My thoughts and feelings on Chappie

This weekend we went to see Chappie. This is an interesting film from Neill Blomkamp, who did District 9.


After looking at the 3 films that I know of his: District 9, Elysium, and now Chappie; Blomkamp obviously loves films that explore prejudice of some sort. I'm not sure why, I couldn't find a lot on him aside from his career work, but I'm not really here to talk about his fascination, just the connection, and how I feel Chappie explores nature vs. nurture, and how this effects our children.

I find, it refreshing, a man from Johannesburg is fascinated with and exploring prejudices and environment. Exploring prejudice and environment may not have been his outward intent when taking these projects on, but I would like to think deep down, that is what drew him to these projects. He is from South Africa, a place that is no stranger to unrest and prejudice. In today's world, experiencing prejudice whether you are a bystander or a participant happens daily. I always wonder why do these occur? Is it media? Is it how we were brought up? What causes people to act the way they do, would they act differently if they were brought up in a different environment?

Nature vs. nurture, is a concept asking if environment or heredity most affects human psychological development.

I am here to tell you it is definitely both {obviously} but I think ones environment {nature} can have a huge impact upon psychological development, and Chappie is a fantastic example of this.

***Warning***If you've yet to see Chappie and want to, you may want to refrain from reading this. I will do my best to not give away the ending, but I am taking an in-depth look at the nature vs. nurture concept of the movie as a whole, so I cannot guarantee I won't spoil it for you.

In the beginning Chappie is like a new born, scared, doesn't understand anything around him, and isn't sure who to trust. As time goes on he realizes there are some people around him who love him and some who scare him.

As children we all learn this, but the people who scare us we often don't have to come into contact with if we don't want to; in Chappie's case though he lived with one of these individuals who scared him in the beginning. Chappie, being naive was still trusting of this individual since he was constantly around and believed anything he was told.

His "maker" gave him a good foundation by telling him not to use guns, participate in heists, or crimes of any nature, but when someone gives Chappie an order and masquerades it as a nice activity or that he is doing someone a favor Chappie falls in to a life of crime and poor speaking habits. His general spirit of goodness stayed the same, but his outward personality was "tarnished" due to being in a poor environment.

Now, by "poor" I don't mean lack of money, I mean a not as positively nurturing an environment as his maker would have provided him. He learned mannerisms like wiping his nose after speaking since the people he lived with were drug users, he was taught cuss words, and how to handle weapons. He was judged and the majority of those in his home became annoyed with Chappie easily and yelled at him a lot, making him crave acceptance and love. There was one person in the home {mommy} who loved him no matter what {nurture}, just for who Chappie was or who "he" would become or the person "he" desired to be.

Chappie experienced a lot of prejudice because of his outward appearance. He was not taught to bully people or that you shouldn't accept people for who they are so when he experiences people throwing rocks and boards at him, Chappie doesn't quite understand what was happening or why. His outward appearance labeled him, but who he was on the inside was completely different. But, in today's fashion, the group judged him by his outward appearance and decided appropriate action would be to throw stones and hurt him, simply based on looks. Once Chappie finds his way home, those that supposedly loved him took hold of this insecurity he learned during his time alone in the real world, a position they put him in, and taught him that hurting someone before they hurt you is okay. Which we all know isn't okay.

Chappie experienced other abuses, he was also picked on because of his maker. Since someone didn't like Chappie's maker, he suffered by being abused and tortured. This individual didn't take the time to understand Chappie and that he was completely innocent, this man just knew who the maker of Chappie was so Chappie needed to be destroyed.

As a teacher, I have had the opportunity to work with some interesting individuals, as an expat I have had the opportunity to observe people from all walks of life all over the world. I have always asked myself when people behave the way they do is it just their true inner personality or is it how they were brought up? If certain people were placed in a different, more watchful or more nurturing environment would they be better learners? If they had less responsibilities as young adults would they be better mannered?

I don't have the answers to these questions, I think most everyone's behavior definitely has something to do with their life experience. I do feel though, who you are deep down inside will always resonate throughout anything you do. For me, I have always been a deeply feeling, caring person and no matter where I am in life, that has been the number one personality trait to stand out. For Chappie, it was his ability to accept people for who they were without question and to give himself selflessly for those he loved. Even down to his last moments he was thinking about saving those he cared for before himself. When I taught, there were kids you could definitely get through to because deep down they were naturally caring, but, like Chappie had been taught that survival is key, so many times that inner caring gets covered up by a steel exterior to protect their feelings.

I love the intricacies of this movie and how it got me thinking about past students and what they were up to, how their lives may have panned out, and how their lives could have been different if they had been in a different environment. Or how they may not have, how some people, even given everything can still manage to dig themselves into a hole.

So, what do you think, does environment and how one is brought up play the biggest role in personality and life success or is it personality and perseverance?

Compassion in the right place, at the right time #1000Speak

Compassion is something I have been thinking of a lot lately. This particular venture of #1000Speak has made it more prevalent in my mind, but my daughter goes to a school where many of the teachers tend to lack compassion for their students, this disturbs me. However, hearing how many of these teachers deal with students from my own child and other children and parents got me thinking about the times people have shown compassion to me in my life.

I have a story, it is a very personal story. It is about an event at the beginning of my marriage, of really my life as I will come to know it, where the compassion comes from two different sources. Part comes from my fabulous parents, the other from people who are total complete and utter strangers whom I feel were put at this exact spot, at this exact time just for me. Many of you have never heard this story, even if you are very close to me. I have kept this even somewhat secret mostly because once my mother reads this she will probably call and yell at me, but it is an event that occurred 15 years ago and I had to use instinct to determine if it was an okay situation to put myself in....so, enough with the mystery...read on.

Click here for more info!

My husband and I were married when I was 18, he was 20. Fast forward, we have our daughter and in March of 2000 he gets stationed temporarily in California, not anywhere amazing like LA or San Diego, but Lompoc. Yes folks, Lompoc, California. Most of you probably don't even know where in the hell that is, nor should you. I didn't...and honestly, I didn't care.

Having spent 19 years of my life in the great state of Florida with little major traveling I was anxious to get out. I had always had a bit of wanderlust since Geography in the 7th grade and I knew that one day I would leave Florida and move to another part of the continent if not the world-I know, my poor mother.

So, as soon as this station happened I knew I wanted to go. This was for school for him so technically I wasn't "allowed" so we used our tax return to make the move and supplement our income. I knew I probably should have stayed back in Jacksonville, my home town, but I didn't know where the next station would take us. My entire life I had dreamed of seeing California, going to Disneyland, seeing many of the things I had seen on television and in magazines that had got my imagination going. So, come hell or high water, I.Was.Going.

My mom, she was sad. Not only had I married, moved out, and had a baby really young, but now I was literally moving across the country. But, she is a big person and even said her and my dad were really proud that they had raised children who weren't afraid to strike out on their own and make their dreams come true. So, mom showed me how to woman up and really helped me get ready. She helped me move out of my apartment, stored all of our household goods, and got me organized and ready to travel by train across the great US with a 4 month old.

Tweet #1000Speak


So, lets recap. I'm 19, not even married a year, have a 4 month old, traveling by train to California.

My mother really did it up for me and the kiddo. She bought me a nice carry on bag, she bought me plenty of formula, lots of bottled water, baby food, and tons of my favorite snacks and juice boxes (don't laugh, I was still 19 ;)). This was incredibly kind and is something I have never forgotten.

Once we are on the train (mind you I had to kick my father off haha), we traveled and I actually ran into a girl I went to high school with who had left years before. So funny where life brings you, so we traveled together until Texas. I then met a nice older couple that I had breakfast and dinner with whose story was somewhat similar to mine. She kept telling me what an adventure my life would be...she was right ;)

After arriving in Los Angeles, we were 8 hours behind schedule. This older couple helped me load my luggage and the gentleman ran ahead to let the next train know I was on my way over and not to pull out, I load up on that train and a couple of hours later get off at the Lompoc train stop.

I step out and I see behind me Pacific Ocean and in front of me...CORNFIELDS!!! The first serious WTF moment of my life. So, I start to load up on the bus to go into town and am told it is full and I need to call a cab. Stress level rising.

I go to the pay phone (it is 2000 people) and the cord to the phone is cut.

So, to recap I am in the middle of freaking no where, the last bus of the day to town is full and I can't call anyone. Oh yeah, and I have a 4 month old!

I start looking around quite panicked begging the bus driver to let me on or come back or give me a phone when a nice little old lady walks over and asks me what is wrong. I am half sobbing half yelling because I have no idea what I am going to do. All I could think of is what sort of mess have I managed to get myself in to.

So she takes me by the shoulders and brings me to meet her husband, they calm me down, get my story and tell me a bit about themselves. They were there because apparently, this was the best place in the city to see the sunset. After a bit they offered to take me to the base-my end destination.

The 80's child in me freaked. Millions of missing child posters flashed before my eyes; runaway train played through my head. All I could imagine is my mother screaming and yelling at me, but I was sort of out of options. Unless some other people with a cell phone or a taxi just happened to come out to see the ocean after the sunset I was going to sit at that train depot (with no attendant this was tracks and a platform, and a broken payphone) outside in the middle of cornfields by myself all night. So, I explained how hesitant I was. They understood and had a cell phone they said I could call a taxi or to save some money I could hold on to their cell phone while they drove me to the base. I called a phone number to make sure the phone worked and graciously took their sweet offer to drive me to the base. After talking with them for nearly an hour I felt no fear, no bad vibes.

Off we went and they gave me a tour of the area around the base and when we pulled up turns out this guy was well known on the base they let us on through and he dropped us right in front of the dormitory my husband was living in and let me use the phone to call inside and let him know I was there.

I was such a mess, those people did not have to help me, but they did. I have always remember the love and compassion I felt that day. The only thing they wanted in return was for me to pay it forward someday. I still haven't done my pay it forward deed, but someday it will come and I know I will know that moment, until they I try to be compassionate to everyone I meet and know they are fighting some sort of battle and know a little compassion can go a long way to help them through their tough times.

Tweet #1000Speak

5 easy ways to be polite...

Remember a while back when I wrote about my pet peeve, rude behaviour? Well, I am back, but with a slightly more positive spin on things. I recently joined the #1000Speak campaign and that got me to thinking of a few basic ways to be polite throughout your daily life. These truly are basic tasks that will not require anything extra out of your day nor cost you anything monetarily. Being polite or kind needn't cost anything but a few moments to remember basic manners we were all taught as a child. In today's society we are all so hurried and can't get anywhere fast enough or gazing at our phones that sometimes I think we all just need a gentle reminder that those basics you were taught as a toddler and then as a small child still ring true. So, here we go....

1. The use of "Please" and "Thank You". These are words that are not hard to utter and should be something you learned as soon as you could talk! Thank your customers, thank your cashier, say please when ordering or when asking someone to pass you something. If someone sends you something call them and thank them or send them a card. These are things that do not take a lot of time and they really foster human interaction. 
2. Smile. Again something that isn't hard to do, but so few people actually do it! Smiling can lift not only your mood, but the mood of those around you. I have never met a person that if you are smiling won't smile back! I have tested this theory in three countries now and every time I smile at someone they smile back! Here in Holland I've had people wave too (I'm sure they figured they must know me, but makes me happy just the same haha). So smile it is a small gesture and can completely turn your day around.
   
3. Move over on the sidewalk/don't look at your phone when walking. If you are walking a few people wide and don't go single file forcing someone else to walk in the grass...it is just rude. Plain and simple. The world doesn't revolve around you and moving behind those you are walking with to make room for others to quickly pass you is such a small gesture that shows you are thinking of others. Also, when walking don't look at your phone. I have seen several instances lately of people walking in to others/poles/trash cans all because checking their phone was so important. Guess what...it isn't! If it is...walk to the side somewhere and respond to whatever it is, give it full attention or call the person....and not on a blue tooth.
4. Blue tooth speakers/people who love to talk on the phone on the train/tram/in a coffee shop...stop, just stop. You look weird and aren't quiet. In fact you are usually louder than if the person were sitting right next to you...we don't care about your conversation and you shouldn't want us to hear it.
5. Hold the door. Seriously, if you see someone exiting right behind you or coming in as you are leaving, just hold the door...don't let it slam in someone's face. There is no call for it and it will really brighten their day...oh and smile at them as they go in or out of the door...double politeness whammy right there! BOOM!

So, there ya go, five simple ways to go about spreading kindness in your day. The world will thank you for it and so will your mind. Thinking of others is a natural boost for you and for those around you. People will notice when you take them into consideration and with all that is going on in the world today we could all use to spread a little kindness and cheer.