HOD in Avatar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeh2KILn7O4 (Avatar movie trailer)

This weekend I went to see the movie Avatar and as I was watching it, I thought to myself, this is very similar to Heart of Darkness. In the movie, people from Earth are trying to take over land that has been inhabited by the natives for years. The humans want their land and the metal over which their land rests. And because they see the natives as savages and as the "others", they have no problem destroying their forest, killing their people, and destroying one of their most sacred trees. Not all the humans are bad, though, one man named Jake Sulley and some of his closest companions join the natives in the fight for their land.

I felt that this movie had a lot to do with Heart of Darkness and imperialism in general because of how the humans felt that they had this right to take whatever they wanted due to their belief of civilized superiority. I pictured the man who has no problem taking whatever he wants, the colonel, as Kurtz because of the fact that he had no problem killing the natives. The man who was in charge of the whole operation I pictured as Leopold because for one, he was never on the actual planet, he spent the whole time inside on a spaceship where it was safe, and two, all he wanted was money and didn't care about what he did to the indigenous population to get it. The main man, Jake, I saw as Marlow because he was the main character and because he actually felt something when he saw what was happening to the natives. In the end he joins the fight with the natives.

I believe that this movie was not only awesome, but that it also had an important message about imperialism. Though people may be uncivilized or look different than us doesn't make it okay for other people to just go in and take over. If the indigenous people didn't ask for help and didn't ask for the civilized people to come, then there is really no reason for them to be there. Whether it is greed that drives you or humanitarian responsibilities, if you are not supposed to go in and help then it's better to just leave it alone. If people had lived their life in a "savage" way then that is all they know how to do. So when we see someone living a life as a "savage", we may think it is horrible and weird, but to them it is just how things are done.

Be stupid, dumb, and crazy, but most of all have fun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ppqb0t_B0KY

Carpe Diem, or "seize the day", is a phrase I truly take to heart, as do a lot of people. When you're around friends and family who have lost a beloved friend or family member, it makes you truly realize how short life is. Yes we all have responsibilities in life, but it's my belief that one of these is to make the most you can out of your life. If you never try to do something new, crazy, or daring then you are not living up to your potential. Making life exciting is one of our duties and it's important that we do so. Go sky diving, travel, help the less fortunate, do whatever gets you excited because one day you will not be able to do those things and you'll spend the rest of your life wondering "what if?"

That is why when I am presented with new and crazy things, I usually try and do them. Throughout my life I have been the "daredevil" in my family and I have never once regretted it because I believe that it makes my life that much more exciting. I've done fun things helping the less fortunate, gone rock climbing, was the first one in my family to try snowboarding and surfing, I've tried paint balling, and I've traveled the country playing in lacrosse tournaments. All of these aren't life-threatening activities, but they are activities that are exciting and that I will never regret doing. Yes, these sorts of things carry risks with them, but it doesn't take away from how fun they are.

Making the most out of your life is something that everyone should try and do. I know that I will continue to do things that get me excited throughout my life because I enjoy trying new things. The question is, would you want spend your life saying "that was stupid, fun, crazy, and awesome," or "what if I had done that?"

I am strong, weak, and everything in between

Strength. It can be mental or it can be physical, but what exactly allows a person to be classified as "strong"? Is it how smart they are?, how big their muscles are?, or is it something else?

As Joseph Conrad said, "your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others" (7). Strength is not something that can be acquired due to a set limit. Strength only comes from one's ability to be less weak than other people. Being able to handle stressful situations makes you mentally stronger than someone who can't, and even if there is someone out there who is even more mentally stronger than you, that doesn't make you weak. As long as you are able to become less weak than someone else, that makes you strong. Even physically this is true. Just because someone can bench 100 lbs. and you can only bench 50 lbs., doesn't make you a weak person. You are weaker than the person who benches 100 lbs, but you are still stronger than the person who can only bench 25 lbs.

Strength is only visible through the weakness of others. Being weak or strong just depends on the situation in which you are put in. One moment you can be strong, but the next you can be weak. For example, in some kind of sports tournament, you could be the best/strongest one in the first round, but in the next round because the competition is more fierce, you could be the worst/weakest. No one is ever a weak or strong person for life, it just depends on the situation in which they are being judged.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSbCnWe6e1o -- Youtube army video