What happens to the world when personal responsibility no longer exists? In The Mercy Seat Ben and Abby sit and reflect on their personal needs while the world is crumbling around them. Abby even mentions that she followed a woman around while she posted fliers looking for her missing son. What happens when the most basic humanity is replaced by complete selfishness. Could their efforts have been better spent not chasing each other cat-and-mouse-like through arguement after arguement? In this day and age when so many need help and aren't getting it, isn't there a better way to spend our time than in arguing over semantics and personal needs?
And I know that some people will say "I donate to charity all the time." Donating is not enough, the world is not as the John Mayer song says. We shouldn't be "waiting for the world to change." We should be making it happen.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
What is it?
What is it to be human? What is it like to live, love, learn, and die? Subjectivists argue that the answer to these questions are dependent upon the individual. Objectivists might argue that each have their own ultimate truth that would lead us to the penultimate truth. However most would agree that each must be experienced for one to understand. Literature argues, must they? Must everyone discover these things for themselves or can someone read someone else's experience and understand these very human and very important concepts.
I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle. I think that these things must be experienced, indeed all of them are side effects of existence, but I believe literature is the context through which we understand them. Or at least additional context. What is it like to live, love, learn, and then die? What is it like to be human?
I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle. I think that these things must be experienced, indeed all of them are side effects of existence, but I believe literature is the context through which we understand them. Or at least additional context. What is it like to live, love, learn, and then die? What is it like to be human?
Sunday, September 7, 2008
The Mercy Seat
If all literature reveals some truth to its audience, the truth of The Mercy Seat isn't the grand, sweeping illumination of the world. It is instead the truth about the choices we make in our interactions with other people and how we live with those choices. Set inside his mistress Abby's apartment after 9/11, Ben Harcourt views the tragedy as an opportunity.
Ben's choices are not to be envied. Do right by your family or do right by someone you've been taking advantage of for so long you've convinced yourself that you haven't. This play is very much about doing the right thing, and what's more, choosing to do the right thing even if it's the hardest thing you've ever had to do.
After just about devouring this play on the ferry back to Staten Island, I found myself looking at some of the choices I've made. I used to run from my problems alot. I ran as far as Florida for two years to escape from myself. One question kept popping into my head, would you do it again?
Ben's choices are not to be envied. Do right by your family or do right by someone you've been taking advantage of for so long you've convinced yourself that you haven't. This play is very much about doing the right thing, and what's more, choosing to do the right thing even if it's the hardest thing you've ever had to do.
After just about devouring this play on the ferry back to Staten Island, I found myself looking at some of the choices I've made. I used to run from my problems alot. I ran as far as Florida for two years to escape from myself. One question kept popping into my head, would you do it again?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
