We Should All Be Concerned About Jeremy Corbyn's Treatment

I have been utterly fascinated with Jeremy Corbyn since he became leader of the Labour Party, with extremely good reason.

The reaction to Corbyn's leadership from virtually all sectors of British society has been intensely revealing of how our society operates. He has been treated like no other politician in recent history. Cobyn's treatment has emphatically shown what is going on behind closed doors. It is unfortunate for you if you cannot perceive this.

The Corbyn phenomenon represents a case-study revealing how power functions in British society and how corruption and evil is woven deeply into the fabric of our institutions, even the very political party meant to be representing working-class people. 

If you are remotely concerned with helping people, and if you are remotely concerned with truth, then I urge you to study Corbyn's treatment, in a balanced, evidence-based fashion.

For me, Corbyn's vilification goes beyond political concerns. We have witnessed unceasing, shameless attacks on the very notion of truth. When it comes to Corbyn, meaningful, healthy debate and criticism is almost totally absent. His vilification points to a sick, morally stagnant society that does not value honesty, transparency and compassion.

The relentless blows Corbyn has publicly sustained have been for the sake of all of us. Corbyn is guided by his love for people. This is what has enabled him to endure such brutal, unfounded vilification and hate. I urge you to give your unwavering solidarity to one of the most admirable politicians in British history.

The Conservatives Don't Care About Ordinary People

I hope it is clear to people that the Conservatives not funding free school meals for children, over the school holidays, is unsurprising. It is, in fact, predictable and commonplace. This situation is yet another case demonstrating, very clearly, that the Conservatives do not care about the lives of ordinary people. 

The Conservative party, as an institution, serves corporations and rich people. Throughout history they have only served a small, corrupt group of “elites”. Any rhetoric you hear about caring for the population is false and solely in place to garner votes. This political party lies through their teeth on a daily basis. The fact that they are still not only seen as a viable option for running British society, but are actually in power, is quite staggering to me.

This post isn't about political side-taking, believe it or not. I am not saying you should support Labour or become a lefty. What you should start doing is looking at the world truthfully and thinking for yourself.

Fragments

We shouldn't underestimate our potential as a species and our ability to evolve. The future is largely open and everything in the universe is capable of developing.

Politically speaking, we need to move beyond left and right terms.

We don't need to think divisively and we are all capable of transcending petty, vicious attitudes.

Reality is multi-faceted. Our thinking must likewise be multi-faceted.

We must be sceptical of all doctrines and any isms that we come across. Doctrines and institutions stop people from thinking creatively.

When confronting injustice and oppression, we can't be soft. We also can't be aggressive, for this only creates more division and hate.

When confronting injustice and oppression, we need to be steadfast, indefatigable and compassionate. We also need to be receptive to new ideas and open to change.

We must value measured, evidence-based arguments and challenge ideological, one-dimensional ones.

Rationality and reason must be valued. Just as importantly, we need to value emotional awareness and empathy.

We must understand history in a balanced, evidence-based and contextual fashion. We need to study the events of our collective past and understand how they relate to present day events.

Every society needs a population of well-informed, critical thinking people.

We must never assume we know what is going on with someone else. We will never fully know what difficulties other people may be going through. In connection with this, we must resist comparing ourselves to other people.

We must understand that there will always be disagreement, debate and conflict, but that these phenomena can be healthy and constructive. They don't have to be hateful and toxic.

We must not cancel or censor that which we disagree with. If you passionately disagree with something, you should want to debate it in the open.

We must not automatically submit to authority. Authority and respect must be earned over time.

We must understand that everything is connected. This isn't only a mystical view, but a scientific one. You, as a biological entity, are utterly inseparable from the environment out of which you've emerged. Those who think their identity ends at their skin simply haven't pushed their thinking far enough.

We must fully accept our own mortality. Only by fully confronting death can we live in a conscious and meaningful way. We came from an abyss of death and we will return to this abyss. However, since we were conceived by this abyss, death is far more fertile and active than we often believe.

We must understand that there are no ends and no beginnings. Existence is a series of eternal transformations. To think that your physical death is an end is thus a misconception.

We must understand that all our conceptions of reality derive from human-constructed, abstract systems, such as written language. Our views of reality thus tell us more about ourselves than they do about the world around us.

We must understand that what we know about the world is minuscule compared to what we don't know about the world. Thus, we need to practice humbleness and receptivity.

In connection with being humble, we must not dismiss certain ideas as silly just because they don't conform to our preconceived, culturally relative notions of reality. For example, the idea that everything in the universe is alive and animate, even rocks, is not a silly idea to me. It is one that I intuitively believe to be true, and I have an important connection with my intuitions. It is also an idea held by Native Americans, who had a healthy, respectful relationship with their natural environment.

We must understand that life is a series of mistakes and that everybody always has something new to learn. Life should be a process of continual development and self-reflection.

Pulse (2001)

Pulse is a masterpiece of modern horror cinema. Definitions are always limiting and the category "horror" dosn't capture this film well enough. Other genres that come to mind are supernatural and psychological. Made after Ringu (1998), it is an example of so-called "J-Horror". Pulse may call to mind, as Mark Kermode has stated, Videodrome (1983), as it is an equally effective exploration of modern technology and it's symbiotic relationship with humans.

Kiyoshi Kurosawa is a skilled director who specialises in eerie, slow, atmospheric films. Through their absences and silences, Kurosawa's films engender deep dread and fear. This austere technique was used effectively in one of his best films, Cure (1997). It is also this style that gives Pulse such a terrifying atmosphere.

The most prominent theme in Pulse is loneliness. By exploring this phenomenon in a modern, technological setting, the film may be seen as a form of social commentary. Pulse suggests that although modern technology, specifically the internet, is often believed to provide more forms of communication and connection, it in many ways distances us from each other. It indicates that modern technology leads to more social isolation. Pulse was released almost 20 years ago, but today, in our screen-obsessed world of electronic mirages and internet omniscience , it seems more relevant.

The protagonist of the film, Kawashima, is a laid back and ordinary university student. He lives in a messy apartment and has long hair. He is not "techy" and there is something more human and warm about him than the other characters. He meets Harue, who is "techy". She seems more cerebral and nihilistic than Kawashima. In one scene, Harue says to a bemused Kawashima "People don't really connect, you know. We all live totally separately". It is the contrast of these two characters that makes the themes of Pulse, such as loneliness, more resonant.

In Pulse otherworldly spirits, whose intentions are shadowy and mysterious, use the internet as a medium through which to enter our world. When we meet these spirits, it is their obscurity that renders them so terrifying and powerful. If they were overtly malevolent, I think this would take away from their power. However, it seems that when humans come into contact with these spirits, they become so psychologically distraught that they commit suicide. Another student states to Kawashima, about halfway through the film:

"The spirit, the consciousness, the soul, whatever you want to call it. It turns out it's world has a finite capacity. Whether that capacity accommodates trillions or billions, eventually it will run out of space. Once it's filled to the brim, it's got to overflow somehow, somehwere. But where? The souls have no choice but to ooze into another realm; that is to say, our world"

The spirits first appear as grainy, dark, unclear images on computer screens. On a screen we see a spirit sitting on a chair, motionless, in a dark room. Though the shape of a human, there is something non-human and unsettling about these pixellated figures. They evoke a deep, Lynchian dread.

Filmed on 35mm film, Pulse has a rich grainy texture which marries perfectly with it's narrative. This texture points to the pixellated world of computer graphics and provides an appropriate medium through which to depict unsettling spirits. The film isn't particularly colourful and a kind of greyness dominates many scenes. Even the weather, in rare outside scenes, is grey and apocalyptic. This grainy texture and lack of colour adds to the film's pervading theme of loneliness.

The soundtrack for Pulse, by Takefumi Haketa, is significant. Haketa's eerie theme song of echoed, choir tones rising and falling, amid a backdrop of fear inducing drums, adds to the theme of an unfamiliar, unsettling spirit world. The drums make one feel that the spirits, with their haunting, high-pitched tones, are invading our world. There is also a frequently used sound-effect we hear, like a scratched, electronic sound played in reverse, which is unsettling and dread inducing.

The spirits come across as desperate and tortured, in that they frequently say "help" in a pained and distorted way. Again, this isn't the typical malevolent spirit in other horror films. But this makes Pulse scarier. The spirits are desperately trying to escape the eternal loneliness of death and seem to find an opportunity with the development of the internet. Near the end of the film, a spirit states to Kawashima: "Forever, death was eternal loneliness. Help. Help. Help. Forever, death was eternal loneliness. I am not an illusion." The sound design in this scene is significant, for we hear scratchy radio static as the spirit speaks, suggesting that the spirits are using human technologies to filter into our world and communicate with us. Technology is a medium which connects us to other, timeless dimensions. Linking us across time and space. Specifically the internet, Kurosawa realised, heralded an intense transformation of society.

Pulse is a unique, supernatural horror film and manages to evoke a shadowy feeling of complex dread while providing important social commentary. It's perceptive exploration of the isolating effects of technological communication resonates deeply today, where electronic screens and online communication have become a pervasively intrinsic aspect of modern life.

Orgies of Edo (1969)

Orgies of Edo was directed by Teruo Ishii and contains 3 separate stories. It was the second part of a group of violent sex film anthologies of his, preceded by Shogun's Joy of Torture (1968).

These film anthologies of Ishii's grew out of Japan's "Pink" genre, which were essentially low-budget erotic films and an aspect of Japan's rich sexploitation cinema. However, Ishii's anthologies kickstarted a new genre, which has been termed ero-guro or "erotic grotesque".

Ishii was a director who managed to combine eroticism and sleaze with art and technical skill. Orgies of Edo is a notable achievement for its rich colours, cinematography, set design,  costumes, experimental scenes and a deep exploration of striking sexual perversions in a historical setting.

Orgies of Edo is set at the height of the Edo Period (1603-1868). Edo, now known as Tokyo, was Japan's capital city and is renowned as the place where Japanese popular culture developed. Kabuki theatre grew out of Edo. Edo was also known as a place of hedonism and indulgence. It is thus fitting that Ishii would set his ero-guro films here.

Orgies of Edo can be read as a critique on wealth, display and superficiality. At the very opening of the first story we hear a narrator "It is the height of the Edo Period and times are prospoerous. The people contend among themselves to display much pomp, but its all empty pretense. Behind everything lies depravity and sickness of the mind". What follows are 3 tales of sexual perversion in which we find prostitution, sadism, masochism, violent abortions, bestiality, highly unusal fetishes and gore.

The infamous opening scene begins with a close-up of a man's darting eyes as the camera slowly pans backwards. We are already indicated that what follows is a film of voyeurism and a glimpse into a dream/nightmare world of sexual perversion. We see that this man exists in some kind of underworld or "hellscape", arguably reminiscent of Dante or Nobuo Nakagawa's Jigoku (1960). There is a kind of large shelving feature in which various unusual figures are involved in unusual acts. One man seems to suck fluid from a tube conected to a woman above him. A woman with four breasts is seen on a lower compartment and an alsation dog is thrown into the mix.

Orgies of Edo is done with skill and the colour, set designs and costumes are a pleasure to watch. There is a particular scene in the first film, constructed like a dream, where the protagonist Oito is chased by Hanji, a conman who she has fallen for. The set is covered in colourful Kimono fabrics of varying patterns and designs. The backdrop of the scene is red. As Hanji chases Oito, trying to have sex with her, the camera follows them rapidly, with the variously patterned Kimono fabrics flying before our eyes. This scene seems to sum up Orgies of Edo effectively, in that we have a beautiful setting rich in colour juxtaposed by an uneasy sexual game of dominance and essentially rape.

An argument can be made that films like Orgies of Edo are beneficial and admirable in that they externalise taboo desires and urges. Not to say that everyone secretly wants to partake of the events in the film. But films like this arguably throw the unconscious out on display and visualise the unusual potentialities of human experience. I don't think the film is condoning the acts it depicts. I believe Ishii is in fact critiquing such acts, which, as acknowledged earlier, are described as a "depravity and sickness of the mind" by a narrating character. But I think there is something healthy in depicting sordid, forbidden practices. The more we talk about and are aware of such things, the more we understand about the hidden recesses of the human mind.

I think the fact that sexploitation films are low budget and often under the radar is a positive thing. These films are not self-consciously trying to live up to critical and acceptable standards. Sexploitation films are on the obscure fringes of culture and are far more free to explore taboo issues than most other films. They are also refreshingly unpretentious and direct. This, as far as I'm concerned, makes them very enjoyable.

Sansho the Bailiff (1954)

Sansho the Bailiff was directed by Kenji Mizoguchi, who many would describe as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. Even Andrei Tarkovsky, who notoriously only admired a handful of directors, approved of Mizoguchi. There is good reason for his approval.

Sansho is one of Mizoguchi's most astounding achievements. 2 other masterpieces of his are Ugetsu (1953) and The Life of Oharu (1952). These 3 films were made late in Mizoguchi's career, shortly before his death in 1956.

Sansho is possibly the most emotional, powerful and beautifully crafted film I have ever seen. I wept a lot after finishing it. It struck me deeply. I have reflected on why this is the case, and although words could not do this film justice, I still want to explain why I think this film is so powerful.

Based on a tale by 20th century writer Ogai Mori, Sansho is an historical film set in the Heian period (794-1184) of Japan. The film is ultimately about the miraculous, unending survival of love and morality in the face of societal oppression and evil. Societal pressures are shown to be mostly unfair and reprehensible in Sansho. But the goodness of a few characters manages to shine through, in spite of insurmountable odds. There is thus a tension created between societal oppression and individual morality. This is a universal theme that will resonate with many people to this day. Another Japanese director who is deeply concerned with the value of individual morality in the face of unfair societal norms is Masaki Kobayashi, who made such films as Harakiri (1962) and Samurai Rebellion (1967).

Sansho the Bailiff is the main villain in the film and is unusually who the film is named after. Sansho is a slave owner who embodies the wider immorality of the feudal society in which the film is set. This, of course, is a theme relevant to this day. Most people throughout history have been governed by immoral power structures and unfair rulers. However, Mizoguchi doesn't portray such a theme simplistically.

At the beginning of the film, we are introduced to a virtuous governor. This governor tells his son Zushio, who becomes one of the protagonists of the film, "Without mercy man is like a beast. Even if you are hard on yourself, be merciful to others". This message endures to the end of the film, even when Zushio falters and temporarily forgets it. The virtue of this governor is also recognised by a Chief Advisor, from Kyoto, later in the film. We thus find that those in power aren't always evil, painting a nuanced picture of societal oppression and humanity. Such nuance is utterly vital to an effective story, for nothing in reality is binary or one-dimensional.

Mizoguchi was renowned for long, gliding takes in deep focus, approximating the effect of classic scroll paintings prevalent in Japanese culture. Sansho and Ugetsu seem to exemplify this form of filmmaking and I would imagine these films had an influence on such directors as Kobayashi, Michelangelo Antonioni and Stanley Kubrick. Ugetsu certainly influenced Tarkovsky.

What I find to be one of the most important elements of Japanese cinema and culture is the way that empty space and silence is valued just as much as action and sound. What is left out of a scene is just as important as what is put in. This approach makes many Japanese films incredibly powerful and, maybe, "anti-sensational". The impact of a scene is rendered more resonant as half of it is left unsaid. The filmgoer therefore has to fill in and engage more with what is hapenning. There is an element of mystery in this approach, as though some phenomena can't be fully described and articulated, but have to be felt and intuited. Mizoguchi is one of the proponents of this approach and this is what helps Sansho attain such an emotional force. The beautiful scene where Anju descends into a lake is perhaps the most fitting example of this.

Though there is a lot of suffering and tribulation throughout Sansho, the final scene manages to be tragically positive and somehow life-affirming. In truth, I don't think the same can be said of Mizoguchi's The Life of Oharu. Sansho thoroughly communicates to us that in some cases, despite all possible odds, love and morality will eternally endure, even if such endurance has a staggeringly painful side to it.

Kwaidan (1964)

Kwaidan is a masterful adaptation of 4 Japanese ghost stories. Directed by Masaki Kobayashi, these films are meticulously crafted on all levels. The set design is elaborate, hand-painted and detailed. The score by Toru Takemitsu is haunting, spare and in perfect accordance with the cinematography. The camera glides slowly, in deep focus, throughout each film. The narratives themselves are also spare, the space in between each action as important and powerful as the action itself. These elements combine to create an overwhelming feeling of artifice and fantasy which can be described as expressionistic. But though we are perfectly aware that we are watching a construction, we at the same time can deeply relate to the emotions and concerns of the human characters. The unreal and the real are thus beautifully connected in this film, as in other great Japanese films like Ugetsu (1953).

In the first story of Kwaidan, a man is taken over by greed and leaves his poor wife to make a better life for himself. He soon regrets this decision and exhibits great remorse. Realising his errors and remembering his love for his wife, he returns to her. But what he finds is not what he expected. The viewer can relate to this mistake of the protagonist and his feelings of regret and remorse.

The way in which space and silence is utilised in these films only heightens their ghostly impact, engendering a cold atmosphere of cosmic, supernatural emptiness. Such space and silence is present in the cinematography, score and story-telling. As a result of this lack of sensationalism, Kwaidan manages to be far more powerful and harrowing than most supernatural, ghost or horror films.

In the second film, we find a powerful female spirit. A pact is formed with a young man, but vows are broken. Another outstanding Japanese film featuring powerful female spirits is Kaneto Shindo's eerie masterpiece Kuroneko (1968). The prominent feature of female spirits in Japanese culture can be seen as an important comment on the position of women in Japanese society. We learn through these spirits that it is harmful and ill advised to betray people and break vows. On a more general note, morally ambiguous females exacting revenge are highly prevalent in Japanese cinema. Lady Snowblood (1973) is perhaps the quintessential example of this. Female representation in Japanese cinema and culture is highly rich and varied and deserved of more study.

In many ways, Kwaidan was an anomalous film. Kobayashi, the director, was mostly known for his social commentary films, such as The Human Condition (1959-61) and Harakiri (1962). But Kwaidan, a hyper-constructed collection of ghost stories, sticks out sharply in his ouevre. However, as noted earlier, we can still find in this film poignant explorations of common human experiences.

We don't get films like this anymore. Completed by an assured, genius director, Kwaidan has a rare artistic potency. Without the special effects we have nowadays, it manages to conjure far more atmosphere than most contemporary films.

The Distortion of British History

Our veneration of Winston Churchill is a stark example of how British history is airbrushed and twisted to serve ongoing, repugnant power structures.

Churchill was an efficient war-time prime minister. He also directly contributed to a genocide in India, where 4 million Indians died in the Bengal Famine of 1943. This has appropriately lead Dr Shashi Tharoor to describe Churchill as one of "the worst genocidal dictators". This comment may inspire shock in some readers, but this is only because it goes against the established, unfounded narrative fed to us about Churchill. Some people, I imagine, will be so indoctrinated that they will try and find any way to counter this comment by Dr Tharoor, even if that means lying or continuing to distort historical truths.

Of the 1943 Bengal Famine, Churchill stated: "I hate Indians. They are a beastly people with a beastly religion. The famine was their own fault for breeding like rabbits".

Boris Johnson's veneration of Churchill tells us a lot. I have rarely seen him express such passion and energy than in some of his recent tweets, where he has vehemently opposed the defacing of Churchill's statue during the Black Lives Matter protests. I personally agree that Churchill's statue shouldn't have been defaced, but I wish Boris would have channelled such passion and energy into preparing for the global pandemic that we are in the midst of. Boris missed 5 Cobra meetings during this crisis and the UK has the second worst death toll in the world. A clear argument could be made that Boris, whose priorities are deeply immoral and skewed, has a lot of blood on his hands. But of course, Boris is just one embodiment of a sick, corporate culture that doesn't value human life.

In praising Churchill, Boris plays into a specific, nationalistic image of Britain as a great, righteous nation whose civilising mission has done the world a lot of good. This image conveniently leaves out the hidesouly violent and murderous practices of British colonial rule and how we are still complicit in global atrocities.

An example of a murderous event carried out by Britain was when Kenyans rose up and demanded their land back from British colonists. This took place between 1952-1960. As punishment for demanding their land back, Kenyans were thrown into torture camps. In some cases, in these camps, mens testicles were crushed with pliers and glass bottles were forced into womens vaginas. An example of complicity in a current global atrocity is the fact that Britain continues supplying weapons to Saudi Arabia, who have been bombing Yemeni civilians for the past 5 years.

I am not by any means saying we should vilify Britain. Please don't misunderstand me. I am saying that we need to have an accurate, multi-faceted view of history and current affairs. We need truth. Only by understanding things truthfully can we begin to make the right choices.

Black Lives Matter Protests

George Floyd's brutal murder was a spark. The Black Lives Matter protests are largely a response to centuries of entrenched racism, colonialism and imperialism. I urge anyone commenting on these protests to maintain perspective.

Unfortunately, I have come across a lot of vicious responses to the UK protests. Personally, I prefer to direct my anger and passion at genuinely harmful movements, such as the global corporate oligarchy that is literally destroying life on Earth. Another thing I am far more angry at than "over the top protesters" is the legacy of racism, colonialism and slavery that US and UK empires represent.

When you see ordinary working people viciously condemning the Black Lives Matter protests, this demonstrates the efficiency of imperialist propaganda. If ordinary people were adequately informed about our colonial and imperialist histories, and the ways in which such imperialism continues to this day, then I'm sure their anger would be far more appropriately placed. But unfortunately, our corporate tyrants don't want a well-informed citizenry. They want a misinformed, angry citizenry that blames the world's problems on each other. A lot of time and money is spent, with the help of mainstream media, fabricating fantasy problems for everyone to get angry about, instead of drawing peoples attention to actual problems.

Divide and conquer is a highly effective method of control, used by oligarchies. Thus, in the UK, you will often find working people aggressively blaming immigrants, protesters or "benefit scroungers" for the world's problems, instead of the corporate rulers who are destroying life on Earth. The genuinely significant problems of the world are therefore deflected and no one ends up even discussing them. Corrupted power is very good at concealing itself.

Even though liberal and social media will show mostly positive views on the protests, I feel there are still far too many people who think negatively about them. A lot of these people, in my generalising view, will be those who voted Conservative in UK's 2019 General Election. There is a huge sector of the UK population who believe that progressive protest movements, such as Extinction Rebellion and Black Lives Matter, are worth viciously condemning. There is also a huge sector of the population who see the Conservatives as a serious political choice.

I despair sometimes. I often hear people say "don't worry the tide is turning" or "more people are waking up to the realities of injustice and oppression". But these sentiments are not remotely reflected in electoral voting. Millions upon millions of British people still see the Conservatives as a viable political party, which I find staggering and, frankly, shameful. I sometimes wonder whether our societies need to get a lot worse before they get better.

The UK, as well as the US and other countries, does not teach history accurately. History is framed by these countries to support ongoing, despicable power structures. What does this mean? The obscenely rich rulers of the world, who make or influence all of the important decisions, do not want people to wake up to the realities of Western imperialism and colonialism. History is twisted to serve the interests of powerful people. This inhibits any honest, critical discussion about our societies and how to improve to them.

The most important thing progressives can do is counter false narratives with truth. Truth and knowledge are our most powerful weapons. But I guess the problem becomes, when most large media outlets are owned by corporate rulers, how do we disseminate truth to the wider population?

Notes on Oppression

Human history is well acquainted with violence, oppression and suffering. Societies across the world have been involved in reprehensible practices at different times. Such practices include colonisation, war, genocide, rape, racism, sexism, ecocide and slavery. These practices have been carried out by Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Mongolians, Portuguese and the British, as well as many other groups of people throughout history. One questions what "civilised" actually means.

In light of such points, it is not intelligent to vilify certain groups of people, Europeans for example, above others. Conversely, it is important not to idealise certain groups, Amazonian tribes for example, above others. To solve our greatest contemporary problems, such as the Climate and Ecological Crisis, we need to have an honest, critical discussion about history and how it relates to contemporary issues. "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" (George Santayana). In order to understand an issue, we invariably need to put it into context, and it is only by accurately understanding problems that we can begin to resolve them.

In order to be fully effective and inclusive, it is essential that Extinction Rebellion, as well as other protest movements, understands the connections between different forms of oppression. All forms of oppression, such as racism, sexism, ableism, animal cruelty and environmental devastation, derive from the same toxic mindset.

People are oppressive because they fail to understand that everything in the world is related. In reality, everyone is an expression of the universe. We are flowerings of nature. This isn't only mysticism. It is science. We are all inseparable aspects of a continuous natural process. We cannot, in reality, be divided from the soil, the air, the water, the sun or each other. Whether we are aware of it or not, we depend upon nature for our physical and emotional survival. Unfortunately, many people “other” the outside world and see it as separate from who they are. When we fail to see that nature is an extension of our bodies and that all people are family, we start to feel small and insecure. We may feel insignificant and isolated, and that life has no meaning. Then, to make ourselves feel more important, we start trying to control and oppress the outside world.

All groups fighting injustice, whether such injustice is ecocide, racism, sexism, poverty or war, would benefit from finding common ground and connecting with each other. This isn't to say we should conflate all forms of injustice, as though they were the same. Obviously, racism greatly differs from environmental destruction. But the attitude that the outside world is yours to defile and exploit, as opposed to respect and co-operate with, is the same despicable attitude that leads to both racism and ecocide. It is an attitude prominent in Western history. 

The Scientific Revolution, which developed in Europe during the 16th century, forms the basis of our modern, globalised world. This revolution was pervaded by the outlook that nature is composed of inert matter and is ours to control. One of the founders of modern science, Francis Bacon, enunciates this attitude perfectly "let the human race recover that right over nature which belongs to it by divine bequest". European women, during this period, were deeply marginalised and deligitimised. This imperialist, oppressive mode of thinking also lead to the Transatlantic Slave Trade, which, like the Scientific Revolution, was initiated by Europeans in the 16th century.

The Transatlantic Slave Trade entailed the forced removal of Africans from their homeland over a period of about 400 years. An estimated 17 million Africans were enslaved, excluding the large percentage who died while being transported. This enslavement was carried out by European imperialists and colonisers. It seems colonisers and imperialists are those who feel the outside world is theirs to conquer and exploit, as opposed to co-operate with and respect. This way of thinking also lies at the heart of the Climate and Ecological Crisis, which is based on a profound exploitation of the natural world. In this sense, colonialism and imperialism never ended. It only transformed. We thus need to decolonise nature.

Only when we start thinking about the world contextually and truthfully will appropriate action ensue. "If you know the way broadly you will see it in everything" (Musashi Miyamoto). Unfortunately, we live in a period where truth and evidence have little value. Those in power are perfectly aware that if the majority of people knew what was going on in the world, there would be revolutionary changes in our societies and power would be distributed much more evenly.

The UN and the WHO have concluded that recent pandemics have stemmed from an unhealthy, disrespectful relationship with nature. Specifically, our recent pandemics have stemmed from the industrial exploitation of animals. Thus, Covid19 has forcefully emphasised that we need a healthier, more respectful relationship with nature. Our decision-makers really need to understand and act upon this knowledge. If they don't, activists will have to peacefully teach them to.

It is vital to understand that we, as a species, are able to change course. Everything in the universe is capable of changing and developing. The human race has the potential to evolve beyond binary modes of thought and it has the potential to truly start respecting nature. Even conservative scientists are telling us we face an impending catastrophe, namely the environmental crisis. Now is the time truly learn from history and evolve. This is just as much an inner revolution as it is an outer one.

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Princess Mononoke is a Studio Ghibli film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Miyazaki, an artistic genius, was heavily involved in all aspects of his films. Mononoke is no exception. Mononoke is a nuanced film. On one level, one may read it as Miyazaki's reflection on his home country, Japan, particularly its history and industrial development. On another level, one may read it as a drama of material and spiritual forces in conflict. On the broadest level, one may read it as Miyazaki's deepest exploration of nature and humanitys relationship with it.

Princess Mononoke, or San, with a wolf god

Like many great works of art, the relevance and power of Mononoke has increased with time. Mononoke is a staggering masterpiece of narrative animation, demonstrating without doubt that animation narratives can be just as serious, artistic and meaningful as live-action ones. 

Many works of art contain vital lessons and can have a positive impact on those who experience them. Mononoke is one of those works. Particularly, I think Mononoke is relevant to our world leaders. Mononoke takes a subtle, accurate and multi-dimensional view on the nature of conflict and provides deep insight into humanitys greatest problems. Unfortunately, many of our current world leaders, particularly the ones with most material influence and power, do not embody the lessons of this film.

The setting of Mononoke is partly historical, set in Japan in the Muromachi period (1338-1573), and partly imaginative and mythical, as its world is populated by gods and spirits. This point already indicates the subtlety of Miyazaki's thought. Although Miyazaki's worlds are richly imaginative and fantastical, they are also serious comments on history, society and culture.

The start of Mononoke introduces us to Ashitaka, a human, and one of the gods, a boar god named Nago. In an aggressive demonic state, Nago charges into an Emishi village. Ashitaka, a prince of this village, attempts to stop the demonic god from harming the villagers. In doing so, Ashitaka becomes infected by the malevolent force that infected the god.

Ashitaka

An elderly woman of this village, Oracle, informs Ashitaka that without help, regarding his infection, he will die, and that help may be found to the west, where Nago came from, so long as Ashitaka "sees with eyes unclouded". Before Ashitaka leaves, Oracle presents a lump of iron that was found within Nago, the cause of his anguish and demonic state. Oracle also informs Ashitaka of the social turmoil and calamity that is occurring in the west. During Ashitakas travels we see evidence of such turmoil plaguing the lands, from desperate villagers to pillaging samurai.

To clarify, in "real life" historical terms, the Emishi village of which Ashitaka is a prince would have been one of the few remaining. By the 9th century AD, most of the land the Emishi had occupied was conquered by the Japanese imperial armies. The Emishi tribes were thus driven northward. Before Ashitaka leaves his village for the west, an elderly villager states "More than 500 years have passed since the Mikado drove us into this land. Now we hear how his power fades and the fangs of his shoguns are broken. But the blood of our tribe likewise grows thin. And, bitter fate, the youth who was to lead us must journey far to the west".

With Ashitaka travelling to the west, we are introduced to the primary conflict of the film. This conflict is between the rise of industry and materialism, symbolised by lady Eboshi and Irontown, and the ancient order of animism and nature, symbolised by the gods and spirits. More broadly, this conflict represents the clash of two fundamental human attitudes and philosophical positions. Materialism and spiritualism.

Eboshi is a human. She is in charge of an iron manufacturing town, fittingly named Irontown. In order to produce iron, Eboshi is involved in the destruction of the surrounding forests, the dwelling place of the gods and spirits. For this reason and others, she is a fierce opponent of such gods. Particularly, Eboshi is an enemy of the wolf gods. Another human, San, or Princess Mononoke, is a member of the wolf god clan.

Ashitaka arrives at Irontown with two of its injured inhabitants, who were left for dead by Eboshi after an attack from the wolf gods. Here we learn that the women who work the bellows of the town were once prostitutes, and that Eboshi gave them the opportunity of another way of life. We also learn that Eboshi houses and cares for lepers. But as well as these factors, we are made aware that Eboshi was responsible for the iron lump lodged within Nago, and thus also responsible for the negative curse transferred to Ashitaka. We are made aware that Eboshi is destroying the forest of the gods to produce iron and that when the boar gods attempted to stop her, those gods were shot at with guns made at Irontown. Eboshi has nothing but disdain for the gods. The gods understandably loathe and want to destroy her. Negative and positive aspects of Eboshi's personality are addressed here in order to illustrate that conflicts are always complex and never absolute or one-sided. This multi-dimensionality, in terms of conflict and human personality, is what makes Mononoke such a powerful film that accurately renders reality.

The gods that we encounter, mainly the boar and wolf gods, are in no way idealised, one-dimensional or supremely intelligent creatures. They possess magical powers, but are arguably just as ruthless and blind as Eboshi. Eboshi, the industrialist and materialist, aggressively wants to expand her domain and power, but also aims to protect her village and it's inhabitants. The gods, particularly the wolf gods and San, aggressively want to destroy Eboshi, in order to stop her destruction of the forest in which they and others live. Both sides are understandable and multi-faceted, but are also blinded by aggression and stubbornness. It takes the indefatigable fairness, sensitivity and will of an outsider, Ashitaka, to help resolve the conflict.

San and Lady Eboshi

The film, I feel, seems to be advising us that blind aggression can only lead to unnecessary suffering and pain. This film is a modern parable or fable showing us that every issue, every conflict and every human being is nuanced, and that when we recognise this we can begin to act with fairness and we can begin to heal the deep wounds of society. A character like Ashitaka is admirable and noble because, while being intelligent, kind and just, he is also determined, steadfast and strong. The character of Nausicaa, who appears in Studio Ghiblis first film Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, also embodies these laudable characteristics.

San and Eboshi are figures with much charisma. They have great agency, determination and will. They are both physically powerful, as well as being intelligent and perceptive. Miyazaki's portrayal of female characters is highly significant and runs through all his films and manga. This topic alone deserves more study and focus.

Three of Miyazakis films - Mononoke, Spirited Away (2001) and My Neighbour Totoro (1988) - are heavily influenced by the indigenous religion of Japan, Shinto. The gods of 

Tree spirits, or Kodama, from Mononoke

Mononoke may be seen as kami, Shinto gods. Though it is not spelled out, in Mononoke such gods are animal embodiments of spirits. Shishigami, for example, is, diurnally, a deer god embodying the spirit of the forest. Refreshingly, there are no absolutes in Shinto. There are no rigid divisions between right and wrong and figures are not absolutely good or evil. In this respect, Shinto recognises the multi-dimensional nature of reality, as does Mononoke. The greatest insight to be derived from Mononoke is that there are no binary divisions in the world. Its characters and conflicts are multi-faceted and complicated. Kodama, tree spirits that occur in Japanese folklore, also appear in Mononoke. Such points show that Mononoke, as well as being embedded in Japanese history, is also embedded in Japanese folklore and religion.

As well as being at war with the gods, Eboshi is at war with lord Asano and his samurai. Eboshi has plans with Jigo, a sly character of stout stature. Eboshi is to obtain the head of the forest spirit for Jigo, who claims that they can then destroy lord Asano together. Jigo works for the emperor, and it is implied that the emperor believes the head of the forest spirit will bestow immortality. We do not actually see lord Asano or the emperor; this does not affect the plot. The conflicts between Irontown and lord Asano, as well as Jigo and the emperor's involvement, further demonstrate the social turmoil that the film depicts. In this respect the film has various levels; historical, political, social, as well as philosophical and mythical.

After a devastating battle between Irontown and the boar and wolf gods, Eboshi's ultimate harmful act is the shooting of Shishigami, the forest spirit. Shishigami, arguably intended by Miyazaki to be an embodiment or personification of nature, is not an explicitly good, righteous or compassionate figure. Shishigami does not take sides or express a particular point of view. It is a giver and taker of life. There is something about the forest spirit that commands the utmost respect. It is elusive, silent and uninvolved in ordinary conflicts. After the forest spirit's head is captured by Jigo, the same spirit, in its nocturnal nightwalker manifestation, roams the land in search for it, destroying all life in its path. Eboshi's negative selfish intentions have created harmful demonic effects, as they had with Nago. When the forest spirit regains its head, curses are lifted and life restored. 

Though Eboshi and the gods are arguably as blind and harmful as each other, Eboshi comes across as worse. It is Eboshi who initiated the main conflict by destroying the dwelling place of the gods (Eboshi started it!) and Eboshi decapitated the forest spirit for purely selfish reasons. The wolf and boar gods are at least aware of the importance of Shishigami. But these reasons alone, maybe, are not enough to claim that Eboshi comes across as worse. After the battle between Irontown and the gods, Ashitaka informs Eboshi that lord Asanos samurai are attacking Irontown, and its women, and that such women have asked for and require Eboshi's help. But Eboshi does not return to Irontown, stating that she has done all she can for her women, and carries on with her task of decapitating the forest spirit. This dismissive and selfish act undermines what had been suggested earlier on in the film, in that it was implied that she cared for the women of her town. Similarly, earlier in the film, Eboshi leaves four of her men for dead after an attack from the wolf gods. Further showing that, when it comes down to it, Eboshi does not care for her people and is certainly not loyal to them. Such points may be seen as a criticism of the film, in that the film attempts, in other scenes, to show Eboshi as being somewhat caring.

Lady Eboshi and Jigo

Mononoke is a sophisticated, dark and brilliantly articulated exploration of important themes and phenomena. Through Ashitaka and Shishigami, we learn that to blindly and solely follow either materialism or spirituality is harmful and ineffective, and that one would do well to cooperate with as opposed to exploit ones environment. Such messages are conveyed indirectly through a narrative that in no way preaches or sermonises. In Mononoke, the world is a multi-faceted and synergetic combination of spirit and matter, with spirits taking on explicit and imaginative manifestations (as in Totoro and Spirited Away), indicating influences from Japans indigenous religion, Shinto. Industrial developments are seen as inevitable and even positive, provided that they work alongside nature. One of the main reasons Mononoke stands out to me is that rarely does one get a multi-dimensional portrayal of conflicts and characters in a story. The firm division between good and evil just seems entrenched in our ways of thinking. Also, the animation work is particularly beautiful.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

When it comes to humanity's relationship with nature, I feel there are two fundamental attitudes. There is the attitude of domination that wishes to control, subjugate and exploit nature for selfish, egotistical ends. Then there is the attitude of cooperation that aims to work with nature in a considerate and mutually respectful way. Sadly, "civilised" groups have from their inception been driven by the attitude of domination, strongly evidenced by patriarchy, organised religion and scientific materialism, and reaching a culmination with the massively destructive effects we have been having on our environment in recent times.

As an interconnected, profit-driven global society, we continue to exploit our environment. We are generating high amounts of fossil fuels, polluting the air and accelerating global warming. We are industrially trawling the oceans for fish, obliterating marine ecosystems. We are involved in industrial animal agriculture, which entails the mass destruction of forests, ocean dead zones, an over-use of pesticides and an over-production of the gases nitrous oxide and methane. The effects and implications of these practices are staggering and concern the very survival of life on Earth.

Nausicaä riding next to an ohmu

Released in 1984, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is the quintessential environmental film. In this film we find a female protagonist showing how everyone might relate to nature in an aligned, sensitive and empathetic way. Like Princess Mononoke (1997), Nausicaä is full of insight and contains vital lessons for humanity.

Nausicaä began as a manga in 1982. This beautiful, meticulously rendered manga was created by Hayao Miyazaki and completed in 1994. Miyazaki also wrote and directed the film adaptation. The manga differs from the film in various ways. In terms of plot, it is more complex. The story is also quite different. For example, the villain in the manga, Miralupa, who poses the greatest threat to Nausicaä, is not in the film.

The Nausicaä film was a significant benchmark in Miyazaki's career, employing many themes that recur throughout his oeuvre. In Nausicaä we find a multi-faceted female hero, a powerful female villain, a critique of human actions, flight as a strong theme, and powerful environmental messages.

Nausicaä was produced by Miyazaki's long time friend, associate and fellow director, Isao Takahata. The great success and popularity of Nausicaä in Japan initiated the rise of Studio Ghibli, encouraging Miyazaki and Takahata to make films in their own unique ways. It was also Miyazaki's first collaboration with music composer Joe Hisaishi, who did the soundtrack for Nausicaä and all Miyazaki's subsequent films.

Nausicaä, though just as rich and imaginative, is less fantastical than Miyazaki's other works. One would best categorise it as science fiction. It takes place on an Earth 1000 years in the future, after the failure and collapse of industrial civilisation and the destruction caused by "the seven days of fire", generated by the powerful warrior gods. Nature has made the world a dangerous and toxic place for humans to live in. Human societies still cling on, but plant life and insects dominate. The sea of corruption, not actually an ocean but a giant ever-spreading toxic forest, poses a constant threat to the human inhabitants of this future world, releasing deadly toxins that can kill humans and their crops.

Nausicaä is a princess of The Valley of the Wind tribe, daughter of the ailing King Jhil. Nausicaä swiftly appears as a charismatic and sensitive character, saving Lord Yupa, a member of The Valley of the Wind tribe and a master swordsman, from an enraged ohmu in one of the first scenes of the film.The ohmu are giant terrestrial insects who hold a highly prominent place in the film. In Nausicaä the great, enigmatic and mystical ohmu may be seen as symbols of the Earth, nature or our environment.

Nausicaä saving Lord Yupa from an enraged ohmu

Kushana leads the Tolmekians and, like Lady Eboshi from Mononoke, is one of Miyazaki's charismatic and powerful female villains. She is partly constituted of prosthetic robotic limbs due to an insect attack and is consequently consumed by a deep hatred for the insects and the sea of corruption. In the manga, Kushana's character is fairly different, where we learn more of her past and sympathise with her more. In the film we find out that, in order to burn and purge the sea of corruption, Kushana is attempting to revive one of the dormant warrior gods, which was unearthed from the kingdom of Pejite. The warrior gods may be seen as agents of pure destruction.

Nausicaä is not detached from experience and nature in the way that many others are. She is highly sensitive and receptive to her environment. From one of the Tolmekian air-crafts in which she is being held, Nausicaä spots something soaring from above. As the soaring object gradually crystallises into view, we see it is a gun-ship. Nausicaä views the gun-ship destroy a huge Tolmekian vessel and screams in desperation. Nausicaä is so strongly attuned to her environment that she can personally and physically feel each death or harmful act that occurs around her. She can't fathom why humans would inflict such unnecessary violence upon each other.

There is a cut to an effective dream sequence. Hisaishi's theme song for Nausicaä is heard in a soft and echoed way and the animation is sketched and simplified. We are seeing things from Nausicaä's perspective as a child. We hear Nausicaä resisting the adults who tower over her, whose many hands are seen prominently, as they are trying to take something from her. She is guarding a baby ohmu from them, crying "no, don't kill it!". This scene emotionally reiterates Nausicaä's relationship with the creatures around her, particularly the ohmu. We learn that she has always had a strong, intuitive and emotional bond with her environment.

Nausicaä finds herself in a large underground forest. We learn that the expansive area in which she has found herself is underneath the sea of corruption and is devoid of toxicity. Nausicaä surmises that the sea of corruption is purifying the polluted water and soil of Earth. We can thus deduce that the toxicity of the forest was caused solely by humans, via the god warriors and the seven days of fire, and that the sea of corruption has been involved in a purifying process ever since. This element of the plot may be seen as a strong social comment on humanity's development of toxic weaponry and pollution of our environment. Significant examples of the use of toxic weaponry that come to mind are the dropping of nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the use of Agent Orange, a powerful herbicide used to destroy crops and forests, in Vietnam. Both employed by the U.S and both still, after more than half a century, having toxic effects. It is also worth noting that the nuclear bombs were dropped on Miyazaki's homeland.

Nausicaä underneath the sea of corruption

Nausicaä goes to the kingdom of Pejite, which she finds has been devastated by charging ohmu. Pejite forces had angered the ohmu in order to quell the Tolmekian forces and aim to direct the rampaging ohmu to the valley of the wind, where the Tolmekians are based. The Pejite want to take back the warrior god in order to do exactly what the Tolmekians aim to do with it, purge their enemies and the sea of corruption. On discovering this, Nausicaä's disillusionment and desperation reappear. She screams for the Pejite to desist their plans. The Pejite are just as blind as the Tolmekians. They are unaware that by retaliating and attempting to purge their apparent enemies, they are perpetuating unnecessary conflicts. One can draw a parallel here with the war-mongering tendencies of recent Western governments. The ongoing, so-called "War on Terror" has undoubtedly fuelled war, death, hatred and extremism. Nausicaä is the only character in the film who has an accurate insight into the existing problems and dilemmas. Her desperation is thus an understandable and plausible reaction.

Nausicaä further discovers that the Pejite are using an intentionally maimed baby ohmu, hanging from a cable on an air-craft, to maintain the fury of the masses of ohmu. She attempts to save the baby, flying toward the Pejite who have captured it while being shot at. In spite of bullet wounds, her determination remains, steadfast, as she releases the ohmu and stops the Pejite with one of their guns. Nausicaä comforts the baby and stops it from crawling into an acidic lake which surrounds them. Nausicaa is burnt by the lake trying to help the baby. Her reactions belie desperation, again, mixed with an unwavering, indefatigable concern for the maimed ohmu.

Meanwhile, the valley inhabitants and the Tolmekians, including Kushana, face a vast sea of stampeding ohmu. The wise woman of the valley informs us that the rage of the ohmu is the rage of the Earth itself. They can't be stopped. Kushana still attempts to use the undeveloped warrior god to destroy the ohmu, but fails. Hope for escaping the raging ohmu appears lost.

Nausicaä appears with the baby ohmu, using the Pejite air-craft. She demands to be dropped, with the baby, in front of the stampeding ohmu, to the dismay of the valley people. There is a cut to Yupa, who is aboard a Pejite air-craft. The sea of ohmu below, while glowing red with fury before, gradually, from a central point, start glowing blue. They are calmed. It is Nausicaä's unconditional devotion to her environment that resolves matters. She has returned the baby and given her life to calm the masses of angered ohmu. But the ohmu lift Nausicaä's limp body with their long tendrils and rejuvenate her. We thus find that by fully and genuinely caring for our environment, our environment will work with us in a dynamic relationship of love, trust and cooperation. This scene is very emotional and expresses an incredibly vital message to humanity.

Image from the Nausicaä manga

During the film's development Nausicaä emerges as a powerful, multi-dimensional and incredibly likeable character. She has a unique and infinitely admirable affinity with the insects, and by extension nature, and she is consistently decisive, determined and steadfast. Nausicaä is an inspirational female hero, who shows us that if we are sensitive and receptive to our environment, if we learn to understand it properly, then we can live in a kind of harmony with it.

There is the argument that Nausicaä does not give enough information regarding the time and place in which it is set, unlike the manga which provides more context. The manga, for example, explains the Daikaisho and gives more detail as to how the sea of corruption was formed. In this respect, the film may have been more effective if done in two instalments. Or it could make an effective TV series. Ultimately, however, I do feel that enough information is provided for the film to work well and make sense.

Nature is the most prominent theme in Nausicaä, where we have a future projection of our world in which plants and insects dominate. Powerful social comments can be found in the film. War, environmental pollution and the use of toxic weaponry is heavily criticised. More broadly, the film criticises the blind, one-sided and egotistical acts of humans. The film explores two ways of relating to nature, as outlined earlier. It shows us, as an interconnected global society, that cooperating with our environment, as opposed to exploiting it, is how we will solve our greatest problems.

The Holy EU

It still irks me today how EU fanatics impacted UK politics so negatively, particularly the performance of Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party. I actually witnessed people crying after the referendum result. How unfortunate. Then the comedian Stewart Lee, who I normally like, writes "arguments about Brexit are tearing my family apart".

Peoples vehement emotions towards the referendum vote were cultivated by mainstream media. I distrust any issue that is constantly shoved in my face by the popular press. Genuinely significant, nefarious events in the world are always hidden from the population. Our society in fact punishes those who reveal significant events. The imprisonment of Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, is the ultimate example of this. Wikileaks revealed to us evidence of war crimes by Western Governments, along with classified information about other governments. These war crimes require deep interrogation and bring into question the fundamental workings of the imperialist societies in which we live. A humane, moral society would promote transparency and honesty in all its operations. We don't live in such a society.

The reason the referendum vote was such a polarising and divisive issue is because UK media and politicians wanted it to be. The issue was in fact nuanced. It wasn't binary and it didn't warrant emotional, childish, heated conflicts. Corbyn was one of the only politicians willing to have a measured, balanced discussion about it, and just look at the way he was treated for doing so. 

At the time, I couldn't understand why the passion and intensity reserved for the EU wasn't also reserved for other things. People were possessed by the referendum vote, in an evangelical and superstitious fashion, and significantly lacked awareness of other issues at the time. An example of one such issue was Saudi Arabia's murderous treatment of Yemen, in what is still the worst humanitarian crisis across the globe, and Britain's complicity in this. The human cost and suffering of such a crisis may be hard for us to comprehend.

We are fed superficial narratives painting the EU as a communal institution, where countries are connected and support each other. One look at Greece's treatment, in recent times, will show you that such communality doesn't exist. But even if some communality did exist, it certainly does not extend to Libya or Syria, where refugees fleeing from conflict-stricken countries are unlawfully denied access to Europe. The automatic belief that the EU is about multiculturalism, tolerance and the eradication of borders is thus erroneous.

It seemed that many liberals reached tipping points with Trump and Brexit, seemingly blind to the fact that these events were symptoms of years of oppression and corruption. My tipping point wasn't Trump or Brexit. My tipping point was thousands of innocent civilians dying in Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan. Or maybe the systematic oppression of working class people, in the US and UK, for over 40 years. Or maybe, depending on how far back we go, the Vietnam war. Or Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Corbyn was always critical of the EU, like his friend and colleague Tony Benn, with good reason. But he was clearly under immense pressure, by senior Labour colleagues, to push for another referendum vote. In this regard, the compromise that the Labour Party made at the 2019 General Election was a major factor in their defeat. Corbyn actually didn't go far left enough. By compromising and being more centrist and liberal, rather than truly progressive and left-wing, the Labour Party suffered a great election defeat. I don't think enough people get this.