Metaphysics in Movies: Mindwalk (1990)
I love watching movies that do more than just entertain. For a
long time now I've been meaning to start a series of posts on movie
recommendations with themes of metaphysics. However, in order to ponder
issues that are beyond everyday existence, a fundamental requirement is
leisure. Unless you can remove yourself from everyday struggles and have
the opportunity to focus on the bigger picture, there can be no inner
growth.
These days, with a million distractions and the breakneck speed of life
in which we engage, few can afford the luxury called free time. Until
today. With a billion people under lock down in 35 countries today, now
seems like the best time ever to reflect and contemplate about life and
the meaning of existence. This is exactly what metaphysics is all about:
contemplation of "the ideas" behind "the things."
In these posts, I'll write about movies that force us to think beyond
the physical world as either part of their main plot or in certain
sections. I will even include those films which are perhaps not written
with the intent to illustrate a metaphysical aspect, but do so quite
well nevertheless. First in the series is Mindwalk.
Mindwalk (1990)
Key theme: The interconnected nature of world problems
Section: Entire movie
Why is it Notable:
# 1) It includes a good primer on the difference between the two physics
and what it means for us. The two physics, of course, are: Newtonian
physics or "physics of the big things that fall" and the weird
sub-atomic world of quantum physics (even though the film doesn't get
into the truly weird parts like the observer effect and quantum
entanglement);
# 2) it traces the root of modern problems to the idea of mechanistic
thinking, which is fundamentally the idea of separation between man and
nature, and shows through history, why this male principle is so
deep-rooted in our society;
#3) it emphasises the need to move to the feminine principle / right brain trait of nurturing, caring, and holistic thinking.
About the Film:
Few films are written by physicists, Mindwalk is one of them. This
little known independent production is set in a medieval island in
Europe in which nothing much happens except conversations between three
people. One of the characters is Jack, an American presidential
candidate who couldn't make it beyond the primaries. Another is a little
known poet named Thomas, also an American who moved to live in Europe.
Both of them are having a bit of a midlife crisis and are seen
conversing while strolling around the city's picturesque spots until the
third character, the main protagonist of the film, a woman named Sonia
who is a physicist, enters the conversation.
One of the writers is Fritjof Capra, a physicist with a career spanning
several institutions in Europe and America including a stint at a
particle accelerator. Capra is most known for his 1975 book "Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels Between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism"
which continues to sell well in spirituality category to this day. In
it he argues: “Physicists do not need mysticism and mystics do not need
physics, but humanity needs both.” The film is loosely based on his 1982
book, The Turning Point. I recommend this movie not for its
recommendation in the conclusion (systems theory) but its diagnosis of
society's problems (separation and left brain thinking / male
principle).