"Cage of Freedom"

[crfriend]

I'm sitting here at the moment listening to the Girogio Moroder soundtrack to Fritz Lang's immortal film Metropolis and just made a tangential (to the movie) link to guys wearing skirted garments. Cage of Freedom makes repeated reference to "shrinking boxes") to where "every wall now touches the skin" and how we go into the jail -- willingly -- in the first place. It's a good listen, and Jon Anderson nails the piece. YouTube (it's Google after all) for it.

We've often commented on the shrinking "box" that guys are allowed to occupy -- and not just in a fashion/style sense -- to the point where if we're not ultra-violent hyper-masculine little droogies we're less than men. Too, we've often commented that we do it to ourselves -- willingly, even ("we swallowed the key"). What of reason? Of rational thought? Of, ultimately, humanity?

The score that Lang used for Metropolis I feel is better than the "updated" one , but both still stand on their own merits. One fun bit -- look up the name of the cinematographer for Metropolis; it caused me some mirth in my younger days and made me question my own path, just for a moment, because I do have the "cameraman's eye" even now.

[Caultron]

We've often commented on the shrinking "box" that guys are allowed to occupy -- and not just in a fashion/style sense -- to the point where if we're not ultra-violent hyper-masculine little droogies we're less than men.

Then again, men are also encouraged (and not just by feminists) to be more loving, more compassionate, and more participating family members. We're encouraged to get in touch with our feminine sides. It's quite a dilemma.

[Sarongman]

"Sheeple" has been used to define people who unquestioningly accept, and meekly obey, society's dictums. This is also applicable to the "Dedicated follower of Fashion" (remember the song?) As an example, using real sheep, probably about twenty years ago, I saw a mob of sheep walking around a farm dam. As they strung out, the leaders saw the tail end and started to run to catch up, soon they were all running at full gallop! Isn't that a good metaphor for the human condition?

[Caultron]

"Sheeple" has been used to define people who unquestioningly accept, and meekly obey, society's dictums. This is also applicable to the "Dedicated follower of Fashion" (remember the song?) As an example, using real sheep, probably about twenty years ago, I saw a mob of sheep walking around a farm dam. As they strung out, the leaders saw the tail end and started to run to catch up, soon they were all running at full gallop! Isn't that a good metaphor for the human condition?

We are individuals as well as social animals. Another dilemma.

[MoonDrake]

"Human condition" I like that

[thkufgiris]

Good post. Humans are complex creatures.