I just finished re-watching the 2003 HBO Miniseries ANGELS IN AMERICA. This superbly acted, beautifully written oeuvre adapted from Tony Kushner’s play is inspiring. Seldom does a teleplay or motion picture move the viewer to examine what it means to be human; what existence on our planet at this time really means.
The teleplay (the term seems more accurate than miniseries) is filled with references to the apocalypse, the world falling to pieces at the end of the millenium. As one of the ghost Priors puts it, “The world has grown so very old.” The character Lewis is constantly breaking down what it means to be free, what it means to live in America. The script touches on justice, love, race, religion, sexuality, and truth– it is all inclusive, covering the entire human experience. And it makes you wonder: What is existence, now, in the beginning of the 21st century?
ANGELS IN AMERICA takes place in 1986, the year I was born, and I think things have changed quite a bit since then. We have this technology, the remarkable, indefatigable internet, that binds the majority of humanity together. We have experienced things, both great and horrible, that which we would never have dreamt. But deep down, we must question again: What does it mean to be… us? With all the technology, have we become disconnected from each other? Is there some earthy, organic, animal connection that has been pushed to the side in our newly found obsession with sanity and sanitary? And most importantly, how much do we let fear drive us?
Fear is a strange thing. It prevents us from reaching out, participating, taking chances. I think our fear of our world has decreased since 1986, but fear of ourselves has become so very strong that it is forcing us away from each other. Everyone is afraid of being hurt, or being sued, or being censured, or being used, that we don’t quite connect anymore. I’m not saying this from experience, mind; this is my world, I’ve always been taught to be very careful of others, to be accepting, non-judgmental, to mind what I say and do. But it seems that these things are fairly new. A couple of generations ago, the term “sexual harassment” meant something very different than it does today. Not that we haven’t made advancements, protected people, et cetera, but it may very well be that we are now too careful.
“This disease will be the end of many of us, but not nearly all, and the dead will be commemorated and will struggle on with the living, and we are not going away. We won’t die secret deaths anymore. The world only spins forward. We will be citizens. The time has come. You are fabulous, each and every one. And I bless you. More life. The great work begins.” These are the last words of the picture, and they truly resonate. It reminds us of where we came from, and where we’re going. It bolsters our confidence. It makes us look to the future.
The Great Work is something referred to (in one form or another) by plenty and multiple faiths and religions around the globe. What is it? Well, each of us has his or her own definition, I guess. But is there one great work that we should all be looking to accomplish, together? And with the world unified through information and technology as never before, can we finally accomplish whatever great work is laid out for us? And if we do, what comes afterward? So many questions, so little time! Maybe that’s the key– time. It’s something we all share, and the most unstoppable force known to us. Or maybe there is no resolution to the idea of the great work, just a general directive; to ever improve ourselves, etc. In this humble blogger’s opinion, however, there’s only one thing for it: trust yourself, trust destiny, and do the best you can to reach the light at the end of whatever tunnel you happen to be stuck down at the moment.
With cheers and love,
EPBroadcast.
