel he was somehow miscast. Although I don't know who I'd cast instead. Clooney reminds me a little of Cary Grant - he has this disarming charm. Rather loved the characters - the three kids, and Matt King (Clooney's character) relationship with them.
It was hard to feel much sympathy for his comatose wife...which I think was in part because we were in his pov throughout.
That said - I did enjoy it. Far more than I expected to, and oddly more than I enjoyed The Artist. Yet both films have the same central problem - they are about white male middle-aged angst. I'm getting tired of white male middle-aged angst. Too many high caliber works of art are about that topic. However...The Descendants does do white male middle-aged angst very well, and definitely gets across how you can squander your life on the wrong things, yet get a second chance to do things differently. And seriously, what do I expect Paul Anderson to write and make films about? He's writing and directing what he knows. You can't really fault the guy for that. Nor for doing it really well. I mean, I suppose you can, but what would be the point? Besides - I enjoyed it. It gave me a different perspective on Hawaii...less the pristine tourist destination of one's dreams and more a run-down island community, struggling like the rest of us.
Next up? One for the Money - which I tried to watch this afternoon but kept getting bored by. It's a lot like the book. And better than expected. But it still feels like a Lifetime Made For TV Movie. Cheaply directed and acted. Without the oomph or energy that was in the books. The books were funnier somehow...the movie just feels a bit stale, like a day old Krispy Creme Donut. Not sure why yet. It may be Katherine Hegle, who is more of a television actress than a movie star - she doesn't quite charm. I wanted someone more ethnic in the part, more volumptous, someone like Debi Mazar. Comical. With lots of Curves.
Heigle is neither. But she is better than I expected.
Am going to try again, shortly.