Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Absolutely! Not?

"Only a Sith thinks in absolutes."
Obi-wan Kenobi
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

I absolutely believe that.

Kidding!

The movie was shown on cable TV here on New Year's Eve, inspiring this post. To those of you haven't seen the Star Wars movies, the Sith are the bad guys while the Jedi are the good guys. Members of both sides are proficient in physically and mentally using the universal energy field called the Force (for good and evil purposes), both shun love (for different reasons), and they all kick ass with their lightsabers.

What Obi-wan said makes sense. Things aren't always black or white; there are shades of grey and many other colors. Situations and people aren't always all good or all bad; sometimes though, it takes quite a while before you can see the good in something.

I wonder if Obi-wan's statement extends to absolute belief or faith in something. Like, if you absolutely believe that animals should not be eaten, does that make you bad? If you have absolute faith that one day there'll be no more poverty anywhere in the world, should you start wearing freaky headgear á la Darth Vader?

Balanced, realistic thinking can be a hard thing to achieve. Sometimes it seems that animals have it easier: basically they just eat, procreate, die. But our ability to think and reason is the Force, if you will, that elevates us above other animals. Sadly, some people seem to neglect this ability and consequently behave even worse than animals.

By the way, I absolutely believe that Paris Hilton has no talent for singing. Okie dokie, I'll go look for a Darth Maul mask; I know we have one here somewhere.

34 comments:

mist1 said...

Balance...I'm working on it.

Nubian Nerd said...

Hey Lizza, Just popped over to wish you a Happy New Year (though I notice it's already January 2nd in your neck of the woods).

Now, reading your old entries, I realise how much I missed your reflective, thought-provoking little posts. Best for 2007!

(Damn mist1, you're everywhere!)

Lexa Roséan said...

happy new year!

lastlifeinmyuniverse said...

ive never seen star wars. not a single one of em. and i dont think that rich camwhore has a talent for anything.

thethinker said...

Wise words. Though, I've never really been able to get interested in the Star Wars movies. I like the way you summarized it.

Gumby said...

I absolutely believe that W. is the Idiot Sith. He preaches black and white - 'You're either with us, or you're against us'

Michael C said...

That Paris Hilton thing is an absolute I have no problem with!!

Kiyotoe said...

people go crazy when they try to accept the world as black or white, right or wrong, etc.

most of us reside in those grey patches.

Except when it comes to Paris Hilton of course.....

ShadowFalcon said...

Hey Happy new year.

In Britain there was a national census a few years ago and thousands of people Claimed "Jedi" as thier religion, enough that the government legally should have declared it a recognised religion. They decided to ignore it, still made me laugh...and kick myself for not putting down Jedi on my form.

y.Wendy.y said...

If I came back in another life I think I'd want to be a dog....lots of walkies, fun and games, yummy table scraps, farting without pretence, no thinking, no worries, lots of liitle afternoon naps.

Yeah - it's a dog's life.

For now though - I am human (gah!) and will try to think in shades of grey only.

But not regarding Paris Hilton. She cannot sing. Even a dog knows that.

Lizza said...

mist1: You can do anything, you're godlike.

NN: Welcome back and Happy New Year!

(mist1 is godlike)

Lexa: Happy New Year to you too. :-)

Deb: You're one of the few people I know who haven't seen the movies.

Camwhore? Haha!

Thinker: Short and sweet. :-) Thanks.

Gumby: Haha! W's been called a lot of names, but I think this is the first time I've heard of him referred to as Idiot Sith.

Michael: Oh, good!

Kiyotoe: I completely agree with what you said about the grey patches (and about Paris, too).

Shadowfalcon: Welcome back and Happy New Year!

Haha! Now you know what to write when you fill in another form.

Wendz: Haha! Dogs must be smarter than they're given credit for then.

Sebastiane said...

Can I be a Jedi too?

XD

Merritt Fields said...

Everything in moderation...including moderation.

Anonymous said...

The force, the force...
I think we are just complicating ourselves and everything we have
I still want world peace though

houseband00 said...

Huuu, si Ewan lang kasi si Obi-wan. Pustahan tayo kung si Cachupoy yun gumanap, ewan lo lang. =)

Happy New Year!!!!

Foofa said...

Happy New Year! I think that being able to look at every situation as a possibility rather than as an absolute is nearly impossible. That is why the Jedi are so powerful. Us regular type folk can't help but see absolutes here and there in life. It takes someone really special to always look at all sides.

Natalia said...

Amen on Paris. That much, I know.

-N

Odat said...

If I followed just my instincts like the animals do I'd be in really big trouble!!! HEHE...
Peace

Schmoop said...

Hmmmm. George W. Bush: Sith Man? Happy New Year Lizza

Frank Sirianni said...

Wishing you and yours all the best in the new year.
Happy 007
Frank

Dan said...

Very good post Lizza. Yes, our thinking is what raises up above animals. Our thinking, sadly, is also what causes nearly all of the misery in our lives. The labeling, the judging, the worrying, the brooding, the second guessing, the anxiety, and on and on. If we could only turn off the endless thoughts. Animals don't have that problem.

And Star Wars rocks. Absolutely it does! ;)

Tainted Female said...

Lizza...

You know I haven't been around for a long while, but I've got to say... what a thought-provoking entry to see first upon my return.

I've never seen the movies. Can't say I'm interested. But balance is something we all think we've got, few of us can analyze in ourselves and the more intelligent ones, accept that it's always a strive to reach.

And Paris Who? You mean the rich chick who's famous for getting all her papa's hotel money and doing nothing on her own? Why do people fill their heads with useless knowledge like who she is and what she's done? I'll never understand the frenzy around people like her.

Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

LIZZA: Have never seen any of the prequels.
Interesting pick up on the line by Obi
We do live in greys.. though the Religion might disagree...everything you do is judged on that one moment and not always on the whole. Greys...

Bud Weiser, WTIT said...

Lizza-

I would imahine that it did not take long to figure we have heard way too much of Paris Hilton!

Bud

little things said...

Awesome post idea. I spend lots of private time pondering ideas such as these.
Though not religious, I still try to feel that 'murder is always wrong' for example. But is it? It almost seems like there is a time and place for everything, otherwise why would it exist?

Unknown said...

Ha! A deeply fun one, of course.
Thank you so much for the always great and/or funny posts I find here =)

(and for your congrats on my BBOTD *blushing*)

xoxoxo,

San

Lizza said...

kyels: But of course! :-)

aisby: Hmmm, I think that just short-circuited my brain. Haha!

ZI: Some things are just too damn complicated. :-)

HB: Happy New Year! Ewan ko nga ba kay Ewan. :-)

Natalie: I think a lot of people look at some things from all sides sometimes and be absolutists at other times. What a mixed-up world. :-)

Natalia: Amen!

Odat: Oohh, now you make me wonder about your instincts. Haha!

Matt: Welcome back and Happy New Year!

Frank: Thanks, wishing you the same.

Dan: Yep, thinking too much can suck big time.

Tainted: Great to have you back. I think balance is hard to achieve too. I've just about resigned myself to perpetual imbalance.

Bond: Yep, but all the greys are confusing sometimes. Everything just gets so tiring. :-)

Bud: You got that right. :-)

Marlayna: Maybe there is a time and place for everything that's happened, is happening, or will happen. But it's mind-boggling trying to figure out the reason for them.

Sanni: Haha, glad you liked it. (and congratulations again!)

Scott from Oregon said...

Star Wars, Black and White, and Paris Hilton...

Hmmmm... you are starting to get the hang of disparate things...

iz said...

Yeah but Paris Hilton is a marketing genius. And considering that her album was a sell out, it just goes to show what an aweseome brand she's created!

Lizza said...

Scott: Well whaddya know...you're contagious! :-)

iz: Her album was a sellout? Jeez. Well, that's good for her then. But I still can't stand her voice. :-D

Terra Shield said...

I like grey... it's not too predictable, yet it's mostly safe...

Anyway, I tagged myself on the song tag .

Anonymous said...

That's a nice way of looking at grey, Terra. Okie dokie, I'll go read your song tag. Thanks for playing!

H said...

Hmmm. Sometimes absolute belief can lead the way to balanced thinking. Absolute belief in something greater than one, absolute belief in the basic ability of all people to feel love. Absolute belief in the power of three to complete a thought. HAHAHA. [that was a private joke].

Lizza said...

But if you believe in something absolutely and it turned out to be false, you'll just go absolutely crazy. Hahaha!