Entitlement: Wall Street's Kool-Aid
I've always had an insatiable desire to question EVERYTHING - much to the chagrin of my family. I was usually the person sitting at the dinner table asking questions about the proverbial "pink elephant" in the room while everyone else was content ignoring it. I am proud to say that I haven't lost that curiosity, I am just as inquisitive today as when I was a kid.
While I am currently in post with my production company's (Vero Films) first project (A Life, Taken) I also have my eye on my next project. I'm developing a couple new story ideas that I'm excited about.
I've started doing some research for one of the projects; which basically means that in my quest to gain a greater understanding of my characters and story I inundate myself with tons of data. I now have all this information aimlessly swimming around in my mind but this part of the writing process is extremely fun for me, I thrive on research.
WHY QUESTION?
Research leads to questions and its those questions that help me write. One question I repeat most often during my writing process is WHY. Why does one character do this, why does another character do that?
My current script centers around politics, specifically how and why certain laws get passed. Trying to understand our legal and political system is like trying to make your way through a real-life morality maze. (Think Gordon Gekko's "Greed Is Good" philosophy on crack). Which led me to ask, what is the driving force behind the decision making process. Why DO we do the things we do?
DECISIONS
I am a story teller and I'm most interested in telling stories that are based or inspired by real life events and/or people. The project I'm currently developing has made me take a hard, up-close look at our current civilization. Our world is a reflection of us - albeit on a much larger scale. Looking out over our societal landscape I can't help but to notice that we are a culture that is out of balance.
We as a society overeat, oversleep, overwork, overindulge. We overspend, overcompensate, overlook, we over medicate, are over involved in some of the most inane and seemingly trivial things while remaining unengaged and absent from the more consequential.
ENTITLEMENT
I'm not saying we shouldn't strive to have nice things and a better life, all I'm saying is that it seems to me our society drank the Wall Street kool-aid and now suffer from the disease called entitlement.
We spend every waking moment (and those when we should be sleeping) pursuing goals aimed at attaining, acquiring, accomplishing and becoming more, more, more. If we reach the goals we set, what happens? We inevitably want more and set higher goals. What happens if we fall short of our goals? We stamp our feet, throw a tantrum and wonder WHERE'S OUR STUFF?
We as a country are drowning in our own debt, both personal and national debt, but more alarmingly we all seem content to remain spinning endlessly around and around on this hamster wheel. Why do we remain on this hamster wheel? And how do we get off?
We are a culture that has forgotten how to just "BE!" Is it no wonder that we are experiencing an epidemic of stress-related diseases and premature deaths. Self-Awareness is the key to freedom. How do you do that? By tuning into yourself, letting the ego go and inviting a healthy dose of humility into your life.
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While I am currently in post with my production company's (Vero Films) first project (A Life, Taken) I also have my eye on my next project. I'm developing a couple new story ideas that I'm excited about.
I've started doing some research for one of the projects; which basically means that in my quest to gain a greater understanding of my characters and story I inundate myself with tons of data. I now have all this information aimlessly swimming around in my mind but this part of the writing process is extremely fun for me, I thrive on research.
WHY QUESTION?
Research leads to questions and its those questions that help me write. One question I repeat most often during my writing process is WHY. Why does one character do this, why does another character do that?
My current script centers around politics, specifically how and why certain laws get passed. Trying to understand our legal and political system is like trying to make your way through a real-life morality maze. (Think Gordon Gekko's "Greed Is Good" philosophy on crack). Which led me to ask, what is the driving force behind the decision making process. Why DO we do the things we do?
DECISIONS
I am a story teller and I'm most interested in telling stories that are based or inspired by real life events and/or people. The project I'm currently developing has made me take a hard, up-close look at our current civilization. Our world is a reflection of us - albeit on a much larger scale. Looking out over our societal landscape I can't help but to notice that we are a culture that is out of balance.
We as a society overeat, oversleep, overwork, overindulge. We overspend, overcompensate, overlook, we over medicate, are over involved in some of the most inane and seemingly trivial things while remaining unengaged and absent from the more consequential.
ENTITLEMENT
I'm not saying we shouldn't strive to have nice things and a better life, all I'm saying is that it seems to me our society drank the Wall Street kool-aid and now suffer from the disease called entitlement.
We spend every waking moment (and those when we should be sleeping) pursuing goals aimed at attaining, acquiring, accomplishing and becoming more, more, more. If we reach the goals we set, what happens? We inevitably want more and set higher goals. What happens if we fall short of our goals? We stamp our feet, throw a tantrum and wonder WHERE'S OUR STUFF?
We as a country are drowning in our own debt, both personal and national debt, but more alarmingly we all seem content to remain spinning endlessly around and around on this hamster wheel. Why do we remain on this hamster wheel? And how do we get off?
FINDING BALANCE
*I am interested in hearing your thoughts - please take a moment to leave a comment below*
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So true! I've been thinking about this same subject often over the past year. It's an important realization to come to and I think our culture as a whole is starting to wake up to a better reality, too (hopefully!). Thanks, Dawn-Marie:)
ReplyDeleteThere does seem to be a shift happening (no matter how slight) - people seem to be pulling their heads out of the sand and becoming motivated to work towards change - changes in their personal lives and/or in their communities. Inspired by the hope that brings. Thanks Autumn :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a scary truth, but it is truth nonetheless. Puts me in the mind of the essay Paradox of our Times. Society has a lot of work to do, but you do see the tide shifting ever so slowly- thank the heavens! People like you help this process by waking people up and reminding them of who they are and what's truly important. It's inspiring. Thanks!
ReplyDelete