Explaining Us to Ourselves

I will start with full disclosure - I have never seen one episode.. or even a part of an episode.. of the recently completed TV show called "Lost". That said, I will say that I was aware that this past Sunday night wrapped up about six season of the show. The reason I mention this is because of this thought shared at this site:
"Ultimately, 'Lost' was a show for the anxious, uncertain, post-Sept. 11 nation we have become. We've had to accept ambiguity as a fact of life, and we seek answers and closure, though none may be forthcoming. We're leery and skeptical about science but riddled with doubt about faith. To the extent that 'Lost' was about the journey and not the destination, about the drive to solve riddles rather than the solutions themselves, it was the show that best explained us to ourselves."
Looking at the title for season five (in the image) it seems apparent that some sort of destiny theme must have run through the show. That said, I am not sure that I am compelled to go out and rent season one of the show and get immersed in all things Lost.. but a few things did intrigue me about what was shared above:
  1. That the show's appeal (in part anyway) might have something to do with connecting the viewer with their own anxious feelings of uncertainty. Reflecting a bit.. I do think that life is that way.. the older I get the more I understand that.. life is so much less predictable than it was when I was younger.. much younger.
  2. People these days are less certain about things that scientists and preachers tell them. Really? Who can blame them? When I was young I believed that medical science was going to heal cancer. I thought space travel would be much more commonplace by the year 2001. And didn't we all get a bit more cynical when the immorality of televangelists and priests was exposed? 
  3. I have come to believe that life is about the journey and the way that we live our lives is very important. Often I have found that the journey is about confronting fears and embracing the courage to change. Sometimes it simply involves doing what God asks me to do.. even if it is difficult or makes me feel uncomfortable.
I liked the phrase "explained us to ourselves". Life is that way sometimes.. if we slow down enough we can almost observe life as it is happening and can come away with a new understanding of why we are the way we are and why we do the things we do. I guess it is all part of this inner journey of the heart that we all are on.

4 comments:

  1. I, too, have never seen one episode. So I can't comment. Since the wisdom of this world is flawed and stands antithectical to the wisdom of God, I certainly don't want to be exposed to the conclusion that they came to when the "show explained us to ourselves." Any explanation man can give of himself apart from God is useless.

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  2. Although I only watched each season finale with the accompanying synopsis each year, I found the gospel through out this series. But it could just be that's how I look at things. I found it extremely redemptive. I also found a lot of parallels to the wisdom of Ecclesiastes - where in the end Destiny was paramount to an illusion. I loved the ending, and I believe I will watch the entire series in the future.

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  3. I watched Lost off and on, just enough to know that I didn't understand a great deal. Kind of like life. In fact, the only thing I can predict with certainty is that tomorrow when I wake up, I'll have no clue as to what is going to happen that day. It's kind of like exploring someplace you've never been.

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  4. even at the end, i didn't get it :D

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