PulpLit.net

Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker

[Posted at 2:10 PM] I've recently finished reading a book entitled After the Clockwork Universe: The Emerging Science and Culture of Integral Society. While I won't go into a lengthy description of the book--it would inevitably be too glib--it has changed my thinking significantly, showing how the mechanistic worldview that has characterized the last four hundred years of Western history is (hopefully) coming to an end, as a more ecological, "integral" understanding of the world begins to take its place.

Of course, the mechanistic or "clockwork" thinking is still the dominant theory, and while it may be in its decline, it's not going down without one hell of a fight. I can think of few more salient examples than the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Apparently Israel, the US and the Palestinians are content to keep banging their heads against that brick wall, rather than try and come up with realistic, innovative solutions.

This conflict can be resolved. Both the Israelis and the Palestinians went for years without serious incidents prior to the 2000 uprising. But the eye-for-an-eye philosophy of the Israelis and the Palestinians and the US's bull-headed insistence on unworkable demands from the Palestinians will keep those buses exploding and missiles flying for years to come.

What this situation needs is--dare I say it--a few good, free-thinking liberals.

[Posted at 11:30 AM] In my review of Pirates of the Caribbean, I extolled the virtues of any film in which Johnny Depp works with Tim Burton.

It seems the dynamic duo may pair up once more for new film adaptation of Roald Dahl's popular children's novel Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Allegedly Dahl (or his estate) didn't like the original film (I must ask: why? All I can think is that the Wonka of the film is a bit more misanthropic than that of the novel) and his family has bestowed the film rights upon the production company run by Brad Pitt and wife Jennifer Aniston.

I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I have always found Burton and Depp to be a perfect combination. On the other hand, I do adore the original Wonka. Burton's "remake" of Planet of the Apes was awful (watching it, I was certain that Burton hated every minute of it, and was just cashing a check). But I suspect Burton is probably more enthusiastic about this project (from what I've gleaned of Burton's personality).

I think Depp will make a great Wonka.

--JC