The themes of Pete Docter's "Soul" and his 2009 "Up" are in the same line.
Regardless of whether the wrapped coat is a fantasy adventure or a cool dimensional universe, their core can be said to be quite simple. Simplicity does not mean that it is bad, but it means "basic, low-level".
"Up" and "Soul" are actually talking about a basic social law, a low-level logic.
"Christianity Today" had an interview with Docter, and it was about "Up", but this passage can also be used as a footnote to "Soul" [1] :
Basically, the message of the film is that the real adventure of life is the relationship we have with other people, and it's so easy to lose sight of the things we have and the people that are around us until they're gone. More often than not I don't really realize how lucky I was to have known someone until they're either moved or passed away. So if you can kind of wake up a little bit and go, Wow, I've got some really cool stuff around me every day, then that's what the movie's about ( translation: the film tells of the adventure is the real relationship between people we often ignore the people and things around, we have to leave until they are. Perception. I have had this experience myself, so I know how lucky the person I love is to be around. I hope you can tell yourself after watching the movie that there are so many precious people and things around me.)
The exploration of the relationship between people is a red line that runs through "Up", "Inside Out" and the current "Soul".
But "Soul" is different from the previous two.
"Up" is just a question. It is a wonderful journey to point out the relationship between people. "Inside Out" is a little bit different to discuss the meaning of emotions in interpersonal relationships. Then when it came to "Soul", it returned to the topic of "Up", and this time the problem was unfolded.
——What is it that separates the relationship between people, and how to get the repair and reconciliation of the relationship between people and the world ?
When I say it is plain, it means that this is actually one of the most basic issues of human society. Many great works have this characteristic. They use the most cutting-edge concepts, technologies and methods to ask the most basic and lowest-level questions.
The setting of "Spark" in the story is crucial.
Some people regard spark as a kind of talent and specialty, but I think it is a kind of " love ability ."
Think about it, every soul must get spark to fill up the card and become a pass to the earth, indicating that Spark is a necessary condition for being born as a human being .
But how can there be so many talented people in this world? Even if everyone has specialties, how can everyone find and cultivate their own specialties by chance? There are many other people who are unable to give full play to their strengths due to various objective reasons and have to give up their passions?
Can these people live a good life? Can I just spend my years doing nothing? Is their life meaningless?
If spark is something like talent, talent or the pursuit of talent becomes a necessary condition for being born, which is obviously inconsistent with the setting of the entire film.
G is one of the few people who can discover his talent and control it as a career, but because of this, he cannot bear to "wasting time" and "wasting talent." He wants to be the No. 1 jazz pianist, he thinks this is his life mission and meaning in life. Ironically, when he succeeded on the first night, he felt very plain.
Then Dorothea told him the classic "Little Fish" story.
I heard this story about a fish. He swims up to this older fish and says, "I'm trying to find this thing they call the ocean." "The ocean?" says the older fish. "That's what you're in right now." "This?" says the young fish. "This is water. What I want is the ocean."
If spark is a talent, G should feel complete when he realizes the dream brought to him by this talent, but he doesn't, but feels empty instead. Obviously he misunderstood the true meaning of spark.
Another proof that Spark is not talented is the story of the barber Dez.
G always thought Dez was a born to be barber, but in fact Dez's original dream was to be a veterinarian. Became a barber because of financial difficulties. But this did not prevent him from learning the good haircutting skills, customers rushed to line up to get him a haircut, and even G was very sure that Dez's spark was a haircut.
Actually not.
Dez cut his hair well, not because he was "cut" in Hall of Everything to fill the vacancy of spark. It is likely that cute animals such as cats, dogs and cats inspired his spark, so he has always wanted to be a veterinarian. .
But cats, cats and dogs are not that spark, they are triggers, and what they launch is the "ability of love." This ability to love is spark.
Dez has the "ability to love" so that even if he is engaged in work other than veterinarians, he can still love his profession and treat each of his customers kindly. This is the secret of his happiness in life.
Every soul needs spark to get a pass. It does not mean that everyone has to engage in a career related to their own specialties in order to have a complete and meaningful life.
Abnormal talent is not a necessary condition for living, but the "ability to love" is.
Every life comes into the world, first of all comes with the "power of love."
The baby's natural "love" the world, "love" people, "love" the feeling of being alive, "love" all the unknown.
That's why he sucks breast milk desperately, longs for a skin date, watch you talk intently, keeps pebbles as a treasure, allows caterpillars to crawl on his arms, and happily jumps in puddles.
Exploring the unknown in love is a necessary condition for a child to grow up.
What You Seminar does is not to give soul missions, tasks or meanings, but to give them a driving force. It does not matter what this driving force is ignited. The important thing is that soul tastes a bit of sweetness and evokes it. A little curiosity and more desire arose.
This little sweetness, curiosity, and desire are the initial conditions for the acquisition of the "ability to love".
In the setting of the film, a thing is needed to inspire spark. This thing itself is not that important, but a few people are lucky (or unfortunately) to bump into this thing due to some chance and coincidence in the world, and they can indeed show extraordinary abilities. , Which is a certain kind of talent.
But paradoxically, this opportunity is also dangerous.
When people are too persistent and addicted to the pleasure, achievement, or performance brought by their talents , they will lose contact with the world around them, with others, lose the ability and desire to love, and no longer be interested in the people around them and the world. , There is only the "talent" in their hearts that they can't put it down.
Such a person will become a lone soul in the "Sea of Heart Flow".
G is already on the verge of losing. Although he has not been jailed like the hedge fund trader, in the process of chasing his dream, he has gradually cut off the establishment of a true relationship with the people around him.
If it weren’t for 22, he would not know that Dez’s real dream was to be a veterinarian, he could not communicate frankly with his mother, could not feel the wind, fallen leaves, the happiness of father and daughter walking on the street, or even enjoy a meal. comfort.
This will eventually make a person lose the desire to live.
Back to the beginning, the question Pete Docter wants to ask through the film is what has broken the relationship between people, and how to get the repair and reconciliation of the relationship between people and the world ?
I think it is the misunderstanding of spark that caused the separation between people and the world.
People "love" themselves too much. So that I take my desires, talents, talents, and dreams extremely high, thinking that it is the goal that I pursue in my life, the meaning of life, and the whole of life.
However, whether you desire, talent, or the things that make you experience great satisfaction and joy in the first place, they are not the whole of life in themselves.
And the meaning of their appearance in your life is to let you realize what "love" is and live with this "power of love".
This is the true intention of spark and the only way to repair the relationship between people and the world and with others.
Note that this is not to say that you don't try your best to pursue your dreams. Didn't G also successfully get the chance to perform? Just don't let this pursuit become the whole of your life.
No matter what kind of experience you experience, what kind of career you are engaged in, what kind of dream you pursue, you must live with the power of love .
In this way, when you "realize your dream", you will not suddenly become empty, or be bound by your "dream", become obsession, and become a lone soul in the "sea of heart flow."
Living with the "power of love" is the key.
refer to
- ^ Pete Docter, Pixar's Star Director, Talks about His Christian Faith https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/mayweb-only/pete-docter-pixars-director-talks-about-christian-faith.html
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