Dec 18 2008
See it. Feel it. Believe it. Own it.
The post title is a quote from an old Saturday Night Live sketch. (I believe spoken by a very passionate and earnest hairdresser, quickly, with a pout a la Blue Steel from Zoolander. My sister and I have been imitating these things for so many years, I don’t even know where they came from anymore.)
Anyhoo. What I want is for people to “See it. Feel it. Believe it. Own it” on this–the hollowness of a culture that thinks “choice” is a value in and of itself.
So a little exercise for you. It’s “Holiday Season”–the winter solstice is coming soon–and there are a lot of holiday songs/movies being played everywhere. These oftentimes mention ”values”–Joy, Peace, Hope, Faith. Even life.
Everytime a carol/movie mentions “life” as something to be celebrated, I find myself noting that very few songs, poems, sonnets celebrate “choice”.
So a little exercise: try substituting the word “choice” for every mention of the word “life” or “joy” or “love” or “faith”–and you begin to see how “choice” is not actually all that meaningful or celebrated.
“It’s a Wonderful Choice” with Jimmy Stewart. “Choice Actually” with Hugh Grant. “Choice to the world, the lord is come,”–sing it with me.
Yes, this is a little strange, but let’s face it. I run a pro-life group/blog. By every cultural standard–not normal. What were you expecting?
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Absolutely nutty!
But it does get your point across. Even think of great pop songs like Life’s what you make it! – me I prefer the Talk Talk version to the Hannah Montana version, I’m sure my daughters would disagree.
It just isn’t the same with Choice’s what you make it. Sounds like a lame advertising slogan, not an anthem of my long ago youth.
Hahahah awesome! Yeah a little strange, but totally profound. Imagine if Mary wasn’t pro-life. Instead of the “The Grinch that Stole Christmas,” there would be a film, “The Choice that Stole Christmas.”