#428 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Friday August 12)
Good morning,
Things have gotten a bit too controversial and serious this week, so here is a more lighthearted Musing.
BEST FINAL LINES OF MOVIES (Part I)
There are some great first and first lines of novels (“It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” and “Call me Ishmael” are two examples). But what of last lines of movies?
“Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” –Humphrey Bogart, as RickBlaine, to Claude Rains, as Louis Renault, at the end of Casablanca. In my opinion, this is perhaps the best movie ending ever. Rick helps Ilsa escape. Strasser is shot. Renault says, “round up the usual suspects” and then suggests to Rick that the two of them get away and join the Allied cause.
“Auntie Em, There’s no place like home.” –Judy Garland, after her “return” from the dream place of Oz. It is enhanced by going from the vibrant colors of Oz to the warm, sepia tones of Kansas and home.
“Hey, everybody! We’re all gonna get laid!” -Rodney Dangerfield as Al Czervik, crass Jewish real estate developer who is an interloper in a WASP’y country club, after he just beat the archetypical Ted Knight in the club championship
“Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads!” –Christopher Lloyd, as Doc Brown, to Marty McFly when he returns from the future, at the end of the first Back to the Future. Still the most-watched film in the Sonnenberg family.
“Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.” –Some guy to Jack Nicholson, as Jake Gittis, at the end of Chinatown.
“I’ll be right here.” –ET pointing to the young (sickeningly sweet) protagonist’s chest, when saying goodbye.
ON LANGUAGE
In the continuing effort to dumb down language by inventing words that are intended to be inclusive, but only prove to be unwieldy, I got an email from the Union for Reform Judaism (the “URJ”) regarding ethics and accountability. The substance is important stuff but the language was forced. Here is the weird sentence:
“As part of the URJ’s ongoing ethics work…[we are hiring] a new Ombuds.”
What in the world is an “Ombuds”? It sounds like a pluralization of “Ombud,” but it is not. It is, apparently, the neologism invented to avoid saying “Ombudsman.” Presumably avoiding the use of the word “man” is more important than the oddity of this awkward and difficult new word that is unlikely to find many adherents.
I readily embrace “firefighter” and “police officer” for the prior “fireman” and “policeman,” notwithstanding the additional syllables. But in this case, it seems absurd and unnecessary to create this word. Imagine conversations utilizing this word. “Hi. I’m the Ombuds. How are you?”
I’m sure there are some nouns that end in “s” (other than those with foreign derivation or a silent “s”), but not that many. Even more absurd, imagine the possessive, as in “the Ombuds’s sensibilities were offended when she was referred to by her former title of ‘Ombudsman.’”
DOGS
The other day we were sitting outdoors at a café near a couple at a table with a cute dog and a darling toddler. People walked by, one after the other, stopping to comment on the dog. Not one commented on the little bundle of joy. It got me thinking.
People love their dogs—often more than they love people (and certainly more than people with whom they don’t have a personal relationship). I’m not suggesting that all dog lovers don’t love their families, but that affection is not often extended toward humans beyond the circle of family and friends. In a permutation of the “trolley problem,” I have asked some dog lovers if, when faced with their dog drowning in a pool and a person whom they don’t know drowning in the pool, which they would save. More than a few have said, “well I love my dog and I don’t know that person.”
Look, I’m not heartless. I love our dog. But I love our dog in the same way that I love Star Trek, baseball, and pancakes. So, if you ever find yourself in mortal danger along with Archie, our beloved labradoodle, I’m your guy. Archie, you’ve been a good dog but, well, you’re not of our species…
Again, I am not advocating for cruelty to animals. I’m just suggesting that we need to get our priorities straight. I don’t believe dogs have souls (sorry, Brett!). And while I suppose it’s possible that a dog cares about people beyond the mere provision of food and affection, I don’t think it formulates more meaningful thoughts and empathy. I think Archie loves me—perhaps as much as he loves kibble, tennis balls, and long walks (perhaps even more..I can dream…).
I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to conclude that our society’s obsession with pets is substituting a simple form of love or empathy from the more complex relationship one necessarily required to deal with humans. Could it be that the “easy way out” to confronting the complexity of humans is to substitute in an animal—wholly dependent upon us and without many demands?
CURB YOUR DOG!
Why is it that people think they don’t have to keep their dog on a leash? When there is a sign that indicates leashes are required, why do certain people feel they are exempt? And especially around the neighborhood, with many other dogs being walked, I rarely have found a dog “off-leash” that behaves as if it is on a leash. No, they want to sniff up other dogs’ butts as much as the next guy…
Have a great weekend,
Glenn
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