Blood Diamond

I sit to write today after having watched 'Blood Diamonds' on screen in the morning.

S was there with me and had bought the tickets and so I had no clue of what to expect. To say that the movie was moving would be an understatement. The movie is set in the backdrop of Sierra Leone in late 90s where the show how the trade of diamond fishing (I couldn’t think of a better word). Its a hard hitting movie from the word go when 'RUF rebels' enter a village on their jeeps and start shooting people indiscriminately. No one is spared-man, woman and child alike, and for no reason.

The movie goes on and atrocities like amputating arms of villagers who manage to not get shot and the remaining ones going on to mine diamonds becomes a run-of-the-mill affair.

To cut the long story short, there were certain elements of the movie that made me sit back, some made me think, and some, cry. I felt appalled that we live in a society where we are SO crazy about some things around us that we are not bothered to think of anything else.

Just because I have my arms and get my food-I am not motivated to give a shit of what happens to the world. If I have the money, I should be thinking of getting a better car or a bigger house, or a bigger jewel. There is so much more to the world-and more importantly, I think, to ourselves- that we are missing out on.

I felt helpless at the way things were depicted. Not that there was anything factually incorrect I could find out. Nor am I implying that I am an authority to comment on the rebels and state of governments in Africa. I am simply saying that there is so much around us that happens and we just shun it.

I don’t want to sound preachy or anything like that, nor do I want to go for clichés like 'Consumerism is killing our sensitivity' blah blah.

My takeaway from the movie was that, all of us, those rebels, the government, the workers, the consumers, everyone is doing what they believe is what is right. The rebels want to rule the roost for the want of power and money. I guess I can say the same about the government too. The workers trying to escape death, or hoping against hope to steal a diamond to have a future for themselves. And the consumers who buy anything they get on the shelf. They dont know, and cant possibly know, the story behind a piece of jewellery that they feel would be a mark of their love for someone. Ironic, isnt it?

Yet, what is the solution? As a regular consumer I cant possibly possess the power to know if everything I eat, drink, or wear hasnt caused someone some pain or not. And similar arguments can be made for others being discussed as well. And I am not saying I have a solution. But I do have a thought.

What if everyone's perspective changes? I know it will sound presumptuous but hell
can anyone stop me from thinking?! What if everyone instead of trying to think of just about themselves think about themselves AND the environment? Okay I can hear you saying- this is nuts, but its okay, maybe it is, or maybe not.

If I can only function to do whats best for me and not do anything consciously that I think will harm anyone/anything I think will help significantly. Eg, I live in an apartment and no one has come to take the trash for a couple of days. What do I do?
I fling it outside my window because I dont want my house to stink (best solution for me). Well now my house wont stink but is the society any better? No. So if I can simply not throw the trash (the best solution) but either wait for someone to pick it or travel around and throw it where it can be picked faster by the guys who will come to pick the garbage?

Anyways, I think I dont wanna tread that point anymore to avoid exaggerating on only one part of the experience.

What I felt during the movie was that for any group of people to be able to live happily there are certain critical factors. Two key ones for me are, internal and external security and monetary strength. I am by no means saying these are the only things, if one possesses in abundance one will be happy. But what I am saying is that existence of these two factors, in my opinion, facilitates a general well being and gives people a chance to be calmer, happier, and fuller human beings. And each one should start cleaning their houses first before trying to step in someone else's house.

I hope someday I can be someone who can help my nation be strong on both these fronts (and some more that'll form the list as time goes by:))