This is America
Jun. 8th, 2018 01:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
strangeI was just watching Childish Gambino's This is America. Again. I do this on the regular, partly because it and he is amazing and partly because he's saying SO many things in a 4 minute span and it's hard to focus on all of it (yes, I know that's the point) and for these reasons it simply warrants numerous... if not infinite... watches. SO. Ok. I just had an insight I'd never had before, and that I haven't seen anyone else on the internet have, at least not where I saw it. The internet is a big place and all.
So here's the thing I was struck with THIS time through. When he slaughters the choir, he enters the area all smiles and joy. Dancing and laughing and doing his thing. Then, he gets sad for about 2 seconds, and someone tosses him an "assault" rifle with which he instantly murders all the people in sight. This is, by my eyes and feelings, a comment not just on how ridiculously easy it is to get high-powered killing machines in America, but also on how very swiftly people in this country in this day and age (at least) move from "everything is fine" to "KILL EVERYONE I CAN". A decently "normal" person feels slighted or sad or angry. Instead of any number of other possible outlets, they turn strait to their gun to punish people who most likely didn't even have shit to do with their feelings of ineptitude (or whatever). Part of this issue is the fact that gun sellers do literally (don't even try to tell me they don't unless you're willing to show your work and have an honest, open-minded, discussion) just throw non-handguns at people just cause they want one. So it's readily available if someone happens to have a day of sadness. Part of this issue is that people in America hard-core shove mental illness to the side and try to bury it. So even if a "normal" person was depressed, etc, they're not getting the help they need (and possibly because we're so anti-mental illness awareness said person may not even know about their own) and therefore don't recognize their other outlets or tools they might have available to combat their own brand of darkness. Now I dunno that the mental illness interpretation I just found myself with was Glover's intent, but from where I'm sitting with my life experiences, this handful of seconds spoke volumes to me about it and how we handle it here. People handle sadness by punishing others rather than introspection.
I feel like I'm struck with a new thing at least every other time I watch this video. This man is a treasure and a fucking genius. I love that he won't comment or explain. It's art, he says. Art is supposed to mean different things to different people depending on the glasses through which they view it and/or the world. I'm paraphrasing as I can't find the specific interview, so I didn't use quotes.
So here's the thing I was struck with THIS time through. When he slaughters the choir, he enters the area all smiles and joy. Dancing and laughing and doing his thing. Then, he gets sad for about 2 seconds, and someone tosses him an "assault" rifle with which he instantly murders all the people in sight. This is, by my eyes and feelings, a comment not just on how ridiculously easy it is to get high-powered killing machines in America, but also on how very swiftly people in this country in this day and age (at least) move from "everything is fine" to "KILL EVERYONE I CAN". A decently "normal" person feels slighted or sad or angry. Instead of any number of other possible outlets, they turn strait to their gun to punish people who most likely didn't even have shit to do with their feelings of ineptitude (or whatever). Part of this issue is the fact that gun sellers do literally (don't even try to tell me they don't unless you're willing to show your work and have an honest, open-minded, discussion) just throw non-handguns at people just cause they want one. So it's readily available if someone happens to have a day of sadness. Part of this issue is that people in America hard-core shove mental illness to the side and try to bury it. So even if a "normal" person was depressed, etc, they're not getting the help they need (and possibly because we're so anti-mental illness awareness said person may not even know about their own) and therefore don't recognize their other outlets or tools they might have available to combat their own brand of darkness. Now I dunno that the mental illness interpretation I just found myself with was Glover's intent, but from where I'm sitting with my life experiences, this handful of seconds spoke volumes to me about it and how we handle it here. People handle sadness by punishing others rather than introspection.
I feel like I'm struck with a new thing at least every other time I watch this video. This man is a treasure and a fucking genius. I love that he won't comment or explain. It's art, he says. Art is supposed to mean different things to different people depending on the glasses through which they view it and/or the world. I'm paraphrasing as I can't find the specific interview, so I didn't use quotes.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-06-10 10:39 pm (UTC)A lot of people talk about how video games are the cause for this rash decision of violence with guns and I can see how they would jump to that conclusion - but I don't believe its to blame. Humans have been playing pretend for a long time and falling back on that excuse is pathetic - we're not animals, we have consciousness that can separate this.
I /do/ believe the root cause is media as a whole. We're becoming desensitized more and more because of technology and how we consume it. Whether it's the news, movies/television, the internet and even video games and mobile crutches. We are becoming robotic. I don't think removing these things from our lives is the answer - I'm addicted just as much as everyone else and I don't WANT to stop. I think there is just as much good with the internet/technology as it is (and is becoming)...
But couple that with the fact that guns are such an American trope it's a fucking staple of life. You aren't ever going to go through life, as an American, without being around guns. People see their guns as the answer to being an American, an answer to freedom and fighting - an answer to their mental health issues and so on. Guns are the answer to so much for so many that consequences be damned because we're fucking humans who blame EVERYTHING ELSE because it's easier.
We're so wrapped up in our own little American molds that guns are the standard answer to our problems. Raccoons getting in your garbage? Shoot em! Thats the American way! Stan at work bringing you down and you think he's into satan because he doesn't go to church on Sundays!? SHOOT 'EM. That'll show em!