Avalon

Blood on our hands

Sunday, January 07, 2007

"Blood diamond" was just as I expected, a political film, but with a humanistic approach. Child soldiers. Fatherly love. Fight for survival and for a ticket to escape a hellish world. Man's greed. Aggression and exploitation. Hypocrisy of supposedly civilised societies.

Sometimes my friend will ask why do I keep going to watch such tragic films, those that evoke such misery and distress that a prolonged intake will result in numbness and apathy. Just like what the female journalist Jennifer Connelly said in the heat of a moment.

"Why should I help just him (a Black father who is in search of his lost son) when there are millions like him out there?" She pauses, before slapping her forehead and continuing, "I can't believe I said that."

I find it hard to believe we will do these things too, but I guess when disaster, mayhem, catastrophe, tragedy and chaos are too distant from us, we eventually find it hard to become attached to all these which is plaguing another part of this planet we are living on, to the extent we are totally ignorant or unfeeling.

"They say the soil in Africa is red because of the blood that has spilled on it." Actually, there are few lands in this world with soil that is not stained and soaked in blood. We are always fighting. For minerals, gold, oil, and now, diamonds. Things that aren't even key to our continual sustainance and existence. I still remember the other movie "Munich" which reminded me that we can kill for things we can't even physically see. Like religion.

And how is writing about such crap going to help change things. Well it won't. But I just want to vent some frustration, and hopefully raise some awareness. That's why I will follow my path. Meet my needs, reduce my wants. Some friends don't understand why I don't have the same goal as them, to earn more money, live in luxury, buy a condo, if not a bungalow, eat in restaurants.... But to me, I only need enough, and I rather give the extra to others who can't even meet their needs. That's why I foolishly believe in wealth distribution, and sometimes I scorn at my idealistic self and that naive, almost dimwitted thoughts.

"There are no good or bad people. There are only normal people. It's when they do good things that make them good people."

"When peace comes, this place will become a paradise."

If we put our blood and sweat on the things that can truly bring along this paradise, wouldn't it be better than shedding blood by killing off each of our own.

Envoy of the Stars @ 2:04 PM
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