[Frameworks] FILMS for ONE to EIGHT PROJECTORS tour dates (VERY off-topic reply)

[Els van Riel]

Thank you Fred for your essay!

(winter here too, but our sky is blue today)


Els van Riel
Brussels


On 11 Feb 2018, at 21:31, Fred Camper <f at fredcamper.com> wrote:

I have been staying away from "meta" comments on this list in recent years, but now I cannot resist. What follows is all seriously off-topic, so feel free to ignore.
The only negative comment I can make to Jonathan is that none of the mistakenly sent personal emails over the years have even remotely measured up to the gentle, almost poetic love letter someone posted by mistake -- someone who then vanished from the list.  We never did learn how far along the affair, or hoped-for affair, progressed, but I for one hope it blossomed into bliss.
I will try to see a Beebe show when I can.

But the other comment, to Jonathan and all, is that I have more than one friend who has reported strange depressions and other disconnections in the last year. And I have had to admit to myself that I am part of this too -- how else to explain staying in bed most of some days, alternating between doing nothing and reading the news on my phone, when things i would enjoy much more, and actually believe in, beckon? And I have a diagnosis for us: we are depressed because the world is going to hell. Or as Jonathan put it, our civilization might not make it. The planet might not too.

It is not just that "short-fingered vulgarian" at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue; look at what is going on in Poland, Hungary, Turkey, the Philippines, and many other countries: just as bad, though mostly without the threat of nuclear holocaust.

I have a theory. There was a drought in Syria a decade ago, causing huge migration to the cities, providing people with nothing much to do. Many fought in the coming civil war. There are many causes for droughts; climate change could be on contributor. Is much of the entire migrant crisis due to climate change? Given that Trump's election win was so narrow, it probably was; even though the decline of coal was not caused by climate-sensitive environmentalists, many voters thought it was. The unpredictable and surprising effects of climate change seem likely to me to cause populations to the rational thinking that is essential to democracy and seek out "Great Leaders," however hideous they might be. If these effects are happening now, with a sea level rise of less than a foot since 1900, I shudder to think of the result of the sea level rising only one foot from here, something that seems inevitable. There are many more effects besides flooding, including increasingly harsh weather extremes, such as massive storms, of which we have already seen a few.
I sure hope I am wrong, that we will institute fixes for the climate (which will however require massive carbon-removal projects as well as an end to emissions) before it is too late, and that in a few years we will be seeing democracies progress again. But meanwhile the US is ruled by a would-be despot who thinks that the Democrats' failure to applaud his speech constitutes treason, also showing that they do not love their country very much (which, by the way, is not the same thing as treason). Applauding the leader's speech = loving one's country. I can think of other countries whose governments would claim that, but all are bad dictatorships.
I cannot believe that even the rational do-gooder "good people" are mostly not acting on the massive threat climate change presents. Curing disease in Africa, as the Gates Foundation is doing, will make no difference in the face of this potential apocalypse.

I have a short, somewhat related essay, titled Trump, Bach, and Me, at http://fredcamper.com/W/Bach.html <http://fredcamper.com/W/Bach.html> in both print and audio form.
Fred Camper
Chicago

On 2/11/2018 9:33 AM, Jonathan Walley wrote:
> Ha Ha! I used to heap scorn and mockery upon people who accidentally sent personal emails to listservs by incorrectly replying. But now I have made the same embarrassing gaffe! Oh, woe is me.
> 
> Well, now everyone knows about my very high opinion of Roger Beebe’s work, which you absolutely should see if Roger comes to your town, as well as my personal anguish and agony - and I welcome any commiserating responses, as well as scorn and mockery. I could have pretended it was an intentionally post-modern “review” of Roger’s show, in the tradition of published letters to and from filmmakers and critics (Dear Stan Brakhage…), but I decided to be honest instead. But Roger, since it’s now public, you’re welcome to use my email in any and all publicity for your forthcoming programs. 
> 
> Sorry everyone for unwittingly - wittlessly - opening the grimy window onto my stupid problems.
> All best,
> Jonathan
> 
> 
> Dr. Jonathan Walley
> Associate Professor and Chair
> Department of Cinema
> Denison University
> walleyj at denison.edu <mailto:walleyj at denison.edu>
> 
> 
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