Wow.
I actually have trouble watching the movie because it depicts such horrendous events, but the actions of the lead character, Paul Rusesabagina, are, to me, as inspiring as those of "Mahatma" Gandhi [2].
Interestingly enough, in the special features section of the DVD, there was an interview with Don Cheadle, who plays the role of Paul Rusesabagina, where Mr. Cheadle comments that Paul felt his actions were quite selfish, as he (Mr. Rusesabagina) wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't try to do something. Reminds me a little of one my past posts.
Also interestingly, there is quite a bit about the past history leading up to the Rwandan Genocide, including past massacres of Hutus, at Wikipedia.
Things are so rarely black and white: there are almost always shades of grey ...
In fact, one of the aspects of seeking world peace that I consider most important is that, to do something effective about the psychic atmosphere of negative energy that saturates too much of this planet, is the importance of people on and around this planet finding personal peace - there are seven billion of us on this planet: if, say, five billion are desperate because of poverty or hunger, that desperation can lead to emotions, such as jealousy and resentment, which not only can directly lead to violence (i.e. through terrorism), but will also contribute to aggression and defensiveness in other people as well - it is like the old idea of people having two wolves inside them: which wolf are you feeding? [3] That not only dictates who you are physically, it also dictates what psychic influence you have on the world.
We are ALL capable of great evil, and great good: we may establish a habit of being one or the other, but those habits are just that - habit, and we can be shaken out of those my great events or trauma, such as, perhaps, having a child or some other loved one taken or harmed or threatened. [4] Gandhi, I understand, felt he was always struggling (striving?) to do what was "right" (morally and ethically); I've never felt that I can take things easy in terms of my spiritual growth (see here).
For the achievement of an end to violence (and I consider world poverty and world hunger and world thirst also to be forms of violence), yes, we need to address injustices and specific issues: but we also need to address the psychic sewers we are all living in, in our daily lives, or we will find these problems continue to recur - just as we need to address the underlying separation of "us" and "them" in our hearts, or otherwise the bigotry those attitudes lead to will simply keep finding another way to manifest itself as.
(See here, here, here and here for some of my past posts.)
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
Notes:
- There actually is quite a bit of "action" in this movie: most of it is spiritual action, but there is also some quite violent events depicted in the film (although, perhaps, not as graphically as in most "action" movies) - basically, it's a bit of a running family joke we have, that I class Gandhi as an "action" movie :)
- The word "Mahatma" means "Great Soul": Gandhi's name was actually Mohandas K. Gandhi. Oh, and, according to the Wikipedia post on "Hotel Rwanda" (link given above), the film was listed by someone or other as one of the 100 most inspiring films of all time.
- I think this is a Cherokee story - see here, for instance.
- It is worth thinking on that. One of the things hostages in Iraq found was, I understand, that they would not be directly threatened: often, they were tearful and upset in videos being released because people close to them were being threatened - i.e., "cry on camera or I will kill or torture your innocent driver". What sort of provocation would cause you to want to retaliate violently against someone? What would you do if you were in a situation where you thought - rightly or wrongly - that being threatening or doing something like torture could save or protect someone - or something - you cared greatly about? If you can do this sort of exercise GENUINELY, you are far better placed to do something constructive about preventing abuses of power than people who argue only from the position of principle, although that is also vital.
You are also better placed to be a Paul Rusesabagina, or a Mohandas K Gandhi, if ever you find yourself in a situation where that is needed.
This post's photo is yet to be posted.
Tags: about me, attitudes, daily life, discrimination, earthbound, group dynamics, hate, hunger, love, materialism, media, obsession, peace, perceptions, personal characteristics, poverty, rescue, responsibility, self knowledge, selfishness, selflessness, socialisation, world thirst, violence, war,
First published: Monday 26th July, 2010
Last edited: Monday 26th July, 2010
