It is Thanksgiving day and for some reason this film enters my mind. I have watched this movie called “The New World” several times over the last week. I tend to watch or read something over and over again if I find it of interest. Relative to other movies, this film has less of a Hollywood feel. I could be tainted since I practically fell in love with the lead female actor who plays Pocahontas (lol). I don’t have any idea how captain Smith could have left that wild delicate spirit, but ambitions do pull us this way and that.
I think the reason this film is top of mind on Thanksgiving is because I relate this holiday, rightly or wrongly, to the founding of America and celebrating the harvest with the “naturals”. The film, which I will watch today (again), touches on so many topics that I find interesting. America offered a new start, a fresh beginning, almost a Utopian scenario. The land was abundant and untainted. The people landing on this New World had knowledge of the good and bad from the Old World. There was a chance to create something different from what existed.
So, on this day, I give thanks to my ancestors who risked their lives and traveled across the ocean with the idea to find and create a New World. It is the idea and the attempt that I celebrate today — not the Black Friday (now Black Thursday) outcome.
Contemplating The Human Direction 
I always do think it is interesting how the day of gratitude is (not only built on a crazy situation involving lots of intensity) but also followed by a day of crazy shopping and such fierce determination to get these discounts on commercial things. It’s amazing.
LOL…I will blabber about that later…you have a nice day and enjoy some good food and company.
http://www.alternet.org/culture/no-thanks-thanksgiving?akid=9709.145212.sGOJLc&rd=1&src=newsletter748607&t=5
http://www.alternet.org/immigration/map-destruction-how-europeans-stole-native-land?akid=9709.145212.sGOJLc&rd=1&src=newsletter748607&t=17
Yes, perhaps utopia existed and us Euro’s destroyed it. On the flip side, I do think there are those that glorify the Native Indian culture…as in the movie I refer to in this post. During one point in the film, Captain Smith said they have no jealously, no deceit, guile, or treachery, no concept of possession….perhaps that is an accurate account, but I would be surprised if there were humans that didn’t display those basic characteristics. And there have been numerous movies that have told this side of the story (Dancing with Wolves). One can also discuss slavery as another knock on this country.
Perhaps…if the Euros that came over were a select group picked for fine characteristics the whole situation may have been different…but as we know…it wasn’t exactly the pick of the liter that wanted to escape the Old World…lol. Unfortunately, indigenous people all over the world have been wiped out by different empires. Humans don’t embrace differences very well…look all around the world at the wars going on…it never stops.
Sadly so true. I posted the links as an extension to the discussion rather than to lead it in any specific direction.
I am glad you did.
Ray Bradbury in his ‘Martian Chronicles’ postulates the mess that humans make of colonizing Mars (same old mess but thankfully the locals fare better than the indigenous Americans did).
Might be a good read for me…thanks for the reference. Unfortunately, often I view the human race as a virus…something mentioned in the movie Matrix….but there are always a few individuals that make me think otherwise…
A few of us are either immune, or else have recovered. 😀