When wrestling with the world, here is some TV media for your soul (or whatever you want to call it). I hope it warms you up.
Who remembers “Chicken Soup for the Soul”? That’s kind of what I’m trying to do here. I believe strongly that what we put into our bodies can determine how we feel. Like, duh, but stay with me.. food, exercise, fresh air, clean water, those things that everyone tells you have a very real impact on our constitution. Most folks know by now that social media and some programming is designed to be addictive in the style of slot machines at Vegas. Hence social media fasting, dopamine fasting, etc. When it comes to TV, I don’t think I’m alone in saying that what I watch really seems to impact my mood, my outlook on the world, how I identify and what I value and draw myself toward. Obviously the *way* in which I choose to interpret media is also a strong variable, but my guess is the relationship between what I consume and how I consume it is probably similar to nature vs nurture in it’s complexity. Argue me cause or correlation, but when we intentionally choose our media intake we have a level of control over the type of person that we are. The first time I was really introduced to this idea of very intentional media consumption was from someone who later became a Catholic monk. Don’t get me wrong, I am making no statement in the realm of state or church controlled media. My feeling is very strong that this should be an individual decision. Many people already do this on some level, or even subconsciously, choosing what they like. For me, I try to restrict my media to things that I think or hope will help me to see something more than I could have imagined, leave a positive impact on me and contribute to my growth as a person. I do this to feel better than everyone else (jokes), but really just to keep my sanity in a world that lends itself to mental illness, existential dread and nihilism.
In the way that some folks go to church, I like to watch really good TV. The kind that makes me feel connected to other people, that introduces new ideas, cultures and experiences which move me to feel things I’ve never felt before or to see things on a deeper level. I’m in love with the kind of media that brings us deeper into ourselves, asks us difficult questions and holds us through the experience with a special kind of cinematic magic. In other words, I’m obsessed with A24. Challenging and holistic media brings me closer to myself, closer to the world and closer to, dare I say it, (insert your choice of omniscient cosmic force here). After doing this for many years, I think of it mostly in the same way I think of psychedelic trips. Back when I was tripping on a semi-regular basis, it occured to me that in the sense that life is a road and something different can be experienced, learned and integrated on each “trip”, I started to picture each one as a side-quest or pit-stop on the side of the road. There may be connections between the values we form or the things we see on each trip, or they may be independent, but internalized and processed, each contributes to the quality of the person we shape ourselves to be. With more internalization may come more depth of impact, so, selfishly, thanks for reading, because I’d love to better absorb some of this amazing media by explaining it to you 🙂
A disclaimer: I’m going to talk about some weird sh*t. If you don’t know about shamanism, Jung, alchemy, shadow work, zen, stoicism and astrology, then great! Maybe look it up and then come back. Or not! I know very little, but we’re going to explore some of it together. It’s my opinion (regurgitated from people who are smarter than me) that there is a spiritual void in our society that the church used to fill, and there are many ways to try to fill it. These spiritual lenses have allowed me to filter my life, media and other people’s ideas into something like a working moral theory. Emphasis on working (functional, but very fluid). Practically, I recommend nature, close and not-close friends, good food, hard work and, of course, good media. I’m a big proponent of taking what works for you and leaving the rest, while trying to enjoy the experience along the way. I hope some of the content here can help your own working theory, I am very open to comments and arguments for other perspectives as long as everyone is civil and understanding. Another disclaimer: As far as movie buffs go, I am just a babe in a crowd of giants. I have not done my due diligence in researching other content/critics to see what else is out there. This is just a fun lil project, in the style of sharing some tea w a friend and sharing deeper thoughts on a movie we just saw. Cheers, and welcome 🙂
Moon King
This movie was written and directed by Drew West Moon King is a no-bars-held, underground punk mythology epic. I f*cking love it. To describe it in one word: courageous. This movie leads you on a chaotic fever dream which also endeavors to make you a better person. In this case, what it means to be…
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