08/11/2024
🎞️Eternal youth. If you ask people to choose one superpower, that will probably be the answer for a big part of the query.
This desire isn’t just a modern obsession; for ages, humanity has longed to retain the freshness, vigor, and beauty that youth brings.
As you age and your body is changing in front of your eyes, you reluctantly think “oh well, time always gets you I guess”.
Right? No. Not anymore.👶🏼
I recently watched The Substance, and here are a few takeaways from the super-hyped movie:
1. “Pretty girls should always smile🎀.”
This line recurs throughout the film and highlights the unsettling truth about how women’s value is often tied to their looks and youth, objectifying their bodies and disconnecting them from their identities (the moment with b**b falling out on stage was a brilliant metaphor btw). This theme resonates equally strongly with real-life agenda, particularly since the pumpkin man is now back in US office and the uncertain future of female reproductive rights looms ahead of us.
2. A shortcut to a miracle🧫.
The natural desire for quick fixes to complex issues, illustrating how people pursue the fastest solutions instead of confronting harsh realities. This quick-fix mentality can lead to dangerous decisions and a superficial understanding of life’s challenges.
3. The ability to reinvent. 📈
Maybe the future is doomed, but I wish Elisabeth knew she’s more than her fading body. I wished she had friends or family to give her a necessary reality check. I wanted her to read Eat, Pray, Love, get a dog, get a therapist, travel, indulge in life’s pleasures, and embrace more interests beyond striving for relevance among predatory men. Any of the above would do! I wish she was strong enough to reinvent herself instead of sacrificing her identity for a “better version.”
Let this serve as a reminder for all of us: we have the power to make different choices and redefine our paths at any stage in life.
It’s so hard to get old without a cause
I don’t want to perish like a fading horse
Youth’s like diamonds in the sun
And diamonds are forever💎
—Alphaville, “Forever Young” 1984
