17 Comments

I used to believe that human nature was as in your proposed film. When COVID lockdowns happened I expected people to rise up after two weeks and say "Enough!"

I have a different view now.

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Yes, I was careful to include a moment where the indoctrinated will not look at what the dissident is trying to draw to their attention, and even react with hostility. This is the reality, unfortunately.

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Some say I'm a dreamer,

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Emphasis on *Allegory*

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Plato would well approve. So do I. Well done.

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There’s always a few awake to the nonsense but most people just “go along to get along”. They have too much invested in the game, too afraid of discomfort and ostracism. We rarely turn on our oppressors. The best you’re going to get is a turning away and even that’s unusual.

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Yes, this is merely allegory, not a prediction of actual human awakening. Plato's allegory ends badly for the awakened philosopher, so I wanted to imagine a different outcome.

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I wish I shared your optimism, I really do. I've conversed with them - the humans, I've mingled with their kind. It is a rare and beautiful thing to find one that still echoes a vitality, a spirit of will not yet infected with the contemporary malady. The vast majority are as dull as clothe irons.

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I would tend to agree. But I don't think it's necessary to awaken every last human. In the allegory it takes the one brave person to walk into the light. The rest follow. (And some even prefer to stay in the darkness of ignorance.)

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True enough. I'd prefer if most would stay behind anyway.

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Wow James. Academy award for best short. With no actors from Hollyweird.

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I love it, but why a desert? The planet is actually abundant on the whole. A desert makes it seem a case of losing our safe shelter and dying of thirst...

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It's a great story, James! I, too, harbor a bit of hope that such a scenario could, would, and WILL occur.

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Love it. Absolutely love it.

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Thanks, T. Naturally, I had you in mind to produce/direct. 😆

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I’ve saved it on my list with your other piece that is flippin’ brilliant. I’m trying to get a lot of collabs in working phases and completes but I will come around to this, James. I want to amplify these notions you write about.

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Awesome👍 Looking forward to working on something!

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