Life Sucks. Watch a Movie.

There’s no sugarcoating it. Last week sucked for a lot of people.

As an American who’s living abroad and who’s been privileged enough to travel and live abroad during multiple election cycles, I’ve seen first-hand how the results of a US election ripple through the world. A lot of my international friends are shocked by the election results – I for one am not. Unfortunately, I know all too well that the United States is a country divided by hate, and while the world waits for us to turn a corner, the war that Republicans wage on progress, culture, inclusivity, and coexistence continues to rage on. I do believe that one day that war will end, though I’m not sure what the outcome will be, and I’m pretty sure I won’t see it end in my lifetime. This election is just the latest evidence of that.  

And that fucking sucks. 

It’s so disheartening to know that our efforts to make the world a better place can be so easily thwarted by tribalist demagogues who offer nothing constructive to the world. Unfortunately it’s so much easier to hate, and until we as humans evolve to the point of being suited for coexistence, we’re going to have a lot of stress, a lot of pain, and a lot of heartache on our hands. The truth of that reality is soul-crushing, and at times like this, it’s great to have an escape that allows me to tune out the human experiment for a short moment of ignorant bliss. 

At times like this, I’m so thankful that movies exist. 

For me, and for many of you in the ReSee community, movies are more than just entertainment; they’re how we process our emotions, grow our understanding of other cultures, and uncover the inspiration that makes our lives worth living. So when the world gets tough and I find myself a mixed bag of emotions, nothing helps me straighten myself out quite like a movie. 

At the same time, I’m keenly aware of what’s really happening when I retreat to the haven of cinema: I’m escaping. I’m consciously turning a blind eye away from the despair, the suffering, the war…from the worst of humanity. Every time the lights dim and I reach for my popcorn, I’m cashing in on my privilege – the privilege I have to simply switch off my mind for some restorative entertainment, without having to worry about whether bombs will burst through the ceiling or one of my loved ones will be attacked. I feel guilty about that, but I still watch.

My heart breaks for all of the people who don’t have the security, the electricity, nor the time to do something as simple as watch a film. I want to do as much as I can to help them…but I still tune out regularly. I still watch.

Escapism is natural – it’s built into our brains and it helps us heal. Yet at the same time, if we escape from reality too often, we run the risk of turning our backs on our civic responsibilities at the moments when we need to embrace them the most. Moments like now, when millions of people worldwide need our solidarity and support. 

I believe that we can’t really help to make the world safe until we’ve healed ourselves – our brains and our survival instincts don’t allow us to. But at the same time I also believe that we need to challenge ourselves, to be greater than our base instincts, and to recognize just how safe we actually are, how privileged. We need to take the time and the space necessary to feel mentally safe again without getting so intoxicated by the by the feeling of security that we permanently turn our backs on those in need. 

So when I feel like I need an escape, I’m gonna keep watching movies. I’m gonna continue to use cinema to make sense of my complex feelings, and to tune out the noise for a couple of hours. But when the end credits roll, I’m gonna turn my attention back to the harsh realities of Trump’s America and the world we live in, and I’m going to join the fight for everything I believe in. My suggestion to you is the same. 

Whatever your escape may be – movies, sports, books, etc. – embrace it. You have every right to carve out and maintain your own joy. But make sure that you use it as a tool to help you prepare yourself for the arduous task of being a responsible global citizen, and not as a security blanket to hide under every time things get tough. 

On a personal level, weeks like this one make me feel like a hypocrite; why, when the world needs so much help, am I focused on something as “frivolous” as building a community platform for movie lovers? Surely there’s a better way to spend my time and money that would provide more vital support for people in whose lives are in danger as we speak?

In my own defense, I would say that what I’m trying to do with ReSee, to build community and help foster a greater sense of togetherness through cinema, is vital. Perhaps it’s not as urgent as providing food or shelter for those in need, but it is something that can contribute to the well being of others, and to their healing. To the kind of healing necessary to get us to a place where we’re ready to fight for what’s right. 

Is it a cop out? Maybe. Even as I write this, I feel pangs of guilt that make me doubt this blog post was the best use of my time. At very least, I plan to sit with that cognitive dissonance as I continue to grow the ReSee community. After all, working on ReSee doesn’t preclude me from supporting activists and humanitarians in my spare time, which I’ll be challenging myself to do more of in the wake of the election. 

So if you’re like me and you’re questioning how you can balance protecting your peace of mind with doing what’s right, I don’t really have an answer for you. All I can say is that you aren’t alone, and we at ReSee won’t judge you for indulging yourself from time to time. ReSee will continue to create inclusive safe spaces for our community members to connect and inspire one another, to create common ground through storytelling, and to support the arts which inspire us to go out there and make a difference. The rest, which is really the hard part, is up to you. 

Take care of each other. Find your community. And when life sucks, watch a movie.