An Open Letter to Depeche Mode, from your Best Friend

Hello guys,

I know you're wondering, "Who is this claiming to be my best friend?"  Well, it's me.  I've been here, cheering you on by your side for ...let's see ...34 years.  I remember sitting in my brother's room hearing about the "grabbing hands" grabbing all they can.  I was in awe as you thundered about how People Are People.  Then you created a Black Celebration.  My friends were confused but no problem, I liked the songs.  And when they said you had sold out to the Masses and 101 was alienating the true fans, I held on because I knew this band is something special.  And you proved them wrong, didn't you?  On your next offering we all could Enjoy the Silence as the critics were left speechless.  I was there in '93, on the 14th row of the Delta Center.  You were great!  As a true friend, I was sorry to watch you go through a lot of turmoil, breakups, and then one of you even died for a few minutes.  I couldn't possibly walk in your shoes, but you had my support when you got back on your feet and tried again.  Bravo, good for you, coming back from so much adversity.  You worked through the changed dynamics and finally delivered another masterwork in Playing the Angel.  I was excited by your music because I knew that your potential was really starting to be realized, and it was only getting better.

Now here we are, my friends.  You are at the top of your game.  I had purchased all your albums when they were new on cassettes and then re-purchased on CDs.  I didn't get all the singles because I'm not a weirdo collector, I just like the music.  You've created things that have been there throughout my life, standing head and shoulders above bands with inferior creative abilities.  You've survived the death / irrelevance of New Wave, Synth Pop, Techno, and several other electronic movements because your instincts always break through.  As you can see, I am and have been your true friend and support.

So why am I, your best friend, writing you now?  We were doing perfectly well and I gave you your professional space.  Why now?  Let me explain.  I learned a few years ago which relationships in life are truly Precious and worth effort.  Among these of course are family relationships, but there's no time in life for friends who won't "understand me."  For all my devotion to your art and accepting you without judgment, you don't like or want to understand me.  And I'm not much of a friend if I just ignore how you're treating me.

"What?"  you'll gasp, "What have I possibly done wrong?"  Let's talk.

(to be continued...)

Judging the Past

          In recent years, feelings of shame and embarrassment have redefined the way in which many Americans view their country. We have been convinced, through the power of the media, educational institutions, and discussions of everyday life, that the legacy of this nation is one of lost hope, broken promises and ignored suffering. Once, we were taught to love America, to learn about its past, and to serve as loyal citizens in order to preserve the future. Now, patriotism has been dismissed by some as a form of propaganda, one which is meant to hide darker motives behind America's actions.
          Such a shift has come with the emergence of contemporary intellectualism. Living in a time of economic prosperity, peace, and technological achievements, many thinkers have adopted an attitude of superiority over the people who came before us. They believe that gains in social justice, the rise in living standards, and growing international cooperation prove their tolerance, generosity, and intelligence. Yet, these feelings of pride (which all of us can have at times) have distorted the way we view our history.
          When people judge America's past, they claim to use logic and fairness to present an accurate viewpoint. In some cases, this is true. For decades, the events of the Indian Wars were shown only from an American viewpoint. In recent years, Native Americans have gained more respect for their role in the history of this country. Instead of being portrayed as villains, they are understood for trying to defend their homes and way of life. This is a situation where a once-inaccurate story, slanted for the benefit of one side, has been replaced by a complete version of the truth, in which both sides are considered.
          However, those who judge America's past are more often unfair. They do debunk myths and expose biases, yet create new ones to replace them. This is often done by taking an event and using it to support generalizations about a person, nation, or group. For example, some of us look at the Mexican-American War, and conclude from it that America is an aggressive, hypocritical, and corrupt nation. Similarly, our modern society views the former practice of slavery as an indicator of 18th- and 19th-century Americans' intolerance, laziness, and lack of morals. We are constantly told that Christopher Columbus was an evil, murderous man who set off on his voyage simply to plunder the New World.
          Looking at the surface of such events and the people involved in them, it appears reasonable to make these judgments, especially when they are widely accepted in schools, intellectual communities, and public discussions. There are a few problems with this. The first is in trying to analyze these events exclusively through a 21st-century lens. We compare our present situations, and how we handle them, to how people in the past dealt with similar issues. But our experiences today are very different from those of our forebears. 
          During the Mexican-American War, the global order was much more erratic, dangerous and violent than it is now. In the last 170 years, people have not become inherently disposed to peace; there is still conflict raging around the world, as well as violent crime and political intrigue within our borders. Rather, the main causes for today's relatively-stable order are the emergence of the United States (a democracy more interested in trade than war) as a superpower, the delicate balance upheld by nuclear-armed countries, and expanding technologies which bring world economies and cultures closer together. If we are to come to an informed conclusion about the war and those involved in it, we need to consider the matter from a 19th-century perspective.
          There is another issue with making absolute statements about past people and events. It is found in the nature of current thought; we assume moral and intellectual superiority over those who came before us. When examining someone like Columbus, it is easy to apply to him the same standards that we apply to ourselves today. Our society expects people from history to follow its rules, and if they did not, they are perceived as having been immoral or evil.
          However, expectations of morality and decency have evolved from their time to ours. Columbus and the native inhabitants of the Americas lacked our understanding of proper respect, along with the natural human rights which support it; these were born out of the Enlightenment, Scientific Revolution, and other developments in subsequent years. He and others of his time, including native people, had different concepts of right and wrong from what we have today. It can be observed that respect for others and for human life has made society and interactions better, but without a prior foundation of knowledge, those living in the 16th century could not have known this. This did not make them immoral people.
          Living in a time of different and quickly-changing standards, those who judge the past assume themselves to be wiser than people who came before. But are we really better than them? Focusing on every mistake they made, we often overlook or dismiss their good choices, including to end slavery. We would not be here to discuss, or criticize, the involvement of past people with this system had they not abolished it.
          Rather than having better or worse intentions, historical figures were simply like us. They were human, and because of this, they made mistakes. But they were also growing, just as we are today. People in the past faced unique sets of challenges; had they not confronted and overcome them, we would not enjoy the freedoms and prosperity of our time. If we take it upon ourselves to be their judges, not only are we likely to make faulty verdicts, we will also miss the valuable opportunity of learning from them.

A cinematic concern?

For decades, movies have been one of the essential components of our global popular culture. During a time when entertainment is both in high demand and great supply, we find ourselves immersed in a cycle of anticipation, enjoyment, and critical review. The line "I can't wait for that new movie to come out" is often followed by "I want to buy this when it's released on DVD" or "What a waste of money!" Films can even help us to improve our personal situations, for they allow us to see new perspectives and similarities with our own lives, spend time with people we care about, and find new ways to experience true joy and happiness.

  Movies have such a powerful impact because of the energy which they can channel into us. Though characters and events may be fictional, the emotions and feelings invoked enter our minds with the same power as the ones which we encounter in our own lives. When we root for our favorite character, feel great joy about a scene, or cry in front of a screen, we are being affected by vibes from the given movie.

  Indeed, the energy of a film can have positive and negative effects on us. It can inspire us to do better or provide a perceived justification for our imperfection. Movies can bring us in the direction of calm and comfort, or desensitize us and lower our defenses against the evil which we find in our own world. The type of film that we choose to watch can, in practice, contribute to who we will ultimately become.

  Unfortunately, many of us have been misled to think that a movie is solely meant for providing entertainment and enjoyment. We want films that stimulate our minds with what is, essentially, the equivalent of junk food. These movies carry a kind of energy which evokes dark and unhealthy emotions in us, such as high suspense, horror, and anger.

  The film industry has adapted to the popular demand by producing movies which are designed to disgust, incite, and scare us. Films based on moral value are largely ignored and even held in contempt, while dessert movies with repeating plots and themes gain most of our attention. And while it is true that they can include virtuous elements (for example, the fight between good and evil), this matters little if we only focus on the sugar.

  Individually, we are often attracted to unhealthy films by curiosity. Recently, my family and I saw a film that was filled with darkness, manifested in the physical forms of carnage, hatred and the widespread loss of life. After deeply regretting this, we were reminded that our natural inquisitive instincts are very difficult to overcome, and it’s often best not to start such a movie in the first place.

  While we are very susceptible to both curiosity and all kinds of energy, we also have instincts of identifying right and wrong. All of us are able to tell when we are watching something we shouldn't be. We can choose to turn a movie off, but more importantly, we can discern between movies of good and evil, and reject the latter. If all of us take advantage of our gifts, we might not encounter as much cinematic filth in the future.

  Films don't do us any good when they promote antagonism, pride, and a need for revenge. Rather, we should launch a new revolution in film, one in which sympathy and morality will be restored as key elements. It would be great to experience future generations of film-making, when a movie's potential to turn us towards true happiness and peace can be fully realized.

The future of movies is something which we should all be concerned about, for films will have a great impact on our society's direction. As an integral part of our culture, movies can have a powerful influence on us. Because of this, we need to work to ensure a positive outcome for ourselves and our descendants.