To give people a reason to watch and re-watch movies and plays, the plots must be credible, providing valid hope and a real prospect of positive change. While a film’s starting point can be our current reality, it must include some form of reasoning about what brought us to our current state. When people discover that the cinema has become a place where they can get information that will improve their lives, they will begin to flock to the movies!
Think of how we teach our children to cross the street, how meticulously and lovingly we explain to them time and time again how to wait for the green light, and how to only cross at designated crossings. This is vital information, and without it, they could risk their lives if they were to venture alone on the street.
Today, information about restoring balance in nature and in humanity is just as vital, and hence in high demand.
But there is more to this shift than survival. This crisis is a springboard for unfathomable improvement in our daily lives. Until today, we have been focusing on how much we can receive. In fact, we did not even know that we were being run by a desire to receive; we simply wanted to enjoy. Because we did not know about the interplay between the two desires that make up life, we kept searching for pleasure at a superficial level, and hence never experienced lasting joy and happiness.
But life’s drama evolves in two directions (which are both opposite and parallel): collaboration and self-fulfillment. In the whole of reality, self-fulfillment is possible only through collaboration with others.
In minerals, for example, different atoms collaborate to form the molecules of that mineral. If one of the atoms were to separate, the mineral would disintegrate.
At a higher level of complexity, in plants and animals (including humans), there is a collaboration of differentmolecules, cells, and organs. These unite to create a distinctcreature, and here, too, if even one of the molecules were missing in that creature’s cells, it would become sick or even die.
In much the same way, all the plants and animals in a certain geographical area create a symbiotic environment. As with the story of the orcas and the otters we described in Chapter 5, all creatures contribute to maintaining the balance of that ecosystem. If even one of them were to dwindle in numbers, the system would be thrown off balance. Put simply, nature supports and promotes uniqueness; therefore, the personal fulfillment of creatures is possible only when they collaborate and contribute to their environment. When they want to develop themselves at the expense of the environment, nature will either extinguish them or forcefully balance their numbers.
Although we have known this law of nature for a long time, we have been acting as if we were not part of the ecosystem called “Planet Earth.” Even worse, among ourselves we feel that one society or sect can be superior to another. Yet nature evidently demonstrates that nothing is redundant and no part of any element in nature is superior to another. Why, then, do we think we have a prerogative that no other part of nature has—to patronize and oppress other peoples and species? Where has this arrogance come from, if not from ignorance?
Because we are ignorant of the desire to give, which gives us our strength and wisdom, we relate them to ourselves. If we were aware that we, too, are a product of the two desires that form life, we would know how to thrive in this world, along with the whole of nature.
How difficult is it to make films that teach us this, and show us the benefits of self-fulfillment through collaboration? Imagine that we all knew that we were united with all other people, that we were supported by all other people in the world, and that all they wanted was for us to realize our potential to the maximum? How wonderful would life be if every person contributed all of his or her talents to society, and received the support and appreciation of society in return?
After all, is it not what we are already doing? A computer engineer contributes to society by building computers. A street sweeper contributes by cleaning streets. Which of them is more important? If we remembered that we did not become who we are by some act of will on our part, but because of a grand system and a primordial power working within us, we would not feel compelled to constantly prove ourselves. Instead, we would simply enjoy being who we are, and contribute what and where we can. We would actually enjoy being part of humanity—united and unique at the same time.
Imagine the movies showing us that!