“We are the zombies”

I have checked out this reflective post by George Elerick, in which he wrote at the end, maybe movies are “more like mirrors, reflect back to us what we have forgotten we already know about ourselves”, as movies can serve as a critique of the society in terms of how we operate under a particular culture or system on a daily basis, and yet largely remain unaware in the drudgery of life that revolves around consumerism and entertainment in a capitalistic, competitive world. Too often, we humans are reduced to no more than automations in an inhuman and inhumane system to function in the machinery of economics, to keep the system going, and so on. Education itself can easily become just another propagandistic tool to impose a one-track view of “success” on the younger generations just to fit into the molds of rank-and-file economic systems that tend to favour the privileged and the powerful. The imagery of zombies used in the post is somewhat apt as it describes people who are living outside yet are dead inside, which can describe anyone who happens to be caught up with consumerism, workaholism and so on, to the extent of losing touch with our own soul as well as others as well. It is therefore vital for everyone to remember to slow down and reflect on the really important things in life, such as seeing and relating to people as people instead of objects, rediscovering our true humanity (that is free from the dictates of the superego or social ethics) and our connection to the Earth, as mentioned in the upcoming book “Love letter to the earth” by Thich Nhat Hanh.

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