To Watch or Not to Watch: That is the Answer

Whenever I watch a TV show or Movie recreate some historical human atrocity, I feel the same cognitive and emotional dissonance. Part of me wants to look away to avoid the images of cruelty and violence invading my conscious or subconscious. Some of me wants to resist the reminder of our appetite and aptitude for cruelty, especially when perpetrated by my own gender, race, nationality or institutions of which I have been or am a part.

Another piece of me is concerned that viewing these stories and images could create an unwanted desensitization.

And then there is also a part of me that feels like I should not look away. That I should sit with my gaze fixed on the violence until it sickens me enough to deeply engrain in me a commitment to do my part to see that these horrors are never repeated.

I raise this now because I know I will soon be watching Killers of the Flower Moon and I am certain this dissonance will present itself again.

But to be clear, I am not trying to resolve this, even for myself. I am merely trying to contemplate the whole of the experience knowing that life is full of dissonance and sometimes its greatest lessons come from making peace with it rather than trying to remove it.

So, I am writing this post not to seek advice on how to “fix” this (though I would love to hear about your own experience in this regard) or to try to persuade you. I am just committed to the idea that life will be better when you are mindful of how you are living and for me this is one small part of that process.

Offered for your consideration.