Final

SLCC Written Final

The human race is soft-wired to feel for each other. In Jeremy Rifkin’s video Empathic Civilization he explains mirror neurons and the human drive to be like other people. In the video Rifkin says, “All humans are soft wired with mirror neurons, so that if, I’m observing you, your anger, your frustration, your sense of rejection, your joy, whatever it is. I can feel what you’re doing. The same neurons will light up in me as if I’m having that experience myself.” (The Empathic Civilization). Mirror neurons create a sense of togetherness without even knowing it. They can make you feel pain just from watching someone else’s. Mirror neurons are changing the way we study social interactions as well. Susan Perry is a writer that has interests in neuroscience, and she said “Mirror neuron research, therefore, is helping scientists reinterpret the neurological underpinning of social interactions” (Susan Perry, brainfacts.org). Mirror neurons are basically where empathy originates. If we didn’t have mirror neurons we may not even know what empathy is. Mirror neurons can also help bring us together. In the video Rifkin says, “The first drive is: the drive to belong.” (The Empathic Civilization). This means that no matter how much people want to stand out and be unique, its actually human nature to be like other people. People always want to belong to something whether it’s a team, a group of friends, or even just the human race.

The Internet can bring the world together as a community. Craigslist Joe is movie about a man who tries to live an entire month just off of Craigslist. He tries to find transportation, food, and shelter, and he succeeds. In the movie Joe Garner says,"...some say we have lost the sense of community that carry us through tough times, today it's every person for themselves. Some say that technology and social media fuel this isolation, have we become so caught up in our own lives, that we don't notice life outside our bubble?"(Craigslist Joe). People today are so caught up in doing everything to benefit themselves that they forget they are a part of a bigger picture: the human race. We are all a part of something. Some argue that the internet tears that away from us, but some argue that it brings us closer together. Throughout the movie it becomes clear that there are people that realize this big picture. Joe says, "The generosity of people, and the stories they shared, and the connection I've made, in one month!Was so deep and just meeting everyone and telling them my story and the journey... it was just truly inspiring on humanity to know that we can take care of each other"(Craigslist Joe). At the end of the movie, Joe realizes that people do still have sympathy and empathy, and no matter what the internet does, it can’t take away the fact that we are all human. Joe says, "Just thinking back to all my friends at home and family, that will keep me through the night. I know it will be a cold night a harsh night, but in the morning the sun will come out and I’m making the best of it"(Craigslist Joe). Joe is reminding himself of that fact.The fact that he is human and every day is a new start.

One person’s life can help save many. Seven Pounds is a heartbreaking, yet inspiring story about a man that want’s to change the lives of people he meets. In the movie Ben Thomas, the main character, meets a woman named Emily Posa. During one of their first conversations he asks her about her life and her heart disease, then the conversation takes a turn to calling their lives “unremarkable”. Ben says “Unremarkable" would be an upgrade for me, I assure you.” (Seven Pounds). At this point in the movie, the viewer doesn’t know why he says this, but as they keep watching they learn he doesn’t think he should be alive due to the fact that he killed 7 people in a car accident. As the movie progresses Ben and Emily start to fall in love, and they start to talk about their future.

“Emily Posa: What if... my pager goes off... and it's a heart... and... it works? And my body doesn't reject it? And... what if i have time?

Ben Thomas: [Long pause] What if? What if we have children? What if we got married?” (Seven Pounds). In this scene Ben and Emily have just had sex but it is also the scene right before he commits suicide. This is the moment Ben knows he really loves Emily and he would do whatever it takes for her to continue with her life. Ben becomes the opposite of a box jellyfish. “The first time I ever saw a box jellyfish, I was twelve. Our father took us to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I never forgot what he said... That it was the most deadly creature on earth. To me it was just the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.” (Seven Pounds). This is foreshadowing to how Ben will kill himself at the end of the movie. Both the box jellyfish and Ben have duality to them: one is beautiful but kills,the other kills itself to save others. At the end of the movie Emily meets the man that Ben gave his eyes to, Ezra, and immediately starts crying because it’s like looking into Ben’s eyes.

Technology has given everyone the ability to follow their passions. PressPausePlay is a movie about the growth of technology in the world. Technology is a great thing in terms of music, films, and art. In the movie Seth Godin says, “It used to be, you didn’t become an artist just to become rich, you became an artist because you had an idea or emotion to share, and that’s we’re heading again.” (PressPausePlay). Technology is good in this situation because with all this art out on the Internet it could make people strive to be even better, making the quality of art go up. Napster was one of the first free music sharing sites, and when it came out it was a revolution. Amy Phillips said “That first taste of utopia has spurred people on towards what they’ve done now” (PressPausePlay). She’s saying that Napster was the birth of Pandora, Tidal, Spotify and other instant free music sites or apps. Of course there is the perception of a con in all of this. Moby says, “50 years ago, people didn’t make things. People would go to photography exhibitions. They would go to record fairs. They would watch movies. Now everyone is a photographer. Everyone is a musician. Anyone can make a film.” (PressPausePlay). That’s his perception, but he fails to realize that people should follow their dreams and passions.

Healing can be achieved through forgiveness. In Smoke Signals Victor Joseph’s father dies and Victor needs to go pick up his ashes. Through his journey Thomas Builds-the-Fire tries to help him by asking him about his father, but Victor is too stubborn and deflects the conversation every time. Eventually Victor gets tired of Thomas always asking about his dad and says, “Thomas you don't even know my father. Did you know that my father was the one that set your parent's house on fire? Did you know that my father beat my mother? Did you know that my father beat me too?” (Smoke Signals). Thomas doesn’t like his father for what he did to him and his mother. At one point Thomas compares himself and Victor to flame and ash. “You know there are some children who aren't really children at all, they're just pillars of flame that burn everything they touch. And there are some children who are just pillars of ash, that fall apart when you touch them... Victor and me, we were children of flame and ash.” (Smoke Signals). Thomas calls Victor a pillar of flame because anytime someone tries to get close to them he burns them and pushes them away. This is most likely because he has trust issues due to his father. He used to be very close with his father, and then he just left him like it was nothing. After Victor had gone through his entire journey and healed, him and Thomas are sitting in the car talking, and Victor seems happier than he ever has been since his father left. Victor thanks Thomas and as a sign of his gratitude he gives him some of his father’s ashes. After that Thomas gives a monologue that is perfect for the movie, and can be interpreted in many other ways. “How do we forgive our fathers? Maybe in a dream. Do we forgive our fathers for leaving us too often, or forever, when we were little? Maybe for scaring us with unexpected rage, or making us nervous because there never seemed to be any rage there at all? Do we forgive our fathers for marrying, or not marrying, our mothers? Or divorcing, or not divorcing, our mothers? And shall we forgive them for their excesses of warmth or coldness? Shall we forgive them for pushing, or leaning? For shutting doors or speaking through walls? For never speaking, or never being silent? Do we forgive our fathers in our age, or in theirs? Or in their deaths, saying it to them or not saying it. If we forgive our fathers, what is left?” (Smoke Signals). At first this quote applies just to the movie, but then it starts to expand to try and relate to everyone. Everyone feels they have a reason to be upset with someone, but really, you can make an excuse to be mad at anyone for anything.