Recently I have
been pondering a dynamic shift I have noticed. As a Sci-Fy fan I enjoy shows, new, old, cancelled, successful, and failed. I was watching firefly with a friend, I went to make my lunch and a realization dawned on me. We as a society and a generation especially have shifted from Star Trek to Firefly from Dragnet to Dexter.
Some would ask what are they substantial differences in these? They all are harmless entertainment. I rebut this and say culture is an indicator of mindset. And the difference is key. James Kirk was a renegade member who used unorthodox tactics and was a brave man. Brave and valiant, courageous and cunning, yet on the side of good.
On the adverse Captain Malcolm 'Mal' Reynolds is an outlaw, who occasionally does good yet is the protagonist. Let the reader know I am not an avid Firefly watcher. But heroes on the wrong side of the law, with flaws, with glaring holes in their morality, this is a huge indicator of who we are.
As a part of this generation that has brought about this paradigm shift I immediately want to jump into a defense of this trend and say "It is more realistic" but is it? Do we esteem vigilante justice? Do we really have the morals of our movies and shows?
Batman, in the olden days Batman fought as a hero, there was the Bat signal on the roof of the police station. In Chris Nolan's latest Batman it closes with this, "Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So we'll hunt him because he can take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A Dark Night."
We will hunt him because he can take it? Doesn't sound like a clean cut justice system to me. Doesn't sound like the Batman I grew up with. Something changed.
Dexter is the clearest example of what I mean a serial killer killing serial killers, not putting them behind bars through the law. He isn't the cop we grew up with in cop shows.
So what does this all indicate? What does it all mean? Who are we as a culture and what does this reveal? The paradigm shift indicates two things; First, we as a culture have departed from traditional justice roles, and traditional unrealistic hope. Second, we have also departed from traditional morality, and perhaps we have grown to love depravity.
This final point is a serious accusation, have we as a culture grown to love depravity and slipped it under the radar as real life? I think to a level we have. I don't want to sound like a fundamentalist who is grasping at unrealistic hope. I also do not want to sound like an antinomian who thinks we can watch whatever and call it realistic. I think we as Christians need to be careful as to what we watch, and realize that there is a shift in secular morality. But as the manifestation of God's Kingdom we need to counter this cultural shift with the realism of the Gospel. We have a new set of justice, God is perfectly just also as he fulfills his kingdom justice reigns forever! As Christians who come out of the world we need to be able to meet the mindsets and counter that it is Christ who is making all things new (Revelation 21:5).
What does it mean? It means that the people making these show and movies are honest about who they are. I, in particular, do not feel a need to distance myself from the depravity of the world, nor turn my face from it. It gives me pause, and makes me realize that I am no better than what I see. The only thing that may redeem me as a human being is Christ. No society has ever been with out it's flaws, and I vehemently reject the idea that things are somehow worse now than they were in the recent past simply based on the content of our media. That is a dangerously flawed way to test the spiritual tempature of a society. It is like judging the heart of someone you've just met based on the way they look and sound.
ReplyDeleteI watch and enjoy Dexter, Firefly and the new Batman movies. And I have not comprimised my morals as a Christian. If you are intent on viewing this as a paradigm shift you must view the media for what it is, a symptom and not the sickness itself. That being said I would never ask someone who is not a Christian to behave like one, and since these things you have mentioned are all made by non Christians I do not view them as indicitive as to how the Christians in this country are 'doing spiritually'. Firefly, incidentally, was created by a very cool guy who also happens to be an atheist, so judge accordingly.
All I was saying is that media is an indicator of mindset, a mindset we need to be able to counter. The shift only means a shift in method of treating the way depravity manifests. It was unrealistic ideas of what life should be that rotted older media. It is a marred and broken life but it is being set right, so we need to answer these mindsets with Christ's making all things new, justice included. I am familiar with Joss Whedon's other work I love Dr. Horrible! But I am saying from a minister's standpoint this is an indication that our view of justice is that it is broken and won't be realized or actualized. No problem with some shows, including Dexter. But these shows are a deeper indication. And what it indicates we should counter, like in the past.
ReplyDeleteI would say that media as an indicator of mindset is even stretching it a bit. That may be a discussion for another day. I'm curious to know what you think is a good example in the media of the proper mindset of Christ or of Christ like justice. What is a good example (in your opinion) of someone in a popular movie or TV show acting in the way Christ may have. To be quite honest, I found the imagery of Batman willingly allowing himself to be perceived as the villian at the end of DKR to be very reminiscent to Christ becoming an object of scorn on the cross and willingly taking the punishment He did not deserve.
ReplyDeleteTo say that any art form, even film does not indicate something about the way a culture thinks is to deny the artist their voice. I see that imagery but it also muddies up a clear perception of justice. I feel you are misreading me imposing fundamentalists agenda's into your perception of my intentions. I will say it is more "real" of media lately to be messy. We are depraved and all, but I will also say I think it undermines and lines mindsets with despair at the lack of justice. I think the justice of God the father is quite straightforward but its absence in media, and ultimately the presence of depravity and man's curse without the presence of the Godhead making all things new leads to despair in the mindset. I recommend "The God Who is There" by Francis Schaffer on this topic, he is brilliant and opened my eyes more than a bit to modernity and subsequently postmodernity's lack of hope and presence of despair manifesting in stages. Art (film included) reflects philosophy in society.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question about an example I am at a loss, this blog is more of a call for one to think of the implications of what is art today. Not a call to reform art, this is more a call for the Church to handle crippling despair and questions. I think modern philosophy has seeped into our brains leaving a despair, and without the promise of Revelation 21:5 there is no meaning.
Basically I think to many have Ecclesiastes mindsets without seeing said book Christologically through the frame of Revelation 21:5. I also recommend Bart Box from Brookhills sermon on Ecclesiastes, you can find the podcast fairly easily.