Own it

a ®️eMark from eMark ™️

I am writing this in a moment of crystal clarification. Admitting I have had mescal-induced moments of revelation in my youth, I can say this space and time is similar. Some might say this is a rare point in time of limpidity.

As the name infers a ‘movie’ is generally made to ‘move’ the viewer emotionally, although the moniker really comes from the motion, aka moving pictures.

I just finished watching ‘Gran Torino’, starring Clint Eastwood. His character is a rough, bigoted, foul-mouthed, introverted, war hero.
Movies like this are getting harder and harder to make in todays warped blue world.

Movies are unique in their ability to protect the speech actors use in their portrayal of their roles, in great contrast to a ‘Joe Rogan’, a comedian, just a millimeter shy of an actor. Ask yourself how many top comedians have easily become movie stars? This is because the ‘Joe Rogan’s” are performers.

In the past they had a license to ‘rip the band-aid off’ and hit us ‘between the eyes’ with raw humor. Sometimes enlightening, sometimes shocking, but you left feeling a little closer for the experience.

If you don’t believe that, just imagine doing ‘man on the street’ interviews after a Dave Chappelle show. I am willing to bet you will find the most centered patrons, still chuckling.

Well, back to the movie Gran Torino. If you clipped scenes from that movie and held Clint Eastwood responsible for what he said, he would have never worked another day in his life following that portrayal.

But even more important to me, he would have never shown the painful underbelly of bigotry and a path forward to resolve these issues. His character grew because he was exposed to people that did not live inside the insults, but over them. They could have hated him and taunted, but they wound up earning his respect and love even.

My moment of clarity comes from the fact that healing only comes from exposure. Whether or not it is deliberate, (put away our tinfoil hats for a second), too much protection perpetuates distrust, hatred, and division.

One side clearly wants mondo protection, and the other wants to hear everything. What allowed Walt Kowalski to come to accept his ‘gook’ neighbors, his word, not mine, although if I had Million-dollar contracts I would be targeted for the use of that slur, I chose to use it for effect. Writers, place words for the most impact when necessary.

That is how great movies get made, by bold, precise writers creating moving scripts. Bloggers/Vloggers are writers ‘performing’ their art. The words they say are sometimes factual, sometimes fanciful, other times demeaning, respectful, loving, covering the gambit of emotions.

How can we expect to be exposed to the big picture without hearing all sides? It is clear to me that we need more Joe Rogan’s. It is shameful that we allow political zealots to tie their hands behind their backs. It is obvious how vital these new performers are in our digital society.

Joe Rogan has eclipsed the ‘dinosaur’ mainstream news media! That could only happen if those ‘dinosaurs’ were not giving their viewers a full diet. Even with Bill Gate’s thumb on the scale, these ‘Joe Rogan’s’ are making a big difference. Not in one-sided commentary, but in unedited, raw, interviews. Getting down to the issues behind the issues.

If I were an agenda driven SoMe (social media), I would be very, very worried about what these ‘Joe Rogan’s’ could do to my future. Some analogies are so real on every level. ‘Sunshine disinfects’ is one of those.

Don’t let their crass attempts to derail the ‘Joe Rogan’s’, obscure their obvious fear of sunlight. This also serves as an inclinometer as to their insincerity and we should reject their distractions. Moreover, we should promote those raw interviews and not cower from labels and name-calling. When you know you stand on firm ground you should own it.

‘nuff said by me.
Respectful comments, criticisms, and snide remarks are always welcome.