July 20, 2003
(by Karmayogi)
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The quest of a scientist for other civilisations is the theme.
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One theme that is well expressed by this film is the entrenched
irrationality of people at all levels. Those who believe and those who do not believe are
equally irrational.
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Public opinion that is highly valued is depicted here in its purest
form: It is incapable of knowing its subject. It is insistent on its opinion.
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These are themes as old as our civilisation.
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The film would not have been half successful if the technology part
were removed. Popularity is for the technology and speaks about the character
of popularity. Truth and popularity rarely go together. If they do, it is by
coincidence.
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The scientist in Dr. Ellie Arroway that constantly asks for proof is
unable to offer proof for her rare physical experience. Proof belongs to the
physical plane; all life is NOT
confined to the physical.
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Authority always has a substantial dose of falsehood. In times of
crisis, as a rule, it is always the falsehood that wins, though not ultimately.
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Any trailblazer is deserted by life early. Ellie loses her mother and
father.
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Every seeker is being watched by good angels is a theme well portrayed.
Those aids
come to Ellie as Life Responses – they precipitate into reality when she
exhausts her efforts.
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Falsehood usurping truth can never succeed is seen in the life of Dr.
Drumlin. When he takes over her accomplishment, the world around her is silent.
It is a silent conspiracy or conspiracy of silence. The society at large rarely
comes to the rescue of Truth.
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The Positive and Negative are two sides of life apparently opposite,
really complementary. Sri Aurobindo often implies that the negative is greater
or more powerful than the positive. In accomplishing Ellie's mission, the
billionaire S.R. Hadden lives up to that principle.
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The blind man in the story,
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In the West, individual Truthfulness is commendably high.
It is the core of scientific
research.
In Ellie, it is at its
height.
The Truth that is partial is
ineffective socially because of its being NOT a whole.
Hence, Ellie's Truth often
stumbles.
Even when it physically
succeeds, it is a social failure.
Had it been whole, i.e. the
Mind that is the part is either supported by the emotions or the Spirit, it
would have become a social success.
In 'The Matrix' Neo's
failure is made up by the love of Trinity.
The WHOLE is neither Mind nor the
emotions. Even the Spirit is only a part. But when the partial Mind is
supported by another part the vital – emotions – its character of being partial
is lessened and its effectivity rises.
v
The real WHOLE
is the Spirit in the Being, the Psychic Being, the evolving Spirit. All others
are parts.
v
Rachel Constantine, the black lady officer in the White House who
discovers that Ellie actually traveled for 18 hours, in conjunction with Michael Kitz, the National
Security Advisor, suppress that fact and let people believe that Ellie traveled
for only one second. Even in a society where Individuals are extremely
personally TRUTHFUL,
in times
of crucial decisions, ONLY falsehood will prevail. Individuals
wedded to TRUTH are not enough to serve TRUTH or make the collective
consciousness serve TRUTH.
v Hence the extreme importance
of Truth.
v
The September 11 attack on World Trade Centre by the abominable
terrorist gang has its 'rationale' in that they were the negative instruments
of a positive service to humanity. They are really at war with the organised
hypocrisy of international diplomacy. Neither
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