".... It is a really nice day."
February 4, 2021 8:37 AM Subscribe
I'm not sure if that film had the intended effect on me. The "relax" argument didn't seem all that convincing.
Very nicely made though!
posted by demiurge at 10:15 AM on February 4, 2021
Very nicely made though!
posted by demiurge at 10:15 AM on February 4, 2021
As a continuous contemplater prone to existential crises myself, I think I agree with the girl with the blue shirt more than her friend.
But, just before I watched this video, I accidentally opened the aux file instead of the PDF for my current task. The aux file had one single line in it:
\relax
Ok, LaTex compiler, ok. I get it.
posted by nat at 10:23 AM on February 4, 2021 [2 favorites]
But, just before I watched this video, I accidentally opened the aux file instead of the PDF for my current task. The aux file had one single line in it:
\relax
Ok, LaTex compiler, ok. I get it.
posted by nat at 10:23 AM on February 4, 2021 [2 favorites]
The "relax" argument didn't seem all that convincing.
Having pondered this topic off and on for most of my adult life (strictly as an amateur and strictly for myself, so YMMV), my conclusion is that the ability to hold both "none of this matters" and "it's a really nice day" in our minds at the same time is what makes us human. That awareness gives us the ability to choose to give our life (while it lasts) a meaning, regardless of - or perhaps in spite of - it not mattering In The Grand Scheme Of Things.
It also gives us the choice to attempt to deny that awareness, to paper over the existential horror of temporariness by getting caught up in the busy-ness of daily society, or grasping for things like power and money. I think that's why trying to tell people that none of this earthly stuff matters, and maybe we should just be nice to each other instead, tends to get one nailed to a tree. It can't be allowed or the whole house of cards that Homo Sapiens has built could come tumbling down around us. (It will anyway at some point, of course; but that's outside the scope of this post.)
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:02 PM on February 4, 2021 [4 favorites]
Having pondered this topic off and on for most of my adult life (strictly as an amateur and strictly for myself, so YMMV), my conclusion is that the ability to hold both "none of this matters" and "it's a really nice day" in our minds at the same time is what makes us human. That awareness gives us the ability to choose to give our life (while it lasts) a meaning, regardless of - or perhaps in spite of - it not mattering In The Grand Scheme Of Things.
It also gives us the choice to attempt to deny that awareness, to paper over the existential horror of temporariness by getting caught up in the busy-ness of daily society, or grasping for things like power and money. I think that's why trying to tell people that none of this earthly stuff matters, and maybe we should just be nice to each other instead, tends to get one nailed to a tree. It can't be allowed or the whole house of cards that Homo Sapiens has built could come tumbling down around us. (It will anyway at some point, of course; but that's outside the scope of this post.)
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:02 PM on February 4, 2021 [4 favorites]
I thought the animation was the more compelling "relax" argument. The visual literally spirals out as she does, and then brings us back to Earth. It was well put together. As Greg_Ace says, despite none of this mattering we have to be able to live in the moment.
posted by Wretch729 at 2:19 PM on February 4, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Wretch729 at 2:19 PM on February 4, 2021 [1 favorite]
Loved this. .I definitely feel overwhelmed with a feeling of pointlessness, more than some of the time. Loved the art style and the animation style, and specifically the way things got more abstract as the point of view pulled back.
posted by ejs at 3:09 PM on February 4, 2021
posted by ejs at 3:09 PM on February 4, 2021
Visually & aesthetically, it's wonderfully executed. The shot choices (helloooo telephoto city streets!), lighting, color palette, abstraction & simplification of the people/ locations are all superb. The pacing is also fantastic.
Like others are pointing at, the "resolve" or "solution" (aka "be in the moment"/ "don't overthink things") to the "problem" (aka "what is the meaning of life in light of how insignificant we seem?!!") can come across as unintentionally invalidating & flippant. The friend is clearly well-meaning, but their call-to-action, to "come back down to earth," doesn't at all address the very real problem the protag presents. Because that problem will most definitely rear its head again, and you can only write it off so many times by trying to "nicely" shame yourself or willpower yourself away from it by saying, "NO I WILL BE IN THE MOMENT, NO I WILL GROUND MYSELF, NO I WILL NOT EXPLORE THIS LINGERING QUESTION THAT REFUSES TO BE SILENCED AND WILL NOT BE TRICKED OUT OF MY BRAIN VIA A FORM OF IGNORING/ DISTRACTING." If you're the type to think about such things, it's just gonna keep showing up sooner or later, however quietly or not.
So it got me thinking: how could this beautiful short have worked a tad bit better without too many tweaks? I think one possibility is to have the friend address that part of dealing with the infinitesimal mystery & existence of the cosmos, is also including the joy of experiencing the here-and-now, this wonderful present that unfolds itself to us. Tweaking the friend's line ever so slightly, to include the vast cosmic mystery instead of hand-waiving it away, while also keeping the call-to-action to be in the here-and-now, could have rounded out both ends. Something like, "Yeah, I wonder that, too. And we may never find the answer as we search for it our whole lives. But maybe part of understanding it, is also learning to be present in the here and now, like enjoying this beautiful day & moment for what it is." Something punchier, perhaps, but that hones in on the idea of both as being worthy to consider, explore, and appreciate. Then this friend can be both grounding and validating with a touch of wisdom.
Either way, I still love it. The artist clearly has a mastery on many principles. Feels like a charming & emotionally engaging "Powers of Ten."
Hope to see more from Alisha Liu in the future.
posted by room9 at 3:42 PM on February 4, 2021
Like others are pointing at, the "resolve" or "solution" (aka "be in the moment"/ "don't overthink things") to the "problem" (aka "what is the meaning of life in light of how insignificant we seem?!!") can come across as unintentionally invalidating & flippant. The friend is clearly well-meaning, but their call-to-action, to "come back down to earth," doesn't at all address the very real problem the protag presents. Because that problem will most definitely rear its head again, and you can only write it off so many times by trying to "nicely" shame yourself or willpower yourself away from it by saying, "NO I WILL BE IN THE MOMENT, NO I WILL GROUND MYSELF, NO I WILL NOT EXPLORE THIS LINGERING QUESTION THAT REFUSES TO BE SILENCED AND WILL NOT BE TRICKED OUT OF MY BRAIN VIA A FORM OF IGNORING/ DISTRACTING." If you're the type to think about such things, it's just gonna keep showing up sooner or later, however quietly or not.
So it got me thinking: how could this beautiful short have worked a tad bit better without too many tweaks? I think one possibility is to have the friend address that part of dealing with the infinitesimal mystery & existence of the cosmos, is also including the joy of experiencing the here-and-now, this wonderful present that unfolds itself to us. Tweaking the friend's line ever so slightly, to include the vast cosmic mystery instead of hand-waiving it away, while also keeping the call-to-action to be in the here-and-now, could have rounded out both ends. Something like, "Yeah, I wonder that, too. And we may never find the answer as we search for it our whole lives. But maybe part of understanding it, is also learning to be present in the here and now, like enjoying this beautiful day & moment for what it is." Something punchier, perhaps, but that hones in on the idea of both as being worthy to consider, explore, and appreciate. Then this friend can be both grounding and validating with a touch of wisdom.
Either way, I still love it. The artist clearly has a mastery on many principles. Feels like a charming & emotionally engaging "Powers of Ten."
Hope to see more from Alisha Liu in the future.
posted by room9 at 3:42 PM on February 4, 2021
Tweaking the friend's line ever so slightly, to include ...
If this isn't the perfect opportunity to respond, "42", I don't know what is.
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:47 PM on February 4, 2021
If this isn't the perfect opportunity to respond, "42", I don't know what is.
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:47 PM on February 4, 2021
I know this spiral well!
But the best response I have right now is: why does it have to matter? Why do we think our lives need a purpose?
We can choose purposes... fighting injustice, achieving oneness, what have you...but there is no rule that we have to.
We live in the moment because we must. We make choices with limited information. If we care about others the only things that can guide us are thoughtfulness, compassion, determination, etc. and even those aren't always adequate. All we can do is our best. And then we die and are eventually forgotten. Is that really a curse? It doesn't fill me with horror anymore.
It's not the same as being apathetic.. it's just knowing that while you should make the most of your time and choices, in the end you're just one life.
posted by emjaybee at 9:28 AM on February 5, 2021 [2 favorites]
But the best response I have right now is: why does it have to matter? Why do we think our lives need a purpose?
We can choose purposes... fighting injustice, achieving oneness, what have you...but there is no rule that we have to.
We live in the moment because we must. We make choices with limited information. If we care about others the only things that can guide us are thoughtfulness, compassion, determination, etc. and even those aren't always adequate. All we can do is our best. And then we die and are eventually forgotten. Is that really a curse? It doesn't fill me with horror anymore.
It's not the same as being apathetic.. it's just knowing that while you should make the most of your time and choices, in the end you're just one life.
posted by emjaybee at 9:28 AM on February 5, 2021 [2 favorites]
As someone who is surrounded by Thanatophobes and those prone to existential crisis, 'hey, chill' seemed just outright dismissive. And the sudden conversion from spiraling/panick attack to 'yeah, it is a nice day', echoed someone pretending happiness to cover up embarrassment at being vulnerable.
I'm sure they meant this to be calming, but I feel more than a bit put off.
posted by LD Feral at 2:52 PM on February 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
I'm sure they meant this to be calming, but I feel more than a bit put off.
posted by LD Feral at 2:52 PM on February 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
« Older Touching Fish | 125 Years of Cat Videos Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by Apocryphon at 9:04 AM on February 4, 2021