Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Agent Phil Coulson is Jesus

Agent Phil Coulson is Jesus. Actually he's not Jesus, he's just a run-of the mill human being. BUT HE DIED FOR US!
Norse god Loki killed him while superhumans were busy quarreling among each other. This gave Nick Fury an opportunity to say "He died for us!" and get all the superheros all sentimental thinking his blood is metaphorically on their hands. But its actually on Captain America collector cards - nerd awesomeness. Actually nerd analogue of religious artifact to give purpose to the group.

But what just happened - the humanist Joss Whedon just turned the tables in the human - superhuman- god scheme of things. For once the ordinary human being is at the reason to go to war, um against um, the infamous puny god. (Asgardians please dont hurt us because we hurt your delicate sentiments.)
Avengers are avenging an ordinary human being killed by a god. Put like that - who would think its the idea of one of the most entertaining films ever made? Death of Phil Coulson is the reason that for the first time they come together for one purpose. A noble message - why not join our forces for the good of the human?

Move over Nolan, Whedon's here, he will plant a dangerous idea in your mind, while you're wide awake without a whiz, smooth as a Ninja. A storyteller who made one of the highest grossing films ever without pissing most of the people off. Well played, Whedon, well played.

Lesson 1. Human beings matter. Only question that should matter at all, more important than "Does god exist?" is "What can we do to help human beings?"

Lesson 2. All those directors crying foul about their movies getting banned for various reasons - get crafty with your shiz, yo! Concealing dangerous ideas in movies full of awesomeness is SO much more fun.

On hind sight Batman trilogy seems too highbrow, obscure and pseudo intellectual compared to Whedon's formula for mass entertainment and clever thought. On hinder than hindsight, how can I ever stop loving the flip-a-truck-n-introduce-a-little-anarchy-joker-batman love story?

Update! on yet another viewing of the film, look what I found!

Selvig: "The Tesseract is showing me so much. It's...it's more than knowledge, it's truth."
The sleepy eyed Stellan Skaarsgard had a line which will easily be missed by many but whoooa! Joss Whedon had weaved it so dark and twisted it makes me drool. And its profound in most unlikely places like this. Actually observe how major part of the movie are conversations, especially the first half, most audience which came to avengers would be so bored. But agree with me or not I think above quotation is atheist. For the context its really good you watch the movie again.
Also the Captain America character is the most intriguing. He seems very republican and nationalist. He will say stuff like "Son,...just don't!" and "There's only one God and he doesnt dress like that."
And guess what, he has been asleep for 60 years. In terms of ideology and preachiness, please read between the lines what Joss is saying (or secretly laughing?) about those who agree with Captain America.

Friday, January 25, 2013

For a long time I was brooding on how people are adamant on not allowing books and relationships to change their character and habits. Then I read two quotes which I had already known - "Be the change" by Mohandas and second was illuminating- "You suddenly understand something you've understood all your life, but in a new way - that's learning" by Doris Lessing. I think Lessing's quote will ring everytime I learn something new or old.
By the way how about calling Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi by his first name and addressing his individuality ...flaws and all, instead of the enigma of the imaginary so called mahatma .....and give congress party the finger.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Its so easy being an adult spend hours and hours talking to people trying to change their opinion. One feels as if they are on a mission to change other people and change the world because you feel you are right. There is feeling that you have a noble mission to change the world for the better and you can change other people because you are so wise and you speak so well (especially because you are a teacher or professor) and you have so many years' experience shaping lives.
And you can also shower luxuries and love and cozy cliches of modern life but fact remains that you want to change others but you dont want to change yourself.
I respect that self awareness that you are humble enough to say that there is more to me that even I cannot comprehend. I can be better than even I cannot know. There is more to know and there are ways to live other than known by the world. What I am saying is about the humility even in the pink of things when all is good in life you are brave enough to say "Its possible that there is something wrong with my attitude or if not wrong yet there are ways in which I can improve or change and change for better of myself and my family"

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

The worst thing about growing up is to see that all people are not made equal. Time and again people give the proof that men or women, rich or poor, high or low caste, hindu or muslim, so on and so on get treated differently. This continuous assault on reason, common sense and compassion and humanity comes in different forms and shapes.
Rape is one such form when people feel that women deserve less respect because of their sex. Its as if this nation is waking up to the fact that women deserve equality with men.
Organizations of power- the government, religions, corporations and families seem to further divide rather than unite people.