Black and White Philosophy

Near the end of September, I posted my brief thoughts on movie quotes:

Re-watching “V for Vendetta” and two quotes stand out:

There’s no certainty – only opportunity.

With so much chaos, someone will do something stupid. And when they do, things will turn nasty. And then Sutler will be forced to do the only thing he knows how to do. At which point, all V needs to do is keep his word. And then…

I was pondering my fascination with dialogue from movies and television… on one hand, they can be very relevant observations from fictional characters discussing events or ideas which never happened; on the other, they are exactly that, fictional and not real.

…Then I remembered how often Shakespeare is quoted.

Perhaps I had realized something which was painfully obvious – that fiction often serves as an accurate reflection of what society and man could – or might – be capable of. In the case of the character “Finch,” his warnings could easily serve as a postscript for where the current levels of societal dissatisfaction may bring us.

While the direction Hollywood is taking with the current re-releases of recycled ideas has found me not in a rush to the theaters, a familiar introduction – complete with its iconic dissonant interval – has rekindled my interest in the idea of creative reflection and how timeless it is:

You unlock this door with the key of imagination.

Beyond it is another dimension – a dimension of sound…

…a dimension of sight…

…a dimension of mind.

You’re moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas.

You’ve just crossed over into the twilight zone.

Two episodes from the fourth season stand out due to their dialogue: “The Valley of the Shadow” and “He’s Alive.”

“The Valley of the Shadow” 17Jan1963

Dorn: “We were so complacent, so infernally sure of ourselves and complacent.”

Dorn: “You sensed a story in this town, Mr. Redfield, and you were right. You turned off onto the road to Peaceful Valley. You saw certain things that defied logic. People began to behave oddly, and you became curious, so… so we had to stop you.”

“And now we must do even worse, because, Mr. Redfield, you stumbled upon the best-kept secret in the world.”

Dorn: “We have no war here, no crime, no violence, no greed. Unlike your world, we live in peace. We use the power for good, not for evil.”

Philip Redfield: “Well, how can you be sure the rest of us wouldn’t?”

Dorn: “Come, now, Mr. Redfield, the history of civilization has been written in blood.”

Philip Redfield: “You’re a bunch of hypocrites! You talk about us, but what do you do when you want someone out of the way? What do you do?! The same as we do! You eliminate him!”

Dorn: “We cannot go against the law! And let him who discovers the secret be eliminated. You can be eliminated in one of two ways: Through death or through assimilation. The choice is yours: will you die, or will you join us?”

Philip Redfield: “You mean live here the rest of my life?”

Dorn: “Exactly. Become one of us. It really won’t be so bad. We’ll provide you with a fine house built to your specifications, plenty of food, time to write that novel. All your wants seen to.”

As I watched, “Hotel California” by the Eagles came to mind, but more pressing than that was the concept that idealism is theoretical. The town of Peaceful Valley became ironic the moment the protagonist realized how controlling the town’s administrators – and, to a certain extent, the populace – were in maintaining the status quo. No vice, but no true free will… all in the name of what was decided and accepted as “good.”

Ultimately, a classic ultimatum was offered: join or suffer the consequences. Participate and submit for an easy life of no wants, no fears, and no threats… or… refuse and see how vengeful the “benevolent” can become.

 “He’s Alive” 24Jan1963

The Man in the Shadows: “Let us start by your learning what are the dynamics of a crowd. How do you move a mob, Mr. Vollmer? How do you excite them? How do you make them feel as one with you?”

Peter Vollmer: “I don’t know.”

The Man in the Shadows: “How? Join them first, Mr. Vollmer.”

Peter Vollmer: “Join them?”

The Man in the Shadows: “Yes, when you speak to them, speak to them as if you were a member of the mob.

Speak to them in their language, on their level.

Make their hate your hate.

If they are poor, talk to them of poverty.

If they are afraid, talk to them of their fears.

And if they are angry, Mr. Vollmer, if they are angry, give them objects for their anger.

But most of all, the thing that is most of the essence, Mr. Vollmer, is that you make this mob an extension of yourself.”

Ernst Ganz: “I’ve seen it all before.”

Bartender: “That was another time, Mr. Ganz.”

Ernst Ganz: “Another place, another kind of people.

Bartender: “That doesn’t go here.”

Ernst Ganz: “That’s what we said, too…Temporary insanity, part of the passing scene too monstrous to be real. So, we ignored them or laughed at them… because we couldn’t believe that there were enough insane people to walk alongside of them.

And then one morning, the country woke up from an uneasy sleep… and there was no more laughter.

The Peter Vollmers had taken over.”

Ernst Ganz: “I know you, Peter. I know you… From a ravaged little boy wanting love to a torn man craving respect, identity, pride. Peter… I don’t fear you, so you may do what you have in mind at any time you wish.

But this last one reminder to you:

You can never kill an idea with a bullet, Peter.”

Rod Serling: “Where will he go next, this phantom from another time, this resurrected ghost of a previous nightmare- Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Florida, Vincennes, Indiana, Syracuse, New York?

Anyplace, everyplace, where there’s hate, where there’s prejudice, where there’s bigotry.

He’s alive.

He’s alive so long as these evils exist.

Remember that when he comes to your town.

Remember it when you hear his voice speaking out through others.

Remember it when you hear a name called, a minority attacked, any blind, unreasoning assault on a people or any human being.

He’s alive because through these things, we keep him alive.”

This episode was fascinating and disturbing on so many levels:

It was released eight years after the end of the Second World War and it aired ten days after George Wallace’s 1963 inaugural address of “segregation now… segregation tomorrow… segregation forever.” Most importantly, however, these two episodes share a familiar thread of the extremes of ideology, the perils of pliant groupthink, and how those who are most frantic in achieving power are often the ones who are least suited for the responsibility to all the people they represent.

“You cannot kill an idea with a bullet” is one of the most absolute and perfect statements I have heard in various forms of fiction. Yet, the reaction should not be to stifle those ideas which are brutal, mean, and evil; rather, the best way to defeat an idea, an ideology, an intent might be with a better and more rational idea.