A new Integral Blog here - I make it a habit to refer to new aspiring blogs, for you never know the depth of the blog or person, so it is always wise to check 'em out.

Like Open Integral, or Integral Options, sometimes I find that they far surpass in contribution anything that I can do.

Also, he has gone ahead and added himself to the list of Integral Blogs. 

I keep a feed of entries of Integral Bloggers, you can see this feed on the right side of this blog.  

This weekend, the effects of Typhoon Durian is assumed to have killed 1000 people in the Phillipines.

These type of tragedies, are simply pointless, given that smart infrastructure can mitigate the damage and death that comes from these type of natural disasters.

Take a look at this list of severe European windstorms.  Notice, as time progresses, the lesser number of deaths.  This is mainly due to stronger infrastructure, buildings, tolerance testing in architecture, canals for decent runoff, etc.

I simply cannot comprehend the type of value system that spends 3 billion on a destroyer, as well as other military boondoggles, when the opportunity exists to sow UNIVERSAL good will, by utilizing these funds for helping nations out with good infrastructure.

Perhaps that is naive - but I do believe that this creates both:

a. Goodwill
b. Economic partners that are more interested in productive commerce, than being a "bad" neighbor.

NOTE:  This of course doesn't mean that ALL the effects of natural disasters can be mitigated.  But some can. 

Of course, we see this same type of blindness with global warming - and the exact same poorer countries will suffer the worst effects.

I had a chance to see the Fountain recently.

It was truly a marvelous experience. Basically, for me, I get throw into recognition of the "always everpresent", which happens sometimes, when there are very good "pointing out" instructions, and the shift happens.

And this film did this for me. 

But the additional realization of this film -(who knows that it is a true realization, but I will share it anyway) is the essential human-ness that we are - that I am, that she is, that you are, that we are - remains.  The laws, feelings, issues, that happen for the bodymind, cco-exist right beside, interpentrating, the recognition of one Consciousness.

The movie, in a large human sense, is a tragedy.  In three different times, in three different worlds, (also a progression through the Bardos here), Man is Striving.  For love, on the quest, to save Her, to save Himself, to save the world. 

Fighting against death.  Fighting for redemption.  And just as it appears he can - it ends.  He fails to save his love.  He fails in his quest.  He fails in immortality.

But IN this failure, the transformation of life happens.  In this surrender, the light of consciousnesss (hinted at in all the myths, dreams, symbols), finally appears completely.

And then the realization is that this light is - and was - always present. 

So for me, at the end, "I" live my dream, and interpenetrating this, is the recognition of the Truth.

And I say YES to both.  Yes, yes, yes, a thousand times yes!



In terms of "logical storytelling", I would say that this film is mediocre.  I reference B.S. and integral criticism in my last post. 

This movie gives an example of how "logical criticism" - analyzing plot, character development, etc - would truly say that this is a mediocre film.

It is only in the recognition of the "deeper message", that the truth of this movie comes shining through.