Everyone's sick of this year. Everyone's also sick of trying to avoid stepping on each other's toes unless they feel like being rebels.
I've lost count how many times I've watched The Lord of the Rings, but while watching it (again.........), and watching the YouTube channel Cinema Therapy, I now realize there's many current and relevant themes and lessons this 20 year old film franchise can teach us going forward. Things one wouldn't normally consider since the movies don't deal with a viral pandemic. We normally look to something that deals with exact or near-exact circumstances to our own to figure out what we can do.
For example, when the movie Contagion came out, it didn't do well in the box office. At least, from what I heard. When I heard the title, I thought it would be a zombie flick. This year, upon the announcement that the globe was under quarantine, a global pandemic, I heard the movie was sought after, immediately becoming the #1 movie streamed across the board. I haven't watched it yet, haven't had a chance, but from what I've heard, it realistically depicts society as an outbreak occurs. The worst in human nature coming out, each individual believing they're more important than the previous and the next.
From there, we should look at Aragorn. Throughout the LotR movies, he has a tendency to stand up for the downtrodden, hanging out with them, putting any degree of bully in their place.
Unlike us. At the announcement of the Covid-19 pandemic, I heard about strings of racial harassment all across the land, people berating (including physically assaulting) literally any Asian person they came across. One report said an elderly lady screamed at a Chinese woman "GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM AND TAKE YOUR VIRUS WITH YOU!"
So much for common sense and decency.
I immediately made a challenge that, as far I'm aware, no one noticed: "If any of you believe yourselves a good person, this is your chance to prove it and stick up for those who are being bullied."
Nope, there are videos of people throwing racial epithets left and right to anyone of any ethnicity. Black. Asian. Mexican. Why? "Because I'm an American, I speak English, you don't talk that language here, you go back where you came from!"
That's a conglomeration of a couple videos I'd seen, which disturbs me that racism is back, thinking it's powerful again. I started saying "It's 2020, why aren't we acting more enlightened?"
I'd say it's past due time to bring back a fighting spirit and stand up for honor, help those in need instead of puffing ourselves up with misplaced nationalistic pride, learn the strength of humility before we let our pride hit us hard.
I pray we come to toss our pride aside and seek each other's help and show gratitude. Sure, it seems like a pipedream, but it's possible, even if vaguely.
