If you want a possible glimpse of the future, you might take a look at the past via Hollywood classics and pop music hits. Some movies/songs are prophetic, some pathetic, but numerous works appear to foreshadow- “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968), “Blade Runner” (1982), “WarGames” (1983), “The Terminator” (1984), “ The Matrix”, “Minority Report” (2002) , “I, Robot” (2004)… a sampling of movies that prognosticated things to come.
We are now in the annual season of hope. Throughout history, people have felt unsure about things, scared, seeking reassurance, feeling unsettled. Perhaps a reverse pop culture Wayback Machine (see “Peabody’s Improbable History” in Rocky/Bullwinkle cartoons) can provide a small bridge- fiction or fact- that reminds us of artistic repositories suggesting “beware” way back when.
Old music hits also provide clues that history repeats itself, and yet we’ve survived- “Eve of Destruction” (1965), “In The Year 2525” (1969), “Ball of Confusion” (1970), “Everybody Hurts” (1992), “Beds Are Burning” (1987), “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” (1987), “Talkin’ About A Revolution” (1988), “Russians” (1985), “Imagine” (1971), “Fortunate Son” (1969), “Waimanalo Blues” (1975), and “Redemption Song” (1980)… tunes with timely messages back then and worth reflecting on now. We got by; we’ll get by. “Hope is the dream of a waking man”. (Aristotle)
It’s patronizing to suggest “…just relax, this too shall pass” when times seem tough. Grasp that which you can. Take a breath. Act appreciative and be thankful for what you do have. Embrace hope. Always look ahead. Control what you can, including your mood. Hope can lead to resolve, commitment, action and positive results. It is far better than stultifying inertia. Maybe this holiday season- this window of annual hope- can help you out of a funk, allow you a moment to reflect, and possibly inch you forward or upward… even if it’s just a start.
Our islands are home to far too many people who are hungry, needy, struggling, or simply looking for a break; you may know, or be, one of these people. Pop culture provides perspective that while many social struggles/concerns of today are real, they are (unfortunately) not new. We’ve seen ‘em in different ways on different days. Promoting hope helps propel people and instill resiliency beyond idle, wishful thinking. Foster hope, aspire, and perhaps you’ll see a path down that winding road. And put on some music.
Think about it…