For many years I have been focusing on and asking myself about my own identity. Is the way we see ourselves the true expression of who we really are or is it the result of something else. And will we be comfortable with the same Identity our whole lives. Most of us have heard how the way we perceive ourselves has a direct effect on the kind of life we will create and the kind of life we will settle for. The question that arises for me is, how we come to see ourselves the way we do and if the way we see ourselves doesn’t fit who we truly are, then how can we change our perception. I would say a large part of this goes back to our early experiences with our parents or caregivers and how they treated us. With the way they treated us being the result of how they saw and treated themselves. This usually gives us the same level of emotional maturity or intelligence that they had. As we go through life we can often find that although the world is full of so many people, all with their own perspective’s on life, that they can often treat us the same way we have always been treated and often in ways that go against how we truly want to be treated. There is also certain ways that men and women are supposed to act in a given society. Whether its men who are not supposed to show their emotions or women who are made to feel as though their whole sense of value comes from how they look. We can feel conflict with how we want to be seen and how we feel we should be seen and how we should act based on the pressures of the world. This can be with family, relationships and how society expects us to be. During our younger years we can become labelled as being a certain way, which is usually based on a projection of the person and might not have anything to do with the situation or how we actually are. And at such a young age we can succumb to the external pressures, with not having the awareness required to question such labels. Through the constant repetition of the people around us, we can begin to embody the label and believe it. Although deep down we will never accept this as who we really are. When we are younger and even as we get older the people around us can be full of ideas about what we should do and what would be the ‘right’ thing for us to do. This is often a projection of what is right and acceptable in their eyes and can also be a desire for us to become something they wished they were. As a consequence of this, connecting to our own unique purpose become’s extremely difficult. We can feel so overwhelmed by it all, that when it comes to what we really want to do, we can feel frustratingly confused about what that really is. And of course, as a result of all of this we can come to a perception about how valuable we are. So although we can feel a strong urge to achieve something, due to the projections of those around us that we have taken on as our own and now identify with, we can feel as though we are not good enough to fulfil our own dreams. Through our need to be approved of and accepted we can end up losing our authenticity. Creating relationships where we are constantly compromising and ignoring our own needs, and constantly doing what pleases others. This can then create dysfunctional relationships where we can feel completely unheard. I think this is one of the biggest factors in stopping us from pursuing what is truly meaningful to us. Instead of doing what makes us happy, we can end up doing what pleases others as a result of the need for acceptance. Fame I believe corresponds with this in a big way. Fame for many people is seen as the ultimate achievement in today’s society. It can give people the feeling of being accepted and approved. This is why I believe it is so important to learn to differentiate the two; to understand what is real to us and what is coming from our need to be accepted. As what society or the people around us present as the ideal thing, might not have anything to do with our own hearts calling. Felling approved of and accepted are extremely important to our own emotional and mental wellbeing. However, if our perception of what it means to have these needs met is dysfunctional, we can end up losing ourselves. By this I mean that if our subjective meaning of being approved and accepted of is about compromise and pleasing others then we are going to create a lot of pain for ourselves. So it is clear to see how important it is to ask ourselves what being approved and accepted actually means to us and from there we can begin to alter our perceptions This shows why it is so important to choose our friends and the environments we spend our time in carefully. With them constantly influencing how we see ourselves and if their view of us is not how we truly see ourselves, then our friends can become extremely insidious. Although our true friends will always be more interested in who we truly are and in our journey of becoming who we truly are than in us living a life of mediocrity. So the question is if we are not who are friends, society and family have told us then who are we?. We are the part that observes what is going on in our environment and our mind and not those things themselves. It is in our identification with our mind and our environment that cause us to become trapped by the views and expectations of others. This reminds me of what is called an identity crises or mid life crises. From my perspective this is the result of becoming dissatisfied with how we see ourselves and the current meaning that our life has. How we were before doesn’t carry the same meaning and may not feel important to us any longer. At the time it can feel as though our very foundations have been shaken and life can feel unbearable. It can, in the larger scale of things, be a great opportunity for us to connect to what really matters and what will make a difference in our own life and the lives of others. What will bring us true happiness, connection, and purpose, instead of living a life of just going through the motions and acting as if we are going to live forever. There is also a massive benefit to our ego, when it comes to holding onto destructive identities. Although it can cause us endless frustration and pain, there is an element of safety in holding onto what we consciously see as no good to us. This is due to how the ego associates the same with safe. So even if we may consciously want to let go, to our ego it is familiar and therefore safe. Problems arise when we allow our life to be run by our unconscious perceptions that are motivated by what is familiar and safe and not necessarily the outcome we want. Through an absence of awareness, experience become’s truth to our unconscious mind and the only way. This is why it is important to observe ourselves so we can question our perceptions and find healthy ways to take care of our needs. An example of this is often displayed by a child that has numerous occasions of being ill around school time. This is due to the child’s perception of school. However if the Childs perception of school was changed, it might not feel the need to become ill as a way to have its needs taken care of and to actually feel heard. It could be said that if we don’t take care of our needs in a conscious way, our unconscious mind will find a way, and it might not be the most functional one. I believe the more aware we become of what we don’t want to do and the more experiences we have of trying different things, the closer we get to what gives us true meaning. By letting go of the perceptions we have, that which we are can be revealed, allowing us to become closer to our true self. My perspective is that no one else can show us who we are or tell us who we are, that is our own responsibility. I believe the only part anyone can play is in being a catalyst or a mirror. All of what I have written is based on my experience and what is currently true to me and is not the absolute truth by any means. If you feel this has been of value, please leave a comment, like or get in touch. And feel free to share this article. Oliver J R Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/
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What I mean by this, is are we actually having an effect on our reality or environment or are we just bystanders in life, watching as situations and circumstances just ‘randomly’ happen, without us having any influence or control. Without even looking at whether this perception is right or wrong at the moment, it is easy to see that the potential consequences of perceiving life this way are not exactly empowering. Under this perception we can feel like a victim, lose all hope in life and feel that there is nothing we can do. Based on my experiences and awareness, I don’t believe that we are just the observers of our reality, far from it in fact. It is easy to see that many areas in our society are created around this perception that life just happens. And if that perception feels right for an individual, then so be it. However, if we want to live an empowered life, a life of true fulfilment, believing in such a thing won’t do much for us. When it comes to examples of this perception we don’t need to look very far. With the latest craze being adverts offering compensation for ‘accidents’ ‘that are not our fault’, to the media’s obsession of representing everyone as victims and even how we are always at the mercy of our DNA, are just a few examples. We can become totally consumed in the idea that we have no control over our lives. And of course, the more attention we give to such perceptions the more validation we find to support this and the more disempowered we become. What helps to support and maintain this kind of perspective is how our ego works in polarities. So it leads us to view the world in absolutes. The media is also a great example of this black or white view of life. If I was to say that the world is perfect, I would generally be seen to be in denial of life, however the media is constantly trying to sell us the complete opposite of this view, with the whole world being a mess. And we can, through time, start to believe it is so. One of the ways that we can become disempowered by the media is through the way they represent someone else’s experience of reality as being the truth, and how it would seem that the whole world has the same problems. Now this can be very appealing to our ego, as, if everyone (according to the media) has the same problem then it can’t have anything to do with us. This leads to us not only feel incredibly hopeless and disempowered, it also is a great way for our ego to avoid taking responsibility. So it could be said that the media validates our problems and help’s to prolong our struggles. One of my perspectives as to the causes of feeling like a victim is by becoming dissociated from ourselves that we can then become completely external and through this lose our inner awareness. By this I mean that our ability to monitor and observe our own mind disappears. So instead of recognising and seeing the patterns in our mind are becoming projections in the outside world, we become caught up by those very projections. And we can then become consumed by the dramas of life and end up living a life not dissimilar to a soap opera. I believe that one of the reasons for this is very often due to pain it is often easier, in the short term, to place our attention outside of ourselves. This is a defence mechanism and something that is incredibly important to function in the world. The problems can arise when we are constantly looking outside of ourselves, and as a result no inner awareness is possible. This is when it becomes a feedback loop, and we become completely overwhelmed by not only our internal reality but our external reality also. However the very act of being disempowered can have a positive effect for the ego, as strange as this sound’s. Let me explain, when we lose or should I say temporarily lose our ability to observe ourselves; we end up living our life through our ego. It could be said that the ego will do everything it can to avoid responsibility. This is due to the nature of the ego and how part of its function is to use defence mechanisms. To me defence mechanisms are a way for us to escape being responsible temporarily, from what is being experienced, as it is too much for us to handle. The trap arises when we live a life of being perpetually in defence mechanisms, instead of looking at what is going on and through that process taking accountability or responsibility. Yet observing ourselves, is probably one of the hardest things we will ever do, but like all things the more we do it the easier it becomes. And as we do this we come to realise that we are not our mind; we are actually the observer of our mind. Through this gentle and gradual process, we will become more and more aware, that we are indeed having an effect on our reality. We will begin to see that although our feelings, emotions, thoughts, beliefs and perceptions are not visible to the naked eye, they are having a powerful effect on every part of our life. As we create more of an inner harmony; our external world will always reflect this. One of the results of experiencing greater awareness of ourselves is that we will start to realise our true power. I believe we will only come to understand how powerful we are to the degree that we are ready to truly experience our power. If you feel this has been of value, please leave a comment, like or get in touch. And feel free to share this article. Oliver J R Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/ TRON: Legacy – My Interpretation Of The Metaphors When I heard that the film was all about taking down the master control system I was instantly intrigued. Although I hadn’t seen the first film I went with friends to see what it was all about. And with it being in Disney Digital 3D, I had a feeling it was going to be good. And after watching the film, I was amazed at the amount of metaphors that were in the film. How these carried great significance in explaining the deeper nature of reality and our own psychological development. These metaphors of the film are my personal view and are based on my own interpretation of what these metaphors are and there meaning. They are in no way the right or only interpretation, they are just my view. This will also mean that I will miss out certain parts and only describe what stood out for me and what I felt was significant. It will not be like a story board where I will describe the whole story. So with the disclaimer of sorts out of the way, let’s begin :). The Master Control System A big part of the story is about taking down the master control system. This sounds like some kind of building or computer that is controlling everything. And that it needs to be physically taken down by an individual or through some kind of battle or war. My interpretation is that this is a metaphor for how our mind works. By neglecting our own pain we end up creating our own prison. We then project it outside of ourselves and through this process it can feel as though someone else is taking away our freedom and power. However we are the only ones who can give our freedom and power away and that is through renouncing our own responsibility. The Beginning The first part of the film that came to my attention was when Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) left Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) at an early age. And this occurrence creates a kind of void in Sam and leaves him feeling confused and with a sense of loss. In the following scenes where he has grown up, we see him driving a motor bike and after that he breaks into the software building, tries to escape from the police and he also lives on his own. From all of these situations we can see that he has developed into a rebel. It could be said that the anger he has to fuel all of this comes back to the experience of Kevin leaving him. This is someone who gives of the view that they don’t care, when ultimately they are doing it to gain attention and somehow fill the emptiness within them. He could have gone the other way and conformed, with these being two aspects of the same coin. Entering TRON Once he finds his way into the master control system he is soon caught and finds who he believes to be his dad, only for Sam to be told that he is not his dad. This creates an even greater anger towards Kevin. And this continues his feelings of rejection. He also receives a suit and disc on his back. The disc could be a metaphor for the soul and our life force. During the next scene of him being forced into battle with who he believes is his dad, he comes across a woman called Quorra (Olivia Wilde). He is then taken to the hiding place of his real Dad and the real Kevin Flynn. Meeting Kevin Flynn Upon arriving here we can instantly see the whole duality of good vs. bad and the enlightened vs. unenlightened being played out. Here Kevin is wearing white robes and the whole building is lit up with extremely bright white lights. He also seems to be meditating and has a whole book shelf that includes the Tao Te Ching and many other books on philosophy and ancient wisdom. It is also here that we come to understand that the guy who looks like a younger version of Kevin is actually called Clu (Jeff Bridges). From what I remember Clu was created by Kevin at the beginning of the TRON creation, to help him fulfil his master creation. However Clue turned against Kevin and he is now his enemy. With Clue wearing the colour black, he is the other half of the good/bad duality. He also displays oppressive and tyrannical tendencies. Under his rule, as soon as Sam arrives in TRON he is caught and loses his freedom, followed by him having to fight to survive. He is also forced into wearing a suit. This could be a metaphor for control, by the fact that everyone is wearing the same colour so to prohibit any individuality and to cause restriction in the body. And the fact that Clu wants to control others, shows that he has no control himself, and is trying to compensate for through the control of others. With Clu, the whole time watching over his kingdom. Clu also lives in an area that is dark and bleak looking, further representing the darker side of life. It also made me think at this point, how they are ultimately the same people. With Clu being a projection of all of the parts that Kevin doesn’t want to look at, often described as our shadow self. This to me was a great metaphor for how our life works He also mentions here how a minute of our world was about 4 hours in the TRON world. This reminds me of how our experience of time all depends on our perception of it. Sam’s rescue mission After all this explaining has happened about TRON, Sam wants to go home and take Kevin with him, now that he understands that the portal will close within a number of hours. However with Kevin’s Zen like nature of wanting to just be and not wanting to do anything, it clashes with Sam’s all action approach. This shows another duality, of the being and the doing. Here, with the help of Quorra Sam rebels against Kevin’s wishes and goes back to the heart of TRON. At this point it makes me think that Quorra is like a guardian angel, as she plays the role of assisting Sam at this point. Meeting Zuse Upon meeting Zuse (Michael Sheen), Sam soon finds out that clue is never far behind. A further example of how we can’t run away from the ‘darker’ parts of ourselves. Before long Kevin appears and his arrival creates silence. It is another example that Kevin is the God of Tron and has tremendous power over the people of TRON. However Kevin is the embodiment of the supportive and loving god, and Clu is the antithesis of this, with him being the cold and merciless god. With ones motive to create heaven and the others desire to create hell. I also think that Kevin and Clus desire to be a god and have power over others and there environment is the result of their own disconnection from themselves and the loss of realising that they are already the gods of their own reality. It is also in this scene that Quorra loses her arm; I will go in this later, after looking out for and trying to protect Sam. With Kevin losing his power disc also. With him having lost the disc he loses his god like abilities, which is why I believe the disc it is a metaphor for our life force. When I think about this disc what also comes to mind is that it is another metaphor for how we can believe that our own power is external and that we need a certain thing to be empowered. As a result of this perception we can live in constant fear of something outside of ourselves, of something happening to us that we have no control over. Getting the disc back and the race to the portal It is during these moments that Kevin opens up about how he was looking to create perfection in his life, and after all these years of being trapped in TRON, he came to realise that perfection was right in front of him. This to me is another metaphor for describing how our own skewed perceptions, can cause us to feel unhappy and that something is missing. Through this view we can look outside of ourselves for the answers and fail to see that it’s our own perceptions that need to be cleansed and not reality itself. And due to this we can have a constant yearning for tomorrow to come, but as a result of this we lose our present moment of grace and never really live. It is also at this point that we find out that Quorra has a special ability. She can be healed of anything, and with the help of Kevin (her creator) she is able to grow her arm back. To achieve this the power disc on her back is removed and from the disc a projected hologram appears. From here, there is a strand in her DNA that is a different colour to the rest of the strands, which is restricting her ability to function as a whole person. And once it is removed her arm grows back. To me this is an external display of how consciousness works and functions. As we begin to work on our inner conflicts, which are just like the external example, we will gain our own sense of harmony, peace and wholeness. Kevin also says that the purpose of creating Quorra was to end all of the disease on the earth, and with her ability this will become a reality. This is also another metaphor for the whole victim and perpetrator duality. With disease being seen as the perpetrator and humans being’s perceived as the victims. The possibility that disease might be feedback for what we need to look at in our life, as opposed to something that just ‘happens’ to us, is something that is not often considered. Without going to deeply into disease, it is easy to see what consequences of this perception can have on our own wellbeing and then further out into our society. The portal When they arrive at the portal Clu manages to get there just as Sam and Quorra are about to leave through the portal. It is in this scene that Kevin and Clu merge, this could be a sign that in the end Kevin has a deeper understanding of himself and manages to integrate his dual nature. Clu also shows a kind of remorse towards Kevin at the end, explaining that he did everything that he asked of him. This to me is like that part of us that is called our inner child, that part of us that still feels ignored and neglected from our younger years. It is the part of us that still longs to be loved and heard. The Return To Earth Once they are back on the earth, there is a moment where Quorra gets to finally see what a sun rise looks like. This is something that she has never had the opportunity to see by living in a dark world. My interpretation of this is that nature is constantly showing us what perfection is and it is these expressions of nature that we can easily take for granted that are an example of perfection and wonder in our day to day lives. It could also be said that Quorro is being portrayed as a saviour of mankind, with her ability to end disease. This carries on from the many expressions through time of a god or some type of superhero that will come and save us all. However all of these examples are a projection of what we would like to embody ourselves and what we feel we don’t have. They also portray humans as being victims of life and as having no control .However, as we come to understand ourselves, we will start to see that we can be our own god or superhero. And although we may require s assistance at times, what we don’t need is anyone to save us. Conclusion Some of the reviews of the film were not great, this is because they were reviewing it based on the story, and of course it is their own opinion. I think it was a great film, but then my whole experience of the film is based on the metaphors and the depth of the film. I am not focused on or even interested in whether it was a film worthy of an Oscar (however if there was a deep and profound film category, I’m sure it would win). As soon as I sensed these deeper elements to the film I was hooked. I would also be pleased to hear of any parts of the film that you have interpreted differently or that I have missed. I will be writing more about the metaphors in film's in the not to distant future and adding them to this site http://www.moviemetaphors.co.uk/.
If you feel this has been of value, please leave a comment, like or get in touch. And feel free to share this article.
Oliver J R Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/ |
Oliver JR CooperAuthor of 26 books, Transformational Writer, Teacher & Consultant. Introductory Consultation
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Disclaimer
That which is contained within these articles is based on my own empirical understanding and is true for me at the time they were written. However, as I continue to grow, what I perceive as the truth will inevitably change and as a result of this - parts of these articles may not reflect my current outlook.
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