What are some must watch philosophical TV shows or movies?
Have you ever watched the movie ‘Her’ (2013)?Although it only touched upon philosophy in a very small moment of the movie, I believe it is the most dialogue in the whole movie. The movie introduced philosopher Alan Watts. Who is Alan Watts? Well, he was a very famous Buddhist known for his very zen books! These are some of his most famous quotes:The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.Trying to define yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth.I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is.Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes.Never pretend to a love which you do not actually feel, for love is not ours to command.But the attitude of faith is to let go, and become open to truth, whatever it might turn out to be.You and I are all as much continuous with the physical universe as a wave is continuous with the ocean.But I'll tell you what hermits realize. If you go off into a far, far forest and get very quiet, you'll come to understand that you're connected with everything.Technology is destructive only in the hands of people who do not realize that they are one and the same process as the universe.As Samantha, an artificial intelligent OS living inside of the main character’s phone, is becoming more self-aware, she turns to an OS of Alan Watts. And after much consultation with him and myriads of other OS’s, she decides to follow Watts path. As she has become much like a god, she realized that she must become one with the rest of the universe. That she couldn’t be confined within just a device, but need to be everywhere and, at the same time, nowhere.I was a bit reluctant that they didn’t give Alan Watts much of a dialogue, but more or less, was impressed in his addition!
What do you think about the Japanese proverb 'The nail that sticks out shall be hammered down'? Do you think it's cruel? Or do you think it's normal? Or are there any similar proverbs?
We use the American idiom "The squeaky wheel gets the grease." Even though it seems to be in contrast. That is the one who will get the attention. For the nail, depending on the point of view, the basic thing is it suggest things aren't right and will be put right if you don't stand out. Having things run smoothly is preferable to having things not. In Japanese culture there is the go-along-with concept for societal ease, which focuses on modesty and humility. This is seen as don't stand out in American culture but that has really, really changed with celebrity show-offs. Everyone wants to be an individual, yet fashion demonstrates, most people still want to belong to a particular group and will wear similar clothing with just a small deviation so as to not be ridiculed. Out side that particular group, they're ridiculed a lot. But in japan, there also is the concept of Kaizen, never reaching perfection. In the making of pottery, a slash is made to display this. This is a concept buried in American culture. Perfection is driven into kids as the way to be. Be number 1, always be a winner. We also have stories where we teach children to conform with what society says too. The children's train book Tootle is based on this. "Stay on the track no matter what." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TootleThe cruel part is the double messages we give. Goth was a response to perfect expectations of parents and society. So was punk and counterculture. We see tattoos now as mainstream. Hairstyles still change with each decade. This process of individuality is being exported now. Certain people can really pull it off with a lot of wannabe's. Madonna certainly did and Lady Ga Ga has taken it to new heights. There are those who can't wait for her to get hammered down like other celebrities have fallen. Jill Uchiyama has mentioned a number of sad nails driven back to the floorboards. So there is cruelty in it too but all the media exposure is changing things. I can't wait for women to throw off the burka like women here burned their bras.