THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL

I recently watched a movie with many lessons in collective thinking. The Comcast guide gave it a four star rating. I guess it may have been that good 58 years ago. In 1951 it was a drama in 2009 it’s a comedy. If you can see past the tears of laughter from the bad acting and adolescent special effects there’s a lot of interesting dialog.
The name of this movie is The Day The Earth Stood Still. This movie has recently been turned into a remake. I am writing about the original one from 1951. This is an interesting study in behavior, a complex look at the perceptions humans hold of the unknown.
An alien space craft lands in Washington D.C. (a paper plate on a string). The ship opens and a guy walks out. He is fluent in the intergalactic language, English. THEY have come to earth to solve all of the words conflicts between nations. So of course we place HIM or IT under arrest and tell space dude that world peace isn’t possible. This guy is an alien disguised as a handsome 30 something. No walls can hold him (it). He escapes custody and blends into local society as a friendly new comer with ease. The word spreads fast that HE is among us so the government locks down the city.
Now the real fun begins. Everyone from Billy Bob and his posse to the U.S. Army are running all over the city with loaded guns trying to hunt down the elusive alien. This creates a worldwide panic. HE came in peace but the press never covered that side of the story. No one who actually knew why THEY were here could imagine there could be world peace.
Many earthlings survive and thrive on conflict. When the alien was at large fear ran rampant. Fear of the unknown. Sadly, so many people have lost the ability (or never possessed the ability) to live harmoniously. I have known many people throughout my life that are miserable when all is well. They thrive on living in an environment full of discomfort and conflict. For many of these people that’s all they have ever known. In some families unhappiness and turmoil is generational. In others a single traumatic event can turn a happy life into a dark hole of despair.
On the other hand, there are a lot of people that have come from tough circumstances and it was the desire to change their own destiny that motivated them to remake themselves and create a beautiful life. I search for people of this nature. I have learned so much from these individuals. Be mindful of the people and environments that you focus on. They shape your destiny on a conscious and subconscious level.