Lost in the Wild

As we finally reach end of the year, we finish the content with the study of globalization, how nowadays, nations are so dependent in each other, and how cultures are able to mix and spread, by the migration of the different people. As we finished globalization, our teacher showed us the movie Lost in Translation, in which we are able to learn how different people decide to take in the new cultures they are presented.

Trailer for the movie: Lost in Translation

I enjoyed the movie, but more than that, it made me stop and rethink my own actions. Several tourists travel hoping to familiarize with new cultures and new experiences, but end up “trying too hard”, and become offensive due to the use of stereotypes.

In order to enhance our perspective about the topics, we had to complete a reading. When presented with both the movie and the readings, it is hard not to reflect upon our own actions and how we deal with outside influences. The first reading done was called Global Soul, by Pico Iyer.  It presents us with the ‘global soul’, someone global, able to live and adapt to different locations and cultures, ready to embrace any global experience.

At the same time, as we watched Lost in Translation during our History classes, we began the movie Into the Wild, in our AcademicLeadership classes.

           

Trailer of Into the Wild

 As I watched the movies and read the provided texts, I was able to find where they connect, and join in order to create a greater meaning of each one of them.  Into the Wild truly connects to the ideal ‘Global Soul’, since we begin seeing Chris McCandless as a global soul himself, due to his facility and willingness to move out of his comfort zone and into the wild – no pun intended. Chris, now known as Alexander Supertramp, breaks away from his life, leaving his family and hoping to reach Alaska and finally conquer happiness, by getting rid of all materialistic needs as well as relationships and personal bonds.

Another aspect that surrounds globalization is presented  by Kwame Appiah, who “prescribes” a method of exchange of ideas and beliefs, something common that is several times taken for granted: conversations. Not only do conversations allow people to talk about their daily lives, but they are a great way to express one’s beliefs and ideals. In a conversation, there is no need for a final consensus, since they are friendly and do not have to become a serious discussion.  

The final reading is by Gary Snyder, who takes on a different side, since he mentions religion. Snyder uses Buddhism to explain and to exemplify the ‘globalization’. He says that “the universe and all creatures in it are intrinsically in a state of complete wisdom, love, and compassion, acting in natural response and mutual interdependence.”

When reading, I was able to understand what he meant, since we are all somehow connected, even if just by the fact that we need the Earth in order to live, yet, we still find a way of separating ourselves. This happens to the point of creating a new name for a person that is truly globally connected. How about, in the future, anyone that is a ‘global soul’ becomes known as a human being, and instead of differentiating them from the rest of society, we differentiate the ones who do not become global, who do not use their resources in order to better understand or ‘fit in’ into the global society.

After watching the movie about Chris McCandless‘ life, and reading about a ‘global soul’, I notice that even though I hope  to grow and become e global citizen, will I ever become a global soul? Will I ever reach the point of breaking free like Chris did, before becoming Alex Supertamp? I’m not sure, and will probably not be until it happens, since situations change and so do people, nevertheless, I hope to follow Thoreau’s thoughts: “I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life”.