egyptian roman american
There are many inspiring and hopeful films ready for our entertainment and consumption, ranging from sports to overcoming life obstacles - I Am Sam, Seabiscuit, and Stand And Deliver, to name the first few that came to mind, when I searched for “general inspirational films” in my internal googler. These are the types of movies that allow us to walk away from an advertising-riddled movie theater feeling positive about ourselves and our future. Our eyes are opened to new possibilities that have frequently presented themselves but always go unnoticed. We feel proud to be alive.
All for about the two minutes it takes to drive to the nearest McDonald’s and then begin complaining about the line at the drive-through. And, Crap, it looks no faster inside.
I should add that those inspirational movies are the ones less attended, less appreciated, and less considered when the latest blockbuster is sold out and the only movies still available for seating are Life Is Beautiful or The Blair Witch Project. I hear the cinematography of Blair Witch is kinda neat, so… I guess if Superbad is sold out, then, yeah… two for Blair Witch.
The movies that sell domestically are the action films, cheap gag-comedy films, and sports films that promote the toughness of the United States Marines. Our nation is wallowing in barbarism, engulfed in a rapid intolerance for anything not aligned with individual satisfaction, and drowning in our own materialistic drool. It’s been like this for decades and for centuries, but in different avenues. The 17th, 18th and 19th century barbarism was clearly slavery and the desensitization associated with it. Later 19th century barbarism was, what is known today as, southern pride, even in northern regions, as the economic debilitated southerners moved towards New England. The 20th century barbarism was dropped for World Wars One and Two, but ironically reappeared right before the Depression when we indulged ourselves so lavishly after winning a big battle that our lack of control brought down the banks of the nation. Now, our barbarism is as described above.
Yes, I’m bitter. And, yes, I am pessimistic. I don’t particularly think Europe is any better - it would be another name for the same thing. Asia is interesting in this respect, of course, but not truly comparable to the States, although our globalization will have them wearing cargo shorts in no time. Overall, America is debauchery and we have this grandiose vision that whoever can come as close to emulating our debauchery as possible, without exceeding our current excess, is a wonderful nation and friend of freedom. What forms this debauchery takes in other nations is up to their particular fancy, but our ability to rapidly develop nations using economic forces without political fundamentals allows the excess to turn into violence and unequivocal corruption.
These feelings of mine surface when I read articles like this one, from the Kansas City Star, an unnecessarily long article about why Americans couldn’t try to care less about cycling even after the USPS/Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team gave them one of the greatest athletes in recent history. Cycling just wasn’t going to get attention stateside. Not even front page. Maybe in the appendix of the Sunday edition. Of the tabloids - Lance dopes his way to the top and Dannielynn extraneous court details on the same page, something like that.
The team ride today was exhilarating. Taking a highway to some mountain climbing then some rolling hills followed by some small town America passing-through. It’s a shame that America has become a barbaric country. Every day that I bike through seems like another day closer to our great bubble bursting.