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Tag Archives: meaning of life
“You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.”
Like all of Christopher Nolan’s movies Inception (Nolan, 2010) is about self-deception (self-inception?, being the beginning of oneself?), particularly the self-deception involved in giving meaning to your life after a tragic and life-shattering event. I’ve only seen the movie once, … Continue reading
Posted in film, philosophy
Tagged Christopher Nolan, Inception, meaning of life, self-deception, skepticism
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“We have to just … keep carrying the fire.”
Cormac McCarthy’s The Road is a dark story, but it is not nihilistic. The movie version of The Road (Hillcoat, 2009), at least, is ultimately a story about hope. In fact, The Road is a story about hope precisely because … Continue reading
Posted in film, philosophy, theology
Tagged evil, fear, hope, meaning of life, nihilism, providence, The Road
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“You made this place so you could find each other.”
One great thing about the television series Lost (2004-2010) is that the mysteries were never solved. We kept looking for the man behind the curtain who was pulling all the strings, but that person was never revealed. The Others seemed to … Continue reading
“Gotta be willing to push your luck when it’s hot.”
In Cassandra’s Dream (Allen, 2007), Woody Allen has remade Crimes & Misdemeanors (by way of Match Point) as a Greek tragedy. As in Crimes, the protagonists get away with murder but then have to deal with the guilt. At the … Continue reading
Posted in film, philosophy
Tagged Cassandra's Dream, Crimes and Misdemeanors, mashup, meaning of life, Woody Allen
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9
What’s with the number 9? I just spent some time looking at movie trailers on the Apple website, and I noticed that this year (2009) we will have movies titled Nine, 9, $9.99, and District 9. What’s more they’re in … Continue reading
“Eeny, meeny, miny, moe…”
Here’s a parable of nihilism. There is a group of blind men trying to describe something they’ve been told is an “elephant”. One says it is like a snake, another says it is like a spear, another a wall, a … Continue reading
“Donc, si vous voulez, mon art serait de vivre.”
We are all artists. Whether you want to be an artist or not, whether you feel like an artist or not, you are an artist. Even if you haven’t painted a picture since the days of kindergarten finger-paint, even if … Continue reading
“What do we do with time?”
This week’s Netflix: Youth Without Youth (Coppola, 2007). Based on a novel by philosopher Mircea Eliade, this is the story of Dominic Matei, a 70 year old professor who, while hailed as a genius, has left his “life’s work” unfinished. … Continue reading
“I’m filled to the top with fear that it’s all just a bunch of matter.”
The most interesting person I’ve become aware of recently is Australian pop musician Sam Sparro. The DJs on KCRW have been playing his song “Black and Gold” a lot lately. I think it is a compliment to say that the … Continue reading
