"Gladiator" and Hispanicity.

[El_Jibaro]

That Hispanics are Romans at heart there is no doubt, both historically as well as culturally. By the way, I travelled to Naples some months ago and I was suprised how much the town I was at (Casserta) reminded me of Caguas. The people, the culture, the way they build, which is very cluttered..., and drive their cars, and all the traffic congestion, reminded me allot about Puerto Rico.

Before the Barbarians that live, thrive and rule now in the USA got out of their dark German forests and left their sodomite and head-hunting ways, we Romans were the most dynamic and trend-setting culture in the world back then. This is amazing, since we Hispanic tend to be poor and "backward", at least in the eyes of those who were once "head-hunters" in the dark European forests. But if you think about it, you will notice that where only one "gringo" can live a hundred of us Hispanics can live: just compare the populations of Mexico City and New York City alone...

No, our culture is still dynamic and vibrant, and later on, in future years, we will see that after the Barbarians are extinct, like many times in history before, we will inherit the Earth, even the good old USA.

Anyway, I am writing because it was the movie "Gladiator" that gave me a sweet catharsis from coming out of a three year struggle in the Navy. For three years I was thrusted into this project that nobody was qualified to lead, but which everyone wanted to kill technically but become the project manager. One of those engineering projects where the engineers have to actually do some engineering in one of those safety related issues which have lots of work involved but no fanfare and glory for which some "gringuito" engineer to stick out his neck. Man during those three years I saw more back-stabbing and more intrigue than I thought were possible (at least until I saw "Gladiator"). It is amazing what educated people are willing to do for a couple of more dollars and to get the pat in the head of their superiors; and I wasn't one of them. All during that difficult time two things inspired me not to quit: faith in Divine Justice (those who have disdain for God here don't know what real Ethics is all about) and the Love and Desire to Provide my wife and son with Honor, Food and Shelter. So when I saw "Gladiator" the links were red-hot.

Fortunately, I got out of the Navy project a few months before and turned the fruit of my labor over to the Clown Patrol that had tortured me for years. But during the months before the movie I felt so let down for giving my labors over to those Machiavelic clowns and so bewildered by their apparent victory. I also felt very "shell-shocked", anyone who endures years of unwanted misery by fellow human beings can easily understand what I am writing about. So when I saw "Gladiator" in the big screen it was not a boring movie, nor a long movie: I relived all my anguish in a new light. And even though the movie had a "Pagan" worldview, these values could only be understood through the light of the Hope of Ressurrection only available in the Christian Message. I felt relieved after I watched the movie. I felt renewed hope. Not merely because of a moderately good remake of an old Hollywood movie from the sixties, but because some writer-director-and-actor out there had tapped into the pathos of a Roman Patriot who was forced to fight against the odds against a system corrupted by evil persons in high places for whom he was a tiny morsel to exploit on behalf of their selfish plans. Unseen in the movie was JUSTICE portrayed in a somber, apparently beaten and disdained, but nevertheless finally Triumphant. Yep, the values written into that semi-mediocre drama are timeless.

About the Clowns from my past, lets say that Justice prevails even though unseen. Oh, would that they may receive the mercy of changing from their devious ways. There is no better reward for Ethical conduct than to have Peace in your Heart: there is no antidote for a dirty conscience.

[El_Jibaro]

"Remember men, everything we do here will leave echoes in eternity." - General Maximus rallying his legions before battling German tribes in 185 AD

[El_Jibaro]

Originally posted by El_Jibaro
"Remember men, everything we do here will leave echoes in eternity." - General Maximus rallying his legions before battling German tribes in 185 AD

Even though my favorite movie was very Politically Incorrect (who ever heard that righteousness, honor, patriotism, loyalty and honesty were virtues...?), and particularly in the now defunct, Clinton Era , and even though Hollywood hates such contemptible displays of ignorant sentimentalism, my movie won big.

Academy Awards:

Best Picture
Best Actor
Best Costume Design
Best Sound
Best Visual Effects

Also Nominated for:

Best Director
Best Supporting Actor
Best Original Screenplay
Best Art Direction
Best Cinematography
Best Film Editing
Best Original Score

[jsm]

El Jib:

Your experience seems to refect corporate life generally.
Some people thrive in it and some do not. My wife has thrived in it. I found it stifling. Which is why I started my own business years ago.

The DVD included 2 interesting items.

First, was an hour program done for national public television relating to gladiators in the Roman empire. Gladiators reflected the violent values of Romans. Romans often destroyed a whole culture, killed women and children, and forced surviors into slavery. Their prosperity was based upon slave labor. As a culture they were obsessed with killing and death. Living under Roman rule meant daily fear of sudden death, deprivation of property, or being put into slavery.

Second, there was a scene the director omitted. In the scene a lion in the arena grabs a small christian child. It was omitted because the lion was not violent enough.
I saw the scene symbolically, a timid and sad lion, about to devour a child seemingly because it was being forced.

I love Itay and visiting Roman ruins. I have enjoyed reading translations of Roman writers. Including the voluminous writings of Marcus Aurelius. Yet Roman culture glorified the most negative aspect of human behavior, violence. The reason they conquered was because they were the best at violence, not because they had the best culture.

Jorge, SF

[El_Jibaro]

Your point at CULTURAL DOMINANCE is well taken, you can see it every large country of the world. CULTURAL DOMINANCE is not an issue of finesse and refinement but of POLITICS, and the countries with the best Political Machinery are the ones that take over the world.

However, our brand of Roman Culture, was one that surrendered to Jesus and His Message, and I can see that Hispanics may be many things, but we tend to be predominantly People with a Heart: I wish I could have seen that in the former clown patrol.

[PhiDaWg61]

"Let me go home..."
General Maximus replied to the emperor...

[El_Jibaro]

But in the End of the movie all that went around came around...