Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated onFeb 2 in the US and Canada.According to folklore, if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day fails to see its shadow, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end. If on the other hand, the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeksThats the the background of the movie by Harold Ramis in which the protoganist ,a TV news reporter finds himself struggling day in and day out.Actually he is caught in a time loop and finds that everyday is the same day.He has to do reporting ad infinitum ,ad nauseum with similar situations and same set of people.If he doesnot do reporting he still finds himself condemned to the same day as he wakes up each morning and everything repeats itself predictably.In frustration he does every conceivable self destructive behaviour including an attempt to suicide but finds himself waking up to the same day.In short he is trapped in the time loop.He finds himself isolated and alienated as people around him donot have any memory of his existence as each day is FEB 2, the groundhogday.
The whole movie is about how he discovers that each day is not the same day and that each day can be a new day.Inthe process he finds meaning of life,his love in his life and the satisfaction of alleviating other people`s suffering.Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMtWAcVy6-w
So why am I writing about GroundHog day on a blog suppossedly to be more serious and labeled metaphysics?.What has philosophy got to do with a comedy hollywood movie?
The movie is a clever metaphor to the daily grind of living that each individual is condemned to live.One makes a brave attempt to battle it out or seemingly indulge in escapist fare to give an illusion of happiness.Is there a true freedom in the way we live life conforming to a pattern of earning and becoming on a day to day basis.Are we not trapped in a time loop with each day being hardly different structurally.The so called progress or achievements also fall in the same matrix of predictability and compulsive routine.There is no real freedom as one is either a slave to one`s success or frustration.Real freedom is freedom from the known as krishnamurti always mentions in his talks.Awareness is to to see that self is trapped and is a slave to becoming and in that lies the meaning of living .To go beyond the resentment of problems of daily life is a transformational change difficult to achieve.Like the protaganist its a long and arduos journey of self destruction before one finds that each day can be a different day. Each individual has to strike his chord of freedom to his life.Then its no more a groundhog day.
The whole movie is about how he discovers that each day is not the same day and that each day can be a new day.Inthe process he finds meaning of life,his love in his life and the satisfaction of alleviating other people`s suffering.Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMtWAcVy6-w
So why am I writing about GroundHog day on a blog suppossedly to be more serious and labeled metaphysics?.What has philosophy got to do with a comedy hollywood movie?
The movie is a clever metaphor to the daily grind of living that each individual is condemned to live.One makes a brave attempt to battle it out or seemingly indulge in escapist fare to give an illusion of happiness.Is there a true freedom in the way we live life conforming to a pattern of earning and becoming on a day to day basis.Are we not trapped in a time loop with each day being hardly different structurally.The so called progress or achievements also fall in the same matrix of predictability and compulsive routine.There is no real freedom as one is either a slave to one`s success or frustration.Real freedom is freedom from the known as krishnamurti always mentions in his talks.Awareness is to to see that self is trapped and is a slave to becoming and in that lies the meaning of living .To go beyond the resentment of problems of daily life is a transformational change difficult to achieve.Like the protaganist its a long and arduos journey of self destruction before one finds that each day can be a different day. Each individual has to strike his chord of freedom to his life.Then its no more a groundhog day.
1 comment:
Very thoughtful article....I agree, Each individual has to strike his chord of freedom to his life.
The only thing on this earth plane that has limits is our own mind. Nine times out of ten due to conditioning of our mind, greed, false self projection, competition, comparisons and false upbringing we are trapped and stopping ourselves from reaching to our full potential to live joyful and meaningful life.
We can make life as complicated as we like or Choose to make it as simple as we like. Why not choose the easy path as there is not a single reason why we have to keep making life so frustrating and self destructive.
OSHO has very beautifully explained that, unconditional loving ourselves and our life is the first step of Nirvana. This is what every being should strive for, love is everything so give it, be it, receive it, become it and fully embrace it at all times. Love in any form or expressions is the highest, strongest and most purest form of energy in the universe. This is the key to lead happy life and the fundamental reason that we exist. Why we go through all these painful experiences, this is the answer to life. It is really pretty simple but in the same breath so hard to achieve by foolish humankind.
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