Thursday, September 30, 2010

Choice - A Clockwork Orange

"Goodness is something to be chosen. When a man cannot choose he ceases to be a man." -Prison Chaplain, A Clockwork Orange

In A Clockwork Orange, the viewer is introduced to Alex, a psychopathic teen who delights in ultra-violent and horrific acts toward humanity. Amoral and devoid of empathy, he tortures, beats, rapes and murders for pleasure and finds entertainment at the expense of humanity. Alex is a heartless monster whom you secretly hope is subjected to some equally horrible punishment as a sort of compensation for his victims.

Alex's desire for evil is ended after he is subjected to the Ludovico treatment, which, by forcing him to watch ghastly crimes against humanity and injecting him with nausea-inducing substances, causes him to be repulsed at the thought of violence. Like one of Pavlov's dogs, Alex is conditioned to be repulsed by violence; the mere thought of it causes intense, debilitating physical pain.

In an effort to protect society from Alex’s horrific “fun”, they eliminate his desire to do so by ensuring his body’s agonizing protest. In doing so, they prevent him from committing further crimes against society, yet they strip him of his ability to choose. He must proceed through life, unable to defend himself, unable to fight, unable to see or think about sex, unable to witness crime, without being subjected to uncontrollable, crippling pain.

---
The two sides:
Prison Chaplain: Choice! The boy has not a real choice, has he? Self-interest, the fear of physical pain drove him to that grotesque act of self-abasement. The insincerity was clear to be seen. He ceases to be a wrongdoer. He ceases also to be a creature capable of moral choice.

Minister: Padre, there are subtleties! We are not concerned with motives, with the higher ethics. We are concerned only with cutting down crime and with relieving the ghastly congestion in our prisons. He will be your true Christian, ready to turn the other cheek, ready to be crucified rather than crucify, sick to the heart at the thought of killing a fly. Reclamation! Joy before the angels of God! The point is that it works.
---

On a social level, the punishment is a success and Alex no longer poses a threat to society. On an individual level, it is argued that Alex has lost a crucial part of his humanity.

Is choice an innate human right? Does stripping a man of his choice strip him of his humanity? Is it better to create a robot capable of morality solely due to fear of physical pain in order to protect the rest of society? Do Alex’s horrific crimes justify his punishment?

How is it that by the end of the movie, you identify with and sympathize with a depraved sociopath? Why do viewers also feel violated when Alex is stripped of his *choice* to be good or evil? Why are the effects of the Ludovico treatment so disturbing? Doesn’t Alex deserve it? Why do we protect our choice and individual freedom with such fervor?

Choice.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Aged Beauty

A wisteria blossom floated down.
She sat beside him, her soft, wrinkled hand tucked in his.
The breeze rustled his white hair.
Her eyes laughed as she smiled up at him.
He chuckled as she tried to apply her lipstick without a mirror.
She reached across him for her purse and patted his belly.
He played with her hair.
They leaned back into the wooden frame of the bench and sighed.
Hands clasped, they quietly observed the people passing by.
A wisteria blossom floated down.
The hem of her floral dress ballooned with the breeze.
He gave her a sip of his iced tea.
The gold band circling her hat sparkled as she bent to sip from his straw.
He beamed at her and she touched his nose.
The wrinkles next to their eyes crinkled up again.
A wisteria blossom quietly floated down.

Monday, September 13, 2010

The Earth is a Satellite of the Moon

Apollo 2 cost more than Apollo 1.
Apollo 1 cost plenty.

Apollo 3 cost more than Apollo 2.
Apollo 2 cost more than Apollo 1.
Apollo 1 cost plenty.

Apollo 4 cost more than Apollo 3.
Apollo 3 cost more than Apollo 2.
Apollo 2 cost more than Apollo 1.
Apollo 1 cost plenty.

Apollo 9 cost more than all these put together,
including Apollo 1 which cost plenty.

The great-grandparents of the people of Acahualinca were less hungry than the grandparents.
The great-grandparents died of hunger.
The grandparents of the people of Acahualinca were less hungry than the parents.
The grandparents died of hunger.
The parents of the people of Acahualinca were less hungry than the people there.
The parents died of hunger.

The people of Acahualinca are less hungry than the children of the people there.
The children of the people of Acahualinca, because of hunger are not born
They hunger to be born, only to die of hunger.

Blessed are the poor, for they shall inherit the moon.

--

El Apolo 2 costó más que el Apolo 1.
El Apolo 1 costó bastante.

El Apolo 3 costó más que el Apolo 2.
El Apolo 2 costó más que el Apolo 1.
El Apolo 1 costó bastante.

El Apolo 4 costó más que el Apolo 3.
El Apolo 3 costó más que el Apolo 2.
El Apolo 2 costó más que el Apolo 1.
El Apolo 1 costó bastante.

El Apolo 9 costó más que todos juntos,
junto con el Apolo 1 que costó bastante.

Los bisabuelos de la gente de Acahualinca tenian menos hambre que los abuelos.
Los bisabuelos se murieron de hambre.
Los abuelos de la gente de Acahualinca tenian menos hambre que los padres.
Los abuelos murieron de hambre.
Los padres de la gente de Acahualinca tenian menos hambre que los hijos de la gente de allí.
Los padres se murieron de hambre.

La gente de Acahualinca tiene menos hambre que los hijos de la gente de allí.
Los hijos de la gente de Acahualinca no nacen por hambre,
y tienen hambre de nacer, pero morirse de hambre.

Bienaventurados los pobres porque de ellos será la luna.

--
In a world of plenty, even amidst our own economic downturn, we often lead a life of international ignorance. Usually out of just that, ignorance. Yet they are all around us; in the doorways of abandoned houses. In a cardboard shack just outside of town. In an impoverished country along the equator. In a WHO statistic or a UNICEF report. In Bogota. In Acahualinca. In Sacramento.

Maybe the poor will inherit the moon. But maybe they can receive our love as well. If we are His body, if we are His hands and His feet, then why aren't our arms reaching? Why aren't our hands healing? Why aren't our feet going?

Not everyone is called to serve overseas as a missionary. Not everyone is purposed to spend their days working in shelters and orphanages. Not everyone is willing to be used in that way. Yet, in our world of wealth and global unawareness, we can open our eyes. Open our hearts. Do something.