The strongest tool we have in the Western world, is the ability to swich off, walk away…to keep our sanity in this manic civilisation we have created. Take a walk by the extraordinary ocean, look at the trees -nature – the one constant – under threat now, but still fighting back.
I am currently in Idaho, my other home, where my son lives with his family and works, where I was married and divorced. So this Western state has a strong hold on my life. I have one of my best friends here and my main home, full of my life, the records and memorablia of my life, my work are stored here in this house. And I have made films here..acting, writing and producing – loving every minute.
However the atmosphere across America and its far reaches into the rest of the world is increasingly disturbing – it really feels like a country greatly divided.
I am not political, never have been, history has shown us so much of human stupidity and the great weakness – listening to the past as we lurch into the same disastrous mistakes again. So in general I switch off those people, I cannot bring myself to watch. A coward’s way out, irresponsible? Maybe. But switching off and walking away, has been my solution to keeping my sanity and thinking about in what small way, I can contribute to change the status quo?
The media – my profession- has to take a lot of responsibilty for the current state of affairs. As the film industry crumbles- the death of Hollywood, streaming, closing of cinemas, production running away to tax friendly states and countries. Many descended into making into bubble-gum films, cartoons for adult, graphic violence, cheap thrills, the greed of searching for that next great money spinner – contributing to the problem.
The films winning the the Oscars are not generally part of those money spinners. From the time when we became a relatively small part of the economy, a source of pleasant entertainment for people to leave their problems behind, to this giant money – making machine, the audiences have become the real losers…it’s the dumbing down of society, our great loss.
Much of the public now has more of an individual voice with the advent of social media. It’s a useful tool for advertising and sharing positivity, provided the big tech giants are forced to monitor and control inflammatory rhetoric, it can be good platform for opening up the lines of communication and – again – not be driven by greed,
Here is a gentle reminder of the classic story of Midas, who wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. Don’t allow the Midas’ of the world rule OUR world.
The curse
The next day, Midas, woke up eager to see if his wish would become true. He extended his arm touching a small table that immediately turned into gold. Midas jumped with happiness! He then touched a chair, the carpet, the door, his bathtub, a table and so he kept on running in his madness all over his palace until he got exhausted and happy at the same time! He sat at the table to have breakfast and took a rose between his hands to smell its fragrance. When he touched it, the rose became gold. I will have to absorb the fragrance without touching the roses, I suppose, he thought in disappointment.
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