Veneration of a mystical Being – is that Being a desired future representation of ourselves?

I recently watched the 2017 movie Valerian and have just now done a google search trying to find the name of the evolved Beings whose story was woven through the plot.  In all the reviews I read, these Beings only received a cursory mention, if any mention at all, and I could find no reference to what the Beings were called.  Most of the reviews were only concerned with the poor acting skills of the leading protagonist of the movie as well as the sketchy plot.  Of course these reviews are valid in their criticisms but are missing an important element in the movie I feel.  It is interesting to me that the Beings depicted in the movie Valerian, which I have now discovered were called Pearls, are very similar to the Na’ vi depicted in the movie Avatar.  In one review I read on Valerian, the writer described the Pearls as being, “pale humanoid creatures who flit around like drunken butterflies”.  The writer of the review also referred to the Pearls as being “Noble Savages”.  And indeed they were noble in my eyes.  The Pearls, akin to their counterparts in Avatar, live a life in harmony with their environment and seemed connected to, and aware of, a ubiquitous force that connects us all.  It seems that in both movies the Pearls and Na’ vi are Beings depicted as possessing noble and spiritual qualities, which we as human beings seek to emulate on some level.  Certainly in both these movies there seems to be a recognition of humanity’s lack of care and connection to their environment as well as an ignorance of the life force that underpins existence.  Why is it then, that on one hand we recognize our flaws as a species, yet on the other hand there seems to be some disdain for a more idealistic way of being?   In the same review that named the Pearls “pale humanoid creatures who flit around like drunken butterflies”, the writer speaks about the main protagonists as displaying a lack of care for their fellow Beings and leaving behind an unaddressed carnage in their wake.  This lack of care seemed to disturb the writer of the review, and so I wonder what qualities does the writer deem to be admirable?  Humanity’s lack of care for each other and their environment as represented by the protagonists in the film, seemed off-putting to the review writer, yet Beings displaying care and connection also seemed to hold some distaste for her.  Is it that the majority of humanity has resigned itself to a self-defeatist existence, where any representation of what good there could be is scornfully rebuked as being fanciful and childish?  Do we not want to review our choices and way of being here on earth and see beyond the existence we have created for ourselves thus far?  Valerian and Avatar have shown us that we at least have the imagination to conjure up other ways of being.  Do we think that it is beyond the capacity of human kind to make such choices and changes in how we relate to each other and the world we live in?  Surely if we can imagine it, then we can create it!

Many people believe the “Noble Savage”, as depicted by the Pearls and Na’ vi, is a mythical concept of humanity’s past, purportedly living in perfect harmony with the earth and each other.  These people believe that the “Noble Savage” concept is misleading and unattainable and that humanity is incapable of living in harmony with nature and each other.  They give examples of the imperfection of past societies who lived a more basic lifestyle, such as cannibalism, warring and disease.  However, they seem to ignore the many examples of societies such as the American Indians, Australian Aborigines, and many more who did live in harmony with their environments.  Were these societies perfect?  Of course not.  Will humanity ever be perfect?  Well who knows what perfect is anyway?  But surely we can do better than what we are doing now.  There seems to be an underlying impulse for human kind to strive for improvement and advancement of some kind.  So far that advancement has been mostly in the technological and industrial spheres of life, however there has also been many social advancements as well.  There has been a recognition in many human  societies of the injustices and inequalities that exist and we have sought to make improvements in these areas.  However, even with all these improvements there seems to be an underlying discontent that festers in the hearts of many.  There is an unexplainable heaviness that presses down on our hearts and minds that all the technological and industrial improvements that we make can not shift or move.  Why is this????  I believe the following link gives some insight into what is going on with humanity and how the path we have headed down is only taking us to a place of self destruction.  I fervently feel that it will not be until we change our current core values and beliefs as a global society that we will have any hope of lifting the heavy discontent from our hearts and minds.

Economics of Happiness

If you checked out the above u-tube link you would have heard the idea that we are living in a global economic system that has run amuck, with outdated core values of ‘competition’, ‘ownership’, and ‘acquisition of goods’.  You would have also heard that we are now living in a global society where there exists a polarity of views, where on one hand there is a push for further global capitalist economic advancement, and on the other hand, a calling for a more localized and collaborative approach to economics.  The truth is we are currently governed by “economics”.  We have been led to believe that the study and incorporation of economics is essential for our lives.  But is this true?  Economics is defined as the ‘social science concerned chiefly with the description and analysis of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services’.  And it seems to me that our current all-encompassing focus in life is all about the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.  Our lives are literally consumed by this notion and way of being, as if there is nothing else outside of it – nothing else that has any purpose and meaning.  But how about turning our gaze inwards and seeking to improve the way we relate and connect to ourselves and each other.  Is this not a worthy pursuit?  For it seems that no matter how many goods and services we manage to conjure up and surround ourselves with, we cannot seem to find any real peace and contentment in life.  Do we not want peace and contentment?  Do we simply wish to throw ourselves down a tunnel of endless pursuit of material wealth, piling our fading gems around us as a representation to the world of the great accomplishments we have made in our lives, only to discover at the end of life that we never truly connected to Ourselves and the world around us.

What I truly loved about the Beings depicted in Valerian and Avatar was their portrayal of respect for one another and the environment that supported them.  How does One attain such ‘respect’, for it sadly seems to be missing from the majority of society at present.  This is evidenced in the amount of litter that lies on the ground as you drive around the countryside; in the way we speak to each other in person and on social media; in the warring and grab for power among different peoples; and in the destruction of our environments and the shameful amount of waste we create.  You may say that this is just the innate nature of humankind, however there are as many positive actions being taken in the world as there are negative ones.  There are people who spend their lives giving to others and working towards advancements in society.  So what is it that determines One’s choices and actions in the world?  I would assert, and I believe many would agree with me, that it is the culture that you come from as well as the values and beliefs you have absorbed along the way, that inform the choices you make.

So what next…..?  I am tired of talking about the mundanities of life.  I am sick of the endless chatter of ‘what holiday will I take next’, or ‘how much money can I make’, or ‘what item shall I purchase next’, or ‘what is the current hip café’, or ‘any other mindless chatter that seeks to inflate a self defeating ego, that sees itself separate to everyone and everything else’.  Enough is enough!!!!  If we do wish to move beyond our current way of being and emulate an advanced noble savage, such as the Pearl or Na’ vi, then I believe we first need to recognize and remember our connectedness to All things.  But sadly there are many who are lost in the delusion of Separateness and scoff at the idea of emulating the noble savage, dismissing it as a fanciful and fruitless idea.  However, I assert that within the depths of our psyche, is a longing to move beyond our current state of being to a place of connection and harmony, and that longing is personified in the characterisations of the Pearls and Na’ vi.  So as we sit at our dining tables tonight or around the tea room at work, or wherever it is that we gather to socialise and connect, perhaps we can begin to talk about what a life beyond our current system and way of being may look like….. to ponder a more connected and holistic way of being.