WATCHMEN WEEK: Who Are You Afraid Of?

3/12/2009

This is going to be a very short post today because my parents are on their way over to help us celebrate ONE YEAR with our little boy Ethan. Hopefully, tomorrow I'll be able to finish a post I've been working through in Nietzsche's superman and the dark nature of the Watchmen World. Until then, here's some brief thoughts on fear...

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At the end of the film version (the ending is different than the book, in case you didn't know this), Lori wonders if peace will truly last. Dan answers by muttering a line that's stuck with me this past week: "As long as people think Jon's watching us, we'll be alright..."

Jon is blamed for the destruction of cities all over the world. So as long as he's still out there- an enemy waiting to strike- perhaps the world had better behave.

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Or to put it another way: "as long as people are scared of some mutual enemy- we'll be alright."

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Pluggedin-Online made the assumption that this was a subtle reference to God- the Old Testament version that many see as vindictive and fearful. Does Jon represent "god" for a lot of people? An omniscient being that dishes out punishment whenever we cross Him?

My friend Seth made another connection. The WTC towers (featured prominently at least 3 times in the film) allude to the fact that this film is about terrorism. Perhaps Jon represents Osama Bin Ladin and other terrorist cells? As long as we know he's out there, planning and plotting, are we liable to let the government do what they will with our lives?

jeff link

5/11/2009 08:26:33 pm

I also find value in what Nietzsche was up to even though I disagree with him.

It seems to me that God is, by definition, un-killable. Therefore, if the phrase "God is dead" is one that makes any sense at all, then it wasn't God at all. It seems like an important thing for a believer (in God) to do. But also a scary, even dangerous thing: we should ask areself "Is it possible that God could be dead; does the sentence make sense to me?"
If the answer is yes, then it wasn't God at all.
I find myself wondering if Nietzsche so the importance of this question, and asked of himself, and found that his answer was "Yes."
From there, what he might have done-- what we should do-- is go back and find a God that is not kill-able.
Given his biological and historical circumstances, it's not entirely surprising that he did not do this. (I'm not excusing his decision not to go back, because I think it was wrong to fail to try to again.)

Jeff link

5/11/2009 08:31:54 pm

A thought about your last couple questions:
It'd be worthwhile, I think, to differentiate between the film makers' and the comic writers intentions, as they were seperated by a couple decades.
American exceptionalism in the context of the Cold War is a distant memory for us, today, an article for the history books. But the fear of nuclear anhilation, the arms race, the belief that we are divinely champions of justice against the Godless "commies" were alive and well as the book was written.

Clearly there are reasons, of course, why this era would be the one when film makers are going back to early 80's comics with political subtext (not only watchmen, but also, for example, "V for Vendetta")... there are similarities. But I think it's important to notice the differences.

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Don't Panic

WATCHMEN WEEK: Who Are You Afraid Of?

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