I'm a sucker for super-hero stories, so last night we went along and watched the latest Marvel Comics adaptation, Iron Man. For a light-weight movie, it had a certain style - Robert Downey Jr is a talented fellow, and more power to him for coming back from addiction.
Ultimately, though, the movie left a rather nasty taste in my mouth. Much of the action is set in Afghanistan, and you get a very small glimpse of how brutal and terrifying that conflict has become. While there is a certain subversive undercurrent to the storyline, the suggestion that what is really needed to sort things out is more violence (provided by more effective technology) rings sickeningly hollow.
It made me think again of an idea I've had for a TV series starring a (fictional) crack team of pacifists. Yes, pacificists! Each week they would be confronted with a challenging new conflict situation, to which they have to find a non-violent solution. What I love about this idea is that I think it would showcase the creativity of non-violence. If you rule out the possibility of violence, you have to really use your brain.
Some might consider this show unrealistic - but surely no less realistic than the fantastical fictions with which we are regularly presented, in which shooting people solves problems. Oh yeah, that's how things work in the real world.
Ultimately, though, the movie left a rather nasty taste in my mouth. Much of the action is set in Afghanistan, and you get a very small glimpse of how brutal and terrifying that conflict has become. While there is a certain subversive undercurrent to the storyline, the suggestion that what is really needed to sort things out is more violence (provided by more effective technology) rings sickeningly hollow.
It made me think again of an idea I've had for a TV series starring a (fictional) crack team of pacifists. Yes, pacificists! Each week they would be confronted with a challenging new conflict situation, to which they have to find a non-violent solution. What I love about this idea is that I think it would showcase the creativity of non-violence. If you rule out the possibility of violence, you have to really use your brain.
Some might consider this show unrealistic - but surely no less realistic than the fantastical fictions with which we are regularly presented, in which shooting people solves problems. Oh yeah, that's how things work in the real world.
3 comments:
There are a couple of game like this.
See: http://www.aforcemorepowerful.org/
also there's a board game somewhere. I'll dig out the reference
The board/card game I was thinking of was "Terra". Not specifically non-violent though - but might have elements of that.
http://www.daysofwonder.com/en/products/guide/#TR
You said: “… a (fictional) crack team of pacifists … confronted with a challenging new conflict situation, to which they have to find a non-violent solution.”
These people really exist. They're called police negotiators. They do a marvellous job.
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