Saturday, October 13, 2007

"Brokeback Mountain" vs. The American Dream

"Brokeback Mountain" is the sort of movie that will, undoubtedly - as a large number of movie critics, news reporters, and even random, uneducated people managed to predict - be responsible for the demise of our culture. It deals with a theme that is inherently evil, and attempts to make it into something that is, well, not inherently evil. The theme is, of course, "love.”

The movie blatantly pushes its agenda in favor of the idea of love. It features two characters that are obviously in love, and it manipulates the audience into sympathizing with their situation. It would have the audience think that love is an average and commonplace thing.

It glosses over, however, the true evils of love. It does not focus on, for example, the decreased productivity of the two men as a result of their love. It does not dwell on the fact that Ennis - instead of going to work, being a productive member of society, etc. - decides to spend his time skinny dipping with his better half in the middle of nowhere. Honestly, what’s next? A movie that glorifies unemployment? A movie that hails as a triumph the underallocation of human capital?

I believe that the reason “Brokeback Mountain” is so controversial is that encourages an idea that is in conflict with the traditional views of Americans. It supports the idea that love – and not one’s work and career – is of utmost importance. What’s more, it uses the ultimate symbol of hard work and determination – the cowboy – to illustrate its point.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I'm going to have to disagree with most things you said. For starters, it's basically impossible to compare work ethic with love, and why would you want to? Secondly this movie does the opposite of "glaze over" how their love affair changes the lives of those involved. Ennis had a line that said verbatum: "You're why I'm like this Jack, got nothin, ain't nowhere." The movie does not glorify him as a saint who found love and now has everything he could every want, by the end he is living in a TRAILER.

You can choose to side with Jack and Ennis, but the effects their relationship has on the well being of their respective families is obvious. Ennis loses everything while Jack finds a bit of financial success, which is quickly taken away from him as a result of his life and the way his life is perceived by those around him. I don't think you understand how anti-gay everyone used to be, you couldn't go to work and kiss your partner goodbye, unless you wanted to be killed that is.


I would also like to add that your personal idea of the american dream and denial of anything else to foolhardy to say the least. Of course Americans want to be a success, but they also want to pursue happiness. If love is not part of the American dream for you is not love, then I suggest you rethink the way you run your life.