Since the New Year began the great Binder of Science has ruled once and for all Global Warming is a very real thing. Since the New Year began the NRA and Joe Biden, the Vice President if you’re new, have each implied if not outright stated violent media is as dangerous as a loaded assault rifle. I wonder if these are the same people responsible for Skyfall not getting a best picture nomination.
I hope your holidays were grand and that you spent them with the people you like the most. Now, let us discuss resolutions. Between the end of 2012 and since the New Year began I have not gotten sick. That was my New Year’s resolution: I didn’t want to catch the flu. Aside from that I’m mostly ok with my life choices. Mostly. It is a real pity about Skyfall though, but at least Science pulled one over its opposition in this country. If this is the sign of things to come, perhaps this year will be something special. Petty trade-offs for the things of real weight and consequence, maybe 2013 is going to be better than the last.
I don’t want to dissect violence in film, but I appreciate that people are thinking about it. I’m not a psychologist, but it seems film is too cathartic in and of itself to actually create further manifestations of violence. Consider any generic rom-com, plucky heroine meets hapless boy, they fall in and out of love due to a series of loosely connected contrivances, but he grows up by the end and she dims to accommodate. Do these inspire love to most of the audience or diabetes? After watching Skyfall did more people want to attempt world domination? Hell, did more people leave wanting to save the world? So many thoughts and questions moving into 2013, but at least I have my health. If you start feeling sick I highly recommend the better part of a bottle of Scotch. I had very good Scotch at my disposable over the holiday.
I had a pithy quip concerning global warming to go here, but the temperature at present is 70 degrees. I know this observation isn’t a real indicator of global heating, but it certainly takes the air out of my balloon.
Have a great semester.
