Limited Perspective

Sometimes it’s hard to get into old movies. Blood and Sand, a film about bullfighting in early 20th century Spain, starring Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Rita Hayworth, and Anthony Quinn should not be overlooked, though, for being 80 years old. So many times last night, I said – out loud as I watched it alone – “that was bad-ass!” Maybe because it is a remake of a silent movie , there are three scenes in particular that struck me for being so powerful with almost no dialogue. First, Power has returned to Seville from Madrid. He has begun to realize his dream of being a great matador and has come home to propose marriage to his childhood sweetheart, played by Darnell. With his acquired winnings, he has brought presents for numerous family and friends. After he distributes those in the public square, he goes to Darnell’s family home. First he gives her a beautiful veil, which she is impressed with. He also has a large package, three by two by one foot in size, which he never mentions in...

About this New Yorker article , What Are The Odds We Are Living In A Computer Simulation , lot of people are saying “LOL. Just go to church!” But as discussed, the simulation proponents are doing it not to pursue meaning. They substitute mere understanding. The similarities are obvious. Both say that the world around you is not the real, or important world. What’s real is what’s behind or underneath. Beyond that, though, these interpretations don’t go the same direction. The simulation proponents are not saying that a powerful force outside ourselves created the simulation, they are saying our technologically advanced descendants made the simulation. So, it’s us creating the simulation for us, locking out the supernatural. It’s materialist at the core. Nothing follows from it. There is nothing about meaning or our responsibility for meaning-making. That’s the opposite of what “church” purports to be about. I recommend the article and thinking about all the connected and implied...