The Truth About People

 

Okay, so I originally intended to write a very ‘academically sounding’ essay but it’ll just get blown away in the wind with all the others, which, let’s face it – will be much better than mine! Let’s leave that stuff for the folk who really know what they’re doing!

What I’m going to write about is something we all know about; the truth. And how all of us have no idea what the fuck we’re doing… which is something I know a hell of a lot about! I’m not sure how this essay’s going to turn out if I’m honest, my drafted version looks pretty melancholic and I’m listening to some pretty upbeat music so… it’ll probably be a cross between light-hearted and sarcastic.

So… ‘what is the truth?’ I hear you ask yourself. Well perhaps the truth doesn’t really have an answer and we should all look at it rhetorically. However, I’m far too opinionated and egotistical to allow my views to escape this little concept. Plato had some great ideas about truth and justice… why can’t I? Hmm... Perhaps we should leave that as a rhetorical question too and spare my feelings!

What I’m going to try and do here is… expose a few secrets about human nature some of us might not have realised or thought about before… And to make everyone feel... a little less alone and comfortable with… well, being uncomfortable!

Truth No.1 – YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Yes, we are all wonderfully different and unique but someone out there, or perhaps many people, have had identical thoughts to you. Whether that’s “What should I have for dinner tonight... Indian or Chinese?” or maybe something a little more complex like… “What if we’re all really just a little microbe living on an even huger being in an even huger universe… in fact, what if the universe is just a small particle that belongs to something bigger?” etc. etc. I can guarantee they’re all shared thoughts. I assume someone else has thought about or even written an essay pretty identical to this one... if so kudos to them for doing it first!

Truth No.2 – GROWING UP IS JUST A CONCEPT

My beloved gran-ma-ma once said to me that despite her age and physical difficulties, she still felt like she was 17 in her head, which I totally understood. I may only be 17 but I certainly know that growing up is just something children want to do and adults try their best to pretend to have done. It’s just an act – we’re all still silly and wonderfully ignorant children on the inside, no matter how old we are!

Truth no.3 – IMPOSTER SYNDROME

There is a syndrome where you believe everything good and successful you do is just a fluke or someone else’s work that’s been unfairly passed on as yours. I know, because I used to have it! I’d write a poem and if it got praise for it I’d suddenly worry that I might have accidently plagiarised it or it was just a one-off thing. I believe we all have an essence of this syndrome in us. And we’re all terrified we’ll be found out at some point and everyone will realise how young and incompetent we really are. But it’s okay my friend, accept the fact you did good and give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back!

Truth No.4 – SPONTANIOUS SUICIDAL THOUGHTS

We’ve all done it; had strange, dangerous or purely random thoughts for no reason. We’ve all done something like walked past some train tracks as the train came into the station and wondered what it would be like to be pushed in front of that train. Or stood on a cliff/tall building and had the urge to jump. It doesn’t mean you’re suicidal – you’re just curious.

Truth No.5 – NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THE FUCK THEY’RE DOING

Yep that’s right – we’re all scared shitless. Scared of being alone, scared of being responsible, of owning houses, paying bills, being embarrassed, being seen as incompetent, being ‘found out’, making certain commitments, and the list goes on! You can be the richest, most powerful person in the world and I’m willing to bet you still feel like you don’t fully know what's going on!

Truth No.6 – WANT SYMPATHY AND/OR COMPASSION

I’m such a victim of self-pity! It’s awful and I thought I was the only one who absorbed myself in this previously-thought-as-somewhat-selfish indulgence but no, that’s not the case! We’re all needy; have been from birth and will be until we die. It’s certainly not a bad thing, it makes us emotionally clever and allows things like love and empathy to thrive!

Truth No.7 – WALKED UP THE STAIRS ON OUR HANDS AND FEET LIKE DOGS

This one doesn’t need any explanation – we have all done it (even if we don’t admit too it)!

I feel that by learning the truth behind things, we learn to be responsible for each other as well as compassionate, empathetic, considerate and kind! I shall end this with a very wonderful quote by JB Priestly:

“We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will soon come when if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish. Good night.”

Young Helen Mirren – The Sexist 1975 Parkinson’s Interview (Response Essay)

- With thanks to the very talented miss Stella Vine who  gave me some very interesting points to include! -

 

 

 

 

Of all the glamorous and intriguing of introductions, poor Helen got the short straw in this interview. Before the actress even appears on the screen, let alone sits down – she is subjected do a rather callous and sexist display of crude reviews and comments Parkinson felt at liberty to digress for the sake of entertainment and personal smugness.

It doesn’t take much thought to understand the kind of impression Parkinson tried to make when he ended the introduction by mentioning the words ‘sluttish eroticism’ in context with Helen. I think even the most reserved and politest of people would have had trouble trying to dismiss that kind of remark. However, Helen remained in a calm and gentle manner throughout the interview - a rather nice contradiction to the smug and patronising Parkinson.

It seemed to me that he was hiding behind the words of others at first, possibly to give him courage and an excuse to voice his own sexist opinions. As he did so, he seemed to dismiss Helen’s ironic comments regarding his own statements and questions. Perhaps he has a problem with strong women?

Let’s not forget what the main purpose of this interview seemed to be about – sex. Everything was about sex. Sex scenes, sexual body parts or ‘equipment’ as he liked to say, sex sex sex. You would have thought that in 1975 people would have gotten over the fact that sex happens? And instead of focusing on the most primal and controversial of sexual nature, why do we dismiss the liberating independence that can also be gained from using sexual content in film? I’ll tell you why – sexism. There is no such thing as sexual liberation when women are involved. Parkinson played on this to his little hearts content. Helen’s personality, confidence and not being afraid to stay true to herself is what ultimately makes her sexy, not the media’s sexual exploitation of her.

I have to admit, I did get a little angry when he asked Helen; “Do you think you are ‘in quotes’ – a serious actress?” It was after this patronising question that I thought Helen really decided to stand up and take herself off the sexist pedestal and put Parkinson himself on it; questioning his digression and allowing him to make a fool out of himself. Oh what calm control and wit she had!

When Parkinson asked Helen about her ‘physical attributes’ I did rather love how she played around with that ambiguous description of certain body parts. “You mean my fingers” (a line that seems almost Shakespearean) was a rather wonderful response as was ‘serious actors can’t have big bosoms?” – pointing out Parkinson’s cheap way of interviewing and sly leading questions. I’d also like to think the audience were on her side with this one!

It is obvious that Helen knew she was blatantly being attacked but did not fight back with the same aggression, rather with a more gentle and democratic approach. She came across as being deliberately vulnerable but at the same time in full control of the situation. Perhaps she recognised his obvious attraction to her but knows it was purely aesthetic and media-influenced. He was more interested in the pornographic aspects of her career rather than the true nature of herself and profession. Nevertheless her free-spirit and laid-back attitude made her a natural protagonist who definitely had the upper hand in this situation.

I also thought that throughout the interview Helen made some extremely interesting and rather observational points. Even questioning the school system, saying “lack of liberty is what happens to people’s minds in schools’” and how it is “very dangerous to stick labels”. It seems a shame that these comments were left to fade away as the interview went straight back to a more sexual direction again. An absolute waste of an interview I can honestly say with that being the case. And all because he couldn’t have what he wanted... I mean his desire for her was obvious and purely sexual, you could see it in his eyes the whole way through the interview… if he were a dog (and believe me I think there’s a very thin line there) he would have been foaming at the mouth for sure.

Anyway, that concludes my rather brief essay on the interview. I should like to end it with Helen’s own words – “You are what you are and you are what people think you are”.