Hello from (mostly) sunny California, and thank you, the reader, for helping me to take this plunge into the shark-infested waters of the cultural/political/ (add applicable adjective here) blogosphere.
While we are busy with only somewhat useful formalities, allow me to introduce myself. I am a woefully opinionated high school senior hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area. A lifelong film nerd (and proud of it), I hope to attend the estimable institution known as CalArts (or, for the hoi polloi, California Institute of the Arts) beginning in the next academic year. I also enjoy forays into the disciplines of literature, sociology, music, psychology and yes, that "giant elephant in the room", politics.
It is my admittedly quixotic goal to bring a one-of-a kind perspective on all these things to said blogosphere, aided by the weapons of what I have been told is a "somewhat unusual perspective on life". (Construe that how you will, ye cynics!) For the record, I am a *clears throat* physically challenged person of mixed ancestry who has the enviable (or perhaps unenviable) distinction of being the only known Progressive Libertarian in a family of 8.
Now that that one is out of the way (for now, I suppose), a few thoughts in proverbial christening.
I am frankly, tired of the highly staged "opportunity for airing new talking points and attempting to humiliate one's opponent" that passes for so-called "debates". It seems to me, both as viewer and film student, that what we have seen, both in last night's presidential debate and in those past, a strange creature on pre-distilled display which differs significantly from the Oxford definition of “a formal discussion in a public meeting or legislature, in which opposing arguments are presented and pondered". Were these men really honestly "discussing and pondering" anything... Alas, methinks Lincoln and Douglas are both rolling in their graves. Between the apparent and steadfast refusal of both senators to cohesively and civilly discuss those vaunted "issues" , and the subtly influential camera coverage, which vacillated wildly between blatantly subjective and cookie-cutter flat and boring, I must question if debates like these still serve any substantive purpose for the fair-minded, intelligent voter.
I ask for your thoughts and continued support as I conclude today's episode... hopefully the first of many!
