I mentioned The Golden Compass last Saturday and said I'd expand on the topic. Well, get ready for a rant, my dear friends, because that is what is about to ensue.As an avid book reader, I was well aware of the existence of a series of books called His Dark Materials. This trilogy, written by British author Philip Pullman, has been out for a while (the three volumes were published in 1995, 1997 and 2000, respectively), and had caught my attention a few times during my regular visits to Barnes & Noble. These books seemed to be geared toward a young adult audience though, and I wasn't really all that interested in reading them.
Earlier this year (it might have been late last year), I saw the teaser trailer for The Golden Compass, the movie version of the first book of the series. Thanks to the massively enormous success of fantasy franchises such as Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, tons of fantasy books are being given the silver screen treatment, and some of them are even watchable. The Golden Compass looked like high quality eye candy, and not only for its impressive visuals, but because of the actors, since Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig lead the cast. The movie looked okay, and I considered maybe going to see it when it opened on December 7th. Maybe. Then I came across a couple of articles on the Internet, and my interest for the books and the movie skyrocketed. And it was thanks to my beloved, always entertaining, Religious Freaks that seem to populate if not most of this country, at least most of the state I happen to live in.
As it turns out, Philip Pullman is an atheist, and His Dark Materials reflects his view of the world, his beliefs (or lack thereof), and his dislike for organized religion. The Catholic League didn't seem to care about the novels all that much (maybe they don't read too extensively, or maybe -and more likely- their reading material is narrowly confined to a certain book or group of books that shall remain unmentioned), but then the movie was made. The movie was advertised. A movie that targets kids and young adults and that dares opening in December, close to their beloved special day. What followed shouldn't surprise anybody. These profoundly fanatical, intolerant, and narrow minded people have started a boycott so nobody goes to see The Golden Compass and nobody buys the books. They are warning parents and audiences away, commanding them (in their divine enlightening) not to see the film. Chris Weitz, director of the film, has stated that he has toned down the religious criticism in the movie in order not to upset or alienate these loud idiots, but it doesn't matter: they are not happy, and they never will be. If you go to Amazon and check out the Customer Reviews for these books, you'll see all the recent reviews that give The Golden Compass one or two stars and attack the author and his beliefs. All very open-minded and understanding, as these very respectful people usually are. Do not let your children get anywhere near these books, they warn. This is the anti-Narnia, they cry. (Which can only mean His Dark Materials is great, since the Narnia series -or at least the first book, the only one I've read- is an insulting piece of crap that threatened with giving me brain cancer.) I can imagine their feverish faces, their bulging eyes, their worried looks. Are they so unsure of their beliefs that they want to forbid other people from expressing theirs? Of course they are. These people disguise themselves as good and caring and understanding, when in point of fact they are nothing but dogmatic, intolerant dimwits that aren't happy with making their beliefs the center of their lives, but who want to impose their twisted perceptions and values on everybody else. Why do they feel the need -the urge- to tell other people what to think? Why can't they even consider what other people have to say? Why do they have to be so disgustingly self-righteous and holier-than-thou? And you know what? Since they believe in whatever ridiculous being of their choice and go to church every week, they actually think they are good people. Well, I've got news for you, buddies: you are just a bunch of delusional zealots, and this is my advice to you: you'd be better off believing whatever your want to believe and leaving other people well alone. If you don't want to read the books, don't read them. If you don't want to go see the movie, don't go. But cut your proselytizing and your cheap demagogy. Just because you don't like something or disagree with it, it doesn't mean it should be banned, forbidden, or boycotted. You are the kind of pathetic people that would gladly give up your liberty and freedom to "be protected"; and, even worse, you'd be (you are) ecstatic to cut down on other people's freedoms for the same reason. You, my despised fanatics, are a very dangerous group of people who just won't go away. Of course, none of you is going to read this post, but if you come across it by accident, consider the following radical notion: the next time you feel like telling me how to live my life, just don't.
Needless to say, I rushed to buy not only The Golden Compass but the three books in the series as soon as I read their comments, so their stupid campaign has had (with me) the opposite effect. And, it goes without saying, come December 7th, your dear Finn5fel will be first in line to see the movie, and I don't care if it turns out to be crap (hopefully, it won't). This is just a matter of making your stand, and I will always be opposed to the anti-thinking these nonthinkers advocate and practice. Always.
8 comments:
Bueeeeno. Por dónde empezar...
"Are they so unsure of their beliefs that they want to forbid other people from expressing theirs?"
No podrías haber dado más cerca de la diana, mi querido Fel. Una cosa está clara. Los fanatismos nunca son buenos.
El individuo lo es gracias a que es parte de la sociedad. El grupo nos da seguridad. El pertenecer a algo, el ser parte de un todo más grande, nos da una base sólida a la que aferrarnos. Así que la gente tiende a asociarse en torno a cosas sobre las que tienen un interés común. Una idea, un punto de vista político, un equipo deportivo, una serie de televisión, una superestrella, un gusto definido por cierto tipo de cultura (como nos pasa a los que estamos aquí en Sunny Jhanna)... o una religión.
El problema está en cuando el individuo se aferra tanto a ese algo, que deja que le defina. Ya no es él como individuo el que piensa, opina y decide. El grupo lo hace por él. Lo cual puede llegar a ser bastante cómodo, la verdad. Es entonces, cuando el individuo deja de actuar como tal y pasa a actuar siempre como representante del grupo, cuando bien se le podría llamar fanático.
Así, la gente parte de un grupo llega a cometer acciones que nunca cometería como individuo solitario. Las implicaciones morales que conlleva, por ejemplo, asesinar a otra persona, son asumidas por el grupo, tras lo que se escuda la persona que comete la acción.
¿Cómo sería el mundo si cada persona tuviera que responder de sus actos? ¿Si cada uno de nosotros tuviera que dar cuenta de todo lo que ha hecho, como persona?
Si cada político tuviera que responder por todas las mentiras que ha dicho por su idea de gobierno. Si cada empresario tuviera que responder por todo lo que ha hecho con el bien de su empresa en mente. Si cada integrante de un grupo radical tuviera que responder por todo el dolor que ha creado en base a su idea de como deberían ser las cosas.
O si cada fanático de una religión tuviera que responder por todo el atraso en el progreso de su mundo, los recortes en la libertad de expresión del resto, o el dolor que ha causado a los demás en base a sus prejuicios (que son suyos, con lo que debería ser su problema). Por supuesto esto vale tanto para los musulmanes radicales que se dedican a estrellar aviones contra torres como para los católicos radicales que se dedican a censurar películas y a quemar libros.
Acabo de darme cuenta de que lo que he dicho no es exactamente lo que dice Fel, aunque sí es una idea complementaria. Y la verdad es que semejante post merecía semejante comentario (a la longitud de ambos, me refiero). A desvariar no nos gana nadie, cuando nos ponemos.
"the next time you feel like telling me how to live my life, just don't.(...)and I will always be opposed to the anti-thinking these nonthinkers advocate and practice. Always."
Amén, hermano. Amén a eso.
Jejeje. La que he soltado por aquí. Me he quedado sólo. :)
No es que te hayas quedado solo, no te preocupes. Es que quería escribir largo y tendido al respecto, pero la verdad es que no se me ocurre nada, excepto que estoy, como siempre, de acuerdo contigo. Que lo que dices sucedes? Sin duda. Que es una vergüenza que ocurra? Pues también.
En fin. Que no me pongo serio a menudo (y menos en el blog), pero es que me tocaron las narices con tanta intolerancia y tanta subnormalidad. Prehumanos es lo que son.
Sin preocupación que valga, Fel. No te quepa duda.
Rara vez me suelo poner serio yo también. Y menos en el blog. Aparte de aquellos dos puntuales posts que escribí una vez, claro. Pero es que hay veces que de no soltar la rabia contenida, explotaríamos.
A ver si todo el mundo empieza a tomarse las cosas un poco menos en serio, que seguro que nos iría mucho mejor.
Pues eso. Y en un tema relacionado, anoche empecé The Golden Compass, el libro. :)
Bieeeen. Un lector más gracias a la imparable máquina censora religiosa. :)
Hehehe. Nada como la publicidad negativa (especialmente según quién la considera negativa) para vender un producto. :)
Sí. Bueno, eso... o una buena tía al lado. :)
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