Filed under: Cuisine, Economics, Health, Literature, Moscow, Movies, Politics, Religion
Last week, I had the rare pleasure of watching movies at both of Moscow’s vintage cinemas. Thursday, I attended a showing of the subtly titled Food Inc. at the Kenworthy, followed by a Saturday viewing of Collision at the Nuart. Both were worthwhile excuses for a night on the town.
Food Inc.
For years, I have found myself following close after the “green” bandwagon. When jumping on, I have kept near the edge, neither educating myself in depth nor being drawn into its stereotypical fanaticism. I believe in a moderate approach to stewardship, especially when it is cheap and easy, hence my recent recycling kick. Mere conscience plays its role, but there is no shortage of examples (“global warming” aside) where irresponsibility in such matters has come full circle with harmful consequences. Food Inc. aims to identify those consequences as they relate to our industrial food chain.
To accept the premise of this movie, one must be willing to ask where food comes from – a question that would have gotten strange looks only a few generations ago. Today, the question has become equally absurd: “Food comes from the store, silly!” Unprecedented variety in what we eat has become commonplace to the point we expect – as if by right – that the markets of the world be at our fingertips upon entering the magical doors of a grocery outlet.
In addition to where our food comes from, one must wonder how it gets to us. By this, I don’t mean the transportation required (though that is worth considering). I mean the ethics, the politics, and the economics. If one assumes the honest and infallible oversight of a higher power (a.k.a. the FDA) when ordering from a drive-thru, then there is no reason to doubt that the chicken nuggets I am being handed arrived by any path other than one that was fair to the chickens, their farmers, and me. If I suspect this may not be the case, Food Inc. suggests I might be right.
For example, genetic and dietetic alterations of poultry in the last thirty years have allowed farmers to grow their birds to twice the normal size in half the natural time. That’s great for business, but is it animal cruelty if its legs can’t support its own weight? A chicken house under contract by one of the few major meat companies in the U.S. contains tens of thousands of chickens that can’t walk.
Before I give you the wrong impression, the movie spends little time on animal treatment and is not out to make the viewer a vegetarian. Instead, most of the focus is where it rightly should be: on the farmer, the factory worker, and the consumer. According to producer and director Robert Kenner, big business and big government have created a well-oiled agricultural machine that persecutes honest farmers, exploits immigrant laborers, puts factory workers at unnecessary risk, and takes advantage of consumers.
The movie touches on these topics and others – notably the associated health problems – without going into much detail on any one subject. Counter-industry experts like Eric Schlosser and Michael Pollan are featured to boost the movie’s credentials, while most of the organizations villainized by the documentary refused to provide an interview. The result is a largely one-sided, yet reasonably believable unveiling of what I am buying into at the checkout counter. Conclusions are implied, but rather than telling me where to spend my money, the questions raised leave the real research up to me.
Food Inc. alleges that the low price on much of our food is false advertising – that we are being lied to. As a capitalist, when shown the dark side of an industry, I am hesitant to blame the “system.” Without excusing the dishonesty and corruption that undoubtedly exist, I believe the bigger problem is ignorant consumers – myself included – who never bother to ask the questions of where our food (or any product) comes from and how. Like democracy, the beauty of a free market is also its vulnerability: the consumer decides. A dollar spent is a vote cast, and who we elect to supply our food affects everything from animal treatment to personal well-being.
This topic is particularly relevant with Thanksgiving and Christmas on the way. Of course, we have much to be thankful for, including the sheer volume of food available to us and the technology that makes it possible. But it is also important to recognize the choices we unavoidably make when shopping for the holidays and throughout the year, to be grateful for a market that makes those choices possible, and to express that gratitude by exercising our spending power wisely, whether that is through selecting low-priced items to fit within a limited budget or investing a little extra on trustworthy products.
I recommend Food Inc. to anyone curious about what they eat. The DVD was released on November third. Watch the trailer and read more about the movie by clicking here.
Collision
Speaking of thanksgiving, pastor Douglas Wilson considers it key when debating the existence of God, as he does with atheist Christopher Hitchens in the much anticipated documentary Collision: Is Christianity Good for the World. In the companion book, which publishes the initial internet exchange between Hitchens and Wilson, the latter writes:
“The issue of thanksgiving is really central to the whole debate about the existence of God. On the one hand, if there is no God, there is no need to thank anyone. We are here as the result of a long chain of impersonal processes, grinding their way down to our brief moment in time. If there is a God, then every breath, every moment, every sight and sound, is sheer, unadulterated gift.”
Not only does Hitchens disagree with Wilson that the Christian God exists – he maintains that there is no such thing as the supernatural, that all deities are unnecessary and distracting inventions (to say the least), and that mankind would be much better off without them. Hitchens invokes William F. Buckley in writing:
“I myself believe that the duel between [religion] and atheism is the most important in the world. I further believe that the struggle between [liberty] and [totalitarianism] is the same struggle reproduced on another level… I should not conceal the fact that I am not so much an atheist as an anti-theist. I am, in other words, not one of those unbelievers who wishes they had faith, or that they could believe. I am, rather, someone who is delighted that there is absolutely no persuasive evidence for the existence of any of mankind’s many thousands of past and present deities.”
The debate that follows has less to do with the particulars of Christianity as it does with the basis of our reason and morality. Wilson argues that the divinely revealed character of a creator provides the absolute, unchanging foundation upon which we are able to make rational and ethical judgments. He then proceeds to press his opponent for a defense of innate solidarity as a binding moral authority. Hitchens responds with a humble yet well-crafted appeal to the human ego that turns the table on Christianity by denouncing its pivotal doctrine of vicarious atonement as not only incredible, but immoral; yet he is “content to regard [virtue] as indefinable.”
The book is a quick read and provides a basic outline of the discussion contained in the movie. The documentary couches the debate within the compelling stories of its central characters, resulting in an experience I can best describe as entertaining. Being already familiar with Wilson’s style and exceptional speaking ability, and having taken up the hobby of videography, I admit I was not so concerned with the argument itself as I was interested in seeing it conveyed through this new medium. Executive producers Aaron Rench and N.D. Wilson – both from Moscow – teamed up with Hollywood director Darren Doane to pull of a captivating (and impartial) approach to what would otherwise have been two heads talking from behind their respective podiums.
I recommend Collision as a new take on an old debate. The DVD was released on October twenty-seventh. Read more and watch trailers, outtakes, and interviews by clicking here.
This is a quick, last-minute note to spread the local word about a documentary showing at the Nuart Theater. The movie is titled Collision and features local pastor Douglas Wilson and prolific atheist Christopher Hitchens as they debate the existence of God in a series of public appearances and casual discussions. This is a professionally produced film that has recently been seen on the Amazon.com bestseller list and highlighted on national television and radio broadcasts. It will be showing for free (donations accepted) at 5:00 and 7:30 tonight in downtown Moscow. Copies of the DVD will be available for $20.
For those who live in Moscow, there are a handful of happenings on the horizon that you don’t want to miss. I am writing this because I wish I was there myself, so if I were you, here’s where you would find me (yourself) over the course of the coming week:
Tonight, for example, you would find me at the front door of Mikey’s on Main Street asking how I could possibly be allowed in to hear Pablo Trucker and Laura Gibson perform for a mere eight dollars. I would be posing the question at roughly nine o’ clock.
Tomorrow night at seven-thirty, you would find me at the University of Idaho’s Hartung Theatre, happily paying the non-student admission of eleven dollars to be duly impressed by my youngest sister in one of several weekend performances of Dancers, Drummers & Dreamers.
Fast forward to Tuesday night, and you would find me back on campus, but this time at the Student Union Ballroom a bit before seven hoping Molly could sneak me in to hear former Norwegian prime minister Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland deliver the keynote address for this year’s Borah Symposium.
Finally, on Wednesday evening, I would be attending a double-header at the Nuart Theater beginning at seven o’ clock, when Graeme Wilson kicks things off with the premeire of Abstract Thought’s latest production, This Contains. After securing my own copy for (as his brother put it) the “cheap as free” price of ten dollars, I would be heading back in as Low Red Land took the stage. Of course, I would be glad they made it after all the bad luck they’ve been having, and I might even tell them how their sticker has been traveling the world on my Nalgene ever since I saw them play with the Magic Mirrors at Mikey’s, which would surely bring back fresh and fond memories of last Friday night.
Spoiler Alert: I am going to write a bit about my favorite book/movie, Into the Wild. If you don’t know the story but intend to read/watch it, go here instead.
It is no secret how inspired I am by the story of Christopher McCandless. By now, some of you have read the book or watched the movie, and there is a good chance your reaction is described by the Rolling Stone review: either you “pegged Chris as a wacko narcissist who died out of arrogance and stupidity,” or “you mourn Chris’ tragedy and his judgment errors but also exult in his journey and its spirit of moral inquiry.” A friend of mine who recently read the book was torn between the two and wanted to know why I was so taken by it. With my friend’s permission, I am recording my thoughts here as an open post. I have neither the book nor the DVD at hand, so references will be made as memory serves. Let me first say that the kind of movies I like most are those based on true stories. It follows, naturally, that I enjoyed this film. Regardless of whether you care about the true story, Into the Wild is a well made, highly acclaimed masterpiece that is worth watching for its compelling character development, beautiful imagery and artistic creativity.
In 1993, Jon Krakauer published an article in Outside Magazine about an obscure death that was discovered by moose hunters the previous summer in the backwoods of Alaska’s Denali National Park. The article generated a large amount of reader feedback sharply divided between praise and disdain for the perished wilderness man. Krakauer himself became enthralled with the details of the story he began to uncover, which led to a book being published in 1996.
Reactions have continued in the same vein ever since. Many are of the opinion that McCandless got what he deserved as a reckless and irresponsible runaway. Others point out – like Krakauers’ original article – that “[Chris] didn’t strike Gallien as your typical misfit. He was congenial, seemed well educated, and peppered Gallien with sensible questions about ‘what kind of small game lived in the country, what kind of berries he could eat, that kind of thing.’” Indeed, McCandless was an intelligent thinker, a diligent reader, an industrious worker, and had graduated with honors from Emory University before embarking on the journey of a lifetime.
I first read about that journey after a friend gifted me with Krakauer’s book as I was making plans for a trip of my own. Needless to say, I was hooked from page one: the story added fuel to the fire that was already burning inside me to get out and see the world. It is a fire that burns deep in the soul of every man, and the story of Into the Wild, if only on a superficial level, appeals to that adventurous allure of wanderlust we men are drawn to. Any piece of good fiction will invite you to vicariously experience some unfulfilled inner yearning; but this story really happened, making the conceivable seem that much more attainable.
There were personal aspects of Chris’ escape that are easy to relate to as well: a troubled childhood and the artificial expectations that come along with a college degree. Instead of appeasing the detached ambitions of his parents or becoming ensnared under the pressures of conventional professionalism, he found liberation on the open road, through new experiences and in the friendships he made along the way. The lasting impression he left on the people he met speaks for itself.
Without ignoring that Chris had ample reason to desire something more than a new car and a ticket to Harvard Law, one could reasonably argue that Chris avoided real community and deep relationship. Of course, this was the case as much before his disappearance as during his spiritual odyssey. Chris perceived himself as the noble savage trapped by western civilization under illegitimate authority. As a result, he reacted fiercely against anything that threatened to compromise his self-made identity (à la Alexander Supertramp), including personal bonds that would own him. At the same time, he cared about other people, and when he tried to convince them of his radical opinions, it was with their best interest in mind. One of my favorite parts of the book is the letter Chris wrote to Ron Franz. (The movie converts the letter into a conversation the two engage in while hiking up a mountain. Since I don’t have the book, I encourage you to look it up.)
It is certain that the story of Chris’ life would have never been told had it not ended like it did. Because he died prematurely, however, his became a story of someone who turned his back on society never to return, and this offends. Yet, all signs indicate that his trek into the wild was never intended as a quest toward suicide. Instead, Chris planned to return from the North and nearly succeeded in doing so. It is regrettable and ironic that he escaped his psychological prison only to become trapped in a magic bus. After surviving for months on his own, he succumbed just weeks before help would have arrived. But it is the short entries that Chris left during those months in the bus that redeem his story. While Chris’ impulsive decisions sometimes hurt others and likely cost him his life, his journal confesses “…henceforth will learn to accept my errors, however great they be…” The lone adventurer also admits to the understanding that “happiness is not real unless shared.” Before crawling into his sleeping bag for the last time, he signed off: “I have had a happy life and thank the Lord. Goodbye and may God bless all!” It is clear that he learned a few lessons over his two years as a leathertramp, and if he had made it out alive, he would have returned home a better man. Do I worship Christopher McCandless? Of course not, but I admire his courage, his sense of purpose, and his passion for life.
Not to the elements, but to the press. The video I linked to yesterday is not only the first for which I have been offered compensation, it is also the first to feature in the media. The current online edition of our regional newspaper, Gudbrandsdølen Dagningen, includes the video. Scroll down to the story titled “Best ever?”, under which you will find a link to the “pudderfilm.” I have also added the video to the VodPod widget on your left.
In other news, I battled my way over the mountain today in hopes of retrieving Snow White, only to be disappointed by what Knut-Arne calls a “Mickey Mouse” ignition system, which apparently drained the battery after he drove it home. The bargain deal for the “repair” means that I still need to hot-wire the car in order to use it. For now, she is still parked at the restaurant.
I am starting to feel better after going on a regiment of antibiotics. I hope to be back in working condition by Saturday in order to put in some hours at Tyri-Hans. We’re expecting a busy weekend at the mountain, and I would be flattered to think that the movie has anything to do with it.
I had given up any hope of finding my balaclava by the time Tobias handed it to me last night. He found it buried on a shelf in a pile of other gear at Tyri-Hans, not six feet from where it was last seen. We have been reunited just in time for another cold snap. After a couple of days with temperatures above freezing, we will be getting back down into the negative teens, and the forecast is even predicting snow for the weekend(!) Everyone here is crossing their fingers.
I am working all week holding down the fort at Koia while Lars is gone on a Swiss ski vacation in Zermatt. Business has been slow, but if the weather predictions hold up, hopefully we’ll get more traffic this weekend. In the meantime, I kick around doing odd-jobs at the café, like stocking the liquor cabinet and hauling in firewood from the pile I helped stack while living at Koia last August.
In addition to more skiiers on the mountain, I hope the weekend will bring another reunion, as Snow White is currently in the shop having her ignition repaired. Through a friend of Lars, I may even luck out on a cheap deal for the work. So far, I have been fortunate in keeping the maintenance and repair costs down.
With my free time, instead of making movies, I have been watching more than usual, including two trips with friends to the theater in Lillehammer last week. The first was for a showing of Baz Luhrmann’s Australia, a long but worthwhile film about life in the Outback, including the arrival of World War II down under. The second evening was to see another war movie – the latest and greatest in Norwegian cinema: Max Manus. It is the true story of Norwegian resistance under Nazi occupation, and it rivals any comparable Hollywood production. I recommend it to anyone who appreciates WWII-era movies, especially those interested in Norwegian history. If you can manage Norwegian, read a review here or view the trailer:
I finished reading the book last weekend and watched the movie this afternoon. The book was a little difficult for me, since without chapters it is more of a short story, and I’m not used to reading short stories. But that was my fault, not the book’s. I had heard of the movie before, but had somehow gotten the impression it was a chick flick. Then Chris recommended the book, which I didn’t know existed, while assuring me that it wasn’t a sappy read.
Chris was right. Norman Maclean, a professor of literature at the University of Chicago, wrote the book in retirement. It is an autobiographical account of his childhood and early adult years in Missoula, Montana. The title alludes to the bond of fly fishing between the author, his brother, and their Scotch Presbyterian minister father, and how that bond served as an analogy for life. The movie was produced and directed by Robert Redford, released in 1992, and stars a young Brad Pitt, which helped to erase my fear of it being a soft movie. On the other hand, it is not an action movie, but it stayed close enough to the original to be worth seeing, even if I hadn’t read the book first.
On this first day of Fall, I coincidentally watched a recommended movie.
It was like eating sugar.
I am sitting in the eco-friendly Tully’s coffee shop in the Seattle airport listening to the soundtrack of a movie I watched with Henry one of my last nights in Moscow. It is a movie based on a book based on a true story. I read the book last summer after Pike recommended it to me, and I saw the movie here in Seattle when it came out the week before I left for Norway.
I suggest reading the book before seeing the movie. A good friend of mine said that after buying a copy, she was bawling and had to set the book down after just one chapter. A couple of weeks later, the same thing happened when she tried chapter two. If reading the book is too much of a challenge, the movie stays true to the story, and the soundtrack is great, too.
