Imagine a world where everything you believe is true, is actually a TV Show. Now you’re in the world of Truman Burbank, an ‘average’ person whose entire life is broadcasted to the world. Christof the director of the Truman show states that “We accept the reality of the world in which we are presented. ” This is a key issue in “The Truman Show” but does it apply to our real lives? Do we question and inquire or do we just accept the world as it is? Each person’s reality is simply his or her perspective.
There is an objective reality and then there’s the ‘truth’ that has been shaped by human experience and emotion. Truman accepts his odd existence. As Christof points out, “We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented. ” Truman does not question why his wife holds products up and describes them as if she was in a television commercial. He doesn’t wonder why everything happens at the same time every day; he hasn’t known it to be anything else. He knows the whole world revolves around him.
This is how it is within his reality. A series of production mistakes causes Truman to awaken from his beliefs. A stage light falls from the ‘sky’. Strange messages are broadcast on his car radio. He sees a man who looks like his father who had died several years/episodes earlier. Truman decides to escape his reality by facing his fears and sailing beyond the horizon of what he knows. The metaphors are endless in this film. The Truman Show teaches us that it is ultimately good to break away from the false aspects of present-day perceptions.
Although we may grieve the loss of our previous convictions, we are liberated to explore whole new realities by letting go of old beliefs. This can be deeply fulfilling, as our true identity emerges naturally within a more truthful world. Sometimes we must break away from our perceptions to discover more about the ‘tru-man’ within. 2. “TWICE AS MUCH AINT TWICE AS GOOD AND CAN’T SUSTAIN LIKE ONE HALF COULD. ITS WANTING MORE THAT’S GONNA SEND ME TO MY KNEES” – JOHN MAYER John Mayer speaks about his relationship with God and uses gravity as a metaphor for the Devil.
The lyrics state that gravity is working against him and that it wants to bring him down. Then he mentions how he has so much love, more than his heart can stand. “But still he dreams of ways to throw all this love away”… once again a reference to the Devil and his wishes for us to throw all what’s good in our lives away. “We want twice as much, but it’s not twice as good”. “It’s wanting more that’s gonna send me to my knees”. Greed is also something the Devil sends us. Gravity (Devil) stay the hell away from me. Gravity (the Devil), has taken better men than me.
Just keep me where the light is. Referring to Gods light and how the Devil loves the darkness. The song is about how you should know when you have had enough, about working hard to keep it because you can lose it in a second; about working against the negativity people try to bring you down with, and about trying to not screw up. Human existence can be seen on a few levels. The lower level is more personal meanings and the lives of individuals. Things and people matter to us and give our lives meaning with a little ‘m’.
Without those ‘little meanings’ life would indeed be empty and meaningless in a way that causes true distress. Little things like small acts of kindness, support for friends, gatherings in celebration, condolences in times of sadness, all give life meaning even if not a transcendent ‘Meaning’. Perhaps what people are looking for, for human existence and a meaning for their lives that goes beyond their own merely particular concerns and activities. We feel better if we think that our lives are part of a larger concern.
Such a concern gives us a sense of belonging to something bigger than ourselves. 3. “NO MATTER HOW LOUD YOU SHOULD, YOU WILL NOT DROWN OUT THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE” – WILLIAM WILBERFORCE Amazing Grace, depicts the true story of anti-slavery pioneer, William Wilberforce, who faced the daunting task of speaking on behalf of men and women held captive in the chains of slavery. With a voice to be heard Wilberforce overcame many obstacles in order to free a people from such inhumanity. He spoke out on behalf of people who could not speak for themselves, thus giving a voice to the voiceless.
When such a passion occurs, it becomes true as spoken by Wilberforce, “No matter how loud you shout you will not drown out the voice of the people! ” I personally would argue that there are three levels of meaning to human life. One is misguided and two are more legitimate. The first is the misguided search for a ‘Great Meaning’ that gives significance to life as a whole. Next is the meaning talked about on a life that cares for something more than the simple satisfaction of personal desires.
Finally, there are the little meanings of everyday life that come from living with others and acting in the world. These include the memories and anticipations of daily life, as well as the things of personal significance that surround us. On these lower levels of meaningfulness, there is no doubt that human life has meaning. On the higher level, the question of whether human life is meaningful is itself meaningless.
Bibliography:
http://vop1. blogspot. com. au http://www. sodahead. com/living/do-we-accept-the-reality-of-the-world-with-which-we-are-presented/question-2593721/?
link=ibaf&q=“we%20accept%20the%20reality%20of%20the%20world%20with%20which%20we%20are%20presented”%20–%20christof%20%20%20%20the%20truman%20show%20 http://www. reellifewisdom. com/reality_we_accept_the_reality_of_the_world_with_which_we_are_presented http://filminsight. net/2011/06/06/the-truman-show-film-analysis/ http://www. studymode. com/essays/We-Accept-The-Reality-Of-The-386677. html http://www. lyricinterpretations. com/John-Mayer/Gravity http://www. sing365. com/music/lyric. nsf/Gravity-lyrics-John-Mayer/AB18B568CCD0230C4825707C001107EA PART B.