Part of ongoing series: Hollywood and Higher Education: Teaching Worldview thru the Stories We Live By
By changing the foundational story of Rick’s life from that of a self-centered love-betrayed to the story of a other-centered love renewed, Ilsa transforms Rick’s values and rule of life as well.
by Gary David Stratton • Senior Editor
Since its initial release seventy-five years ago, Casablanca has grown to become one of the most beloved films in the history of American cinema. Winner of three 1942 Academy Awards in (best picture, best writing, and best director) Casablanca is now recognized by the Writers Guild of America as the greatest screenplay of all time, and by the American Film Institute as the second greatest American movie ever.[1] Even in the high-tech world of Blu-ray players and streaming video, this black-and-white masterpiece remains an enduring favorite with both contemporary audiences and critics alike.
Casablanca also provides a compelling example of the four levels of worldview, and how change at the story level can lead to dramatic change in every level of worldview. Character development (both cinematic and moral) “flows” from the hidden recesses of our life story, where our unexamined presuppositions about reality form a worldview that guides our life in ways we rarely think about in our day-to-day existence. In life and great films, we experience our worldview on four overlapping, but distinguishable levels. [2]
Four Levels of Worldview
Level 1) Actions and Behaviors: The countless personal decisions and moral judgments we make on a daily basis make up the visible tip of the iceberg of our largely hidden worldview. We glide through thousands of “preconditioned” responses each hour—what to wear, where to live, who to befriend, when to lie, how to speak—simply doing what we do, without ever examining why we do them. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred these decisions predictably emerge from the lower levels of our worldview, usually without any conscious awareness of why we make them.
Level 2) Rule of Life: The next level of our worldview is found in the rules and roles defined for us in the traditions and ‘scripts’ society develops to maintain equilibrium, or the personal strategies developed by us to cope with the difficulties of life. At this level our worldview provides a ‘rule of life” that defines our relationships, and the boundaries and maxims we use to guide our own personal behavior. The clothes we buy, the worship we express, and even the words we use, are dictated by cultural expectations and personal habits far beyond our normal self-awareness.
The countless decisions we make each day are but the visible tip of the iceberg of our largely hidden worldview.
3) Value and Belief System: The rules and roles we follow on a daily basis are normally based upon a presuppositional value and beliefs system that undergird these conventions, (once again, usually sub-consciously.) These principles, doctrines, aphorisms, and symbols are the often unspoken “commanding truths, which define the ‘shoulds’ and ‘should nots’ of our experience, and accordingly, the good and evil…” [3] They provide the language and categories by which we unconsciously interpret reality and make sense out of our experiences of our life.
Level 4) Stories and ‘Scriptures’: The deepest level of our worldview is normally found in the stories of our life-shaping personal experiences and our community’s authoritative ‘scriptures’ that form the basis of our principles and strategies for living. The three upper levels are “embedded within narratives that often have overlapping themes and various myths that often reinforce common ideals.” [4] The personal and corporate stories we live by are self-evidently true to us (even if they are, in fact, hopelessly false). To question them is to question reality itself. [5]
Constructing a False Worldview
At first glance Rick seems the model narcissist, longing only to catch the last plane out of Casablanca while sticking his neck out for nobody.
Casablanca provides a beautiful example of all four levels of this process. Originally entitled, “Everyone Meets at Rick’s,” this masterpiece traces the worldview transformation of American expatriate and nightclub owner, Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart). Set against the backdrop of Nazi-controlled but unoccupied north African territories of Vichy France during WWII, the movie opens with a bitter and cynical Rick Blaine making his daily decisions (level 1) out of a fairly consistent rule of life (level 2). He never drinks with customers, never commits to a woman, never takes sides in a political debate, and never intervenes to help others. His narcissistic value and belief system (level 3) leaves little room for anyone but himself, his alcoholism, his business, and his business partner, Sam. His value system (level 3) is clearly expressed in his famous rule of life (level 2), “I stick my neck out for nobody.”
Captain Louis Renault is the first to recognize a deeper story rumbling beneath Rick’s cynical shell
However, as the movie progresses we learn that Rick’s worldview wasn’t always so jaded. In fact, both French prefect Captain Louis Renault (Claude Rains) and Nazi Gestapo Major, Heinrich Strasser (Conrad Veidt) express concern that Rick’s current story might not be his true self. They note that there was once a time when Rick’s value and belief system led him to a rule of life marked by a heroic willingness to sacrificially fight against tyranny even in a losing cause. They don’t want Rick returning to this old rule of life by aiding Czech freedom fighter Victor Lazlo (Paul Henreid) in his attempt to escape Casablanca (and the Nazi) by means of a pair of stolen letters of transit granting the bearers free passage on a flight to neutral Portugal.
Movie Clip 1: Captain Louis Renault Accuses Rick of a Deeper Story
The beautiful and enchanting Ilsa Lund stole Rick’s heart in a whirlwind Paris romance Paris only to break it as the German tanks rolled into Paris.
What Louis doesn’t know, is that Rick’s current rule of life and value system are driven by a heart-wrenching story (level 4). Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), a beautiful and enchanting Norwegian once stole Rick’s heart in a whirlwind Paris romance at the outset of WWII.
Movie Clip 2: Paris
However, after swearing her undying love, Ilsa abandons Rick just as the German army descends upon Paris. By the time Rick gets to Casablanca Ilsa’s betrayal provides the seething caldron of molten anguish driving Rick’s cynical value system and narcissistic rule of life. Like the city where he dwells in exile, his life is a desert with but one goal: escape.
A Different Story?
A guy standing on a station platform in the rain with a comical look on his face, because his insides had been kicked out.
This is the story Rick is living when Ilsa turns up in Casablanca as the traveling companion for none other than Victor Lazlo. Confronted anew with heartache of Paris, Rick’s narcissistic behavior only intensifies. Despite his admiration for Lazlo, Rick refuses to help the desperate couple. He stubbornly retains his “I stick my neck for nobody” rule of life even as Ilsa desperately tries to convey a different story than the one driving his current behavior.
Movie Clip 3: Ilsa Tries to Explain Her Story
Just when Rick’s journey toward the dark side seems complete, something happens that radically changes the interpretation of his entire life story. With the Nazi’s closing in and their every effort to escape Casablanca thwarted, the stolen letters of transit in Rick’s possession are now Isla and Lazlo’s only hope. A desperate Ilsa turns up at Rick’s apartment intent to do anything to obtain them.
Movie Clip 4: Midnight at Rick’s apartment
Ilsa’s startling admission begins to change Rick’s worldview at every level.
Ilsa’s startling admission that she still loves Rick begins to change Rick’s worldview at every level. He now knows that Ilsa left him behind in Paris only because she learned that Lazlo, her husband, was still alive. She was not living a story of a self-centered love betrayed, but rather one of heroic sacrifice. While no one yet realizes it, this new story of a sacrificial love-renewed (level 4) begins to invisibly reenergize Rick’s heroic value system (level 3), displacing his values of narcissism and his “I stick my neck out for nobody” rule of life (level 2).
In the iconic airport scene, Rick’s new worldview based upon his new story suddenly erupts into full view with a startling decision (level 1).
Clip 5: Rick and Ilsa at the Airport
Change the Story, Change the World
At the airport, Rick’s new story empowers him to not only give up his ticket to freedom, but Ilsa as well.
It turns out that Captain Louis Renault was right about Rick all along. The real Rick Blaine is, in fact, a hero. The pain of losing Ilsa had created a false life narrative, but once he knew the real story, his value system and rule of life came back on line. Rick decides to give away his tickets to freedom to Ilsa and her husband (level 1), because he has (re)embraced his rule of life of to fight against tyranny even in a losing cause (level 2), rooted in his rediscovered value of self-sacrificing heroism (level 3), birthed by his true life story (Level 4). By changing the foundational story of Rick’s life from that of a self-centered love-betrayed to a story of an other-centered love renewed, Isla transforms Rick’s values and rule of life as well. He now sticks his neck for everybody, even the husband of the woman he loves.
In the end, the power of Rick’s true story is becomes so compelling it returns Louis to his own true story, values, and rule of life.
Movie clip 6: A beautiful friendship
Everyone Meets at Rick’s
“This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” In the end, even Louis is caught up in Rick’s heroic transformation.
One reason why Casablanca resonates so deeply with audiences is our strong identification with Rick. We have all been hurt deeply. We all develop belief systems and strategies to protect ourselves from further pain. We all know what it is like to have those rules of life sabotage our heroic journey. We all know what it is like to be trapped in a life story that hurts everyone around us and yet we are powerless to change. We all want to believe that we are the master of our own fate, freely making our own choices at any given moment, when in reality our unexplored stories, unexamined values, and unexamined rules of life dictate much of our daily decision-making. Sooner or later, everyone meets at Rick’s.
For those who are willing to listen, the deepest longings of our heroic life story may be churning just beneath the surface and well worth the journey of further exploration. Over the course of this ongoing series I hope to help you do exactly that. I’m hoping this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Next posts in series:
Fiddler on the Roof: Worldview Change and the Journey to Life-Interpreting Story
The Volcano in Your Backyard: Micro-Worldviews and the Honeymoon from Hell
See also:
Hollywood and Higher Education: Teaching Worldview Through Academy Award-winning Films
Crash goes the Worldview: Why Worldview Transformation Requires Changing Scripts
It’s a Wonderful Worldview: Frank Capra’s Theistic Masterpiece
Bungee-Jumping to Eternity: The Existential Angst of Dead Poets Society
Deep Culture: Is Winning an Oscar a Reliable Indicator of a Truly Great Film?
If you Live it, They Will Come: The Blind Side and Better Faith-Based Filmmaking
Related Posts:
Using Zombie Movies to Teach Politics, by Daniel W. Drezner
The Joker Is Satan, and So Are We: René Girard and The Dark Knight, by Charles Bellinger
Notes
[1] Casablanca is currently #25 rating on the IMDB all-time best film list. Michael Curtiz, Julius J. Epstein, Howard Koch, Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, et al. Casablanca (Burbank, CA: Warner Home Video, 1999). [2] Followers of Arthur F. Holmes’ will notice that I am using his categories for evaluating ethical decisions. See, Ethics: approaching moral decisions. Contours of Christian philosophy (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2007), 52-80. See also, Lawrence Kohlberg, The Development of Children’s Orientations Toward a Moral Order (Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press); Carol Gilligan, In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development (Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press); and, James W. Fowler, Stages of Faith: the Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1981). [3] James Davidson Hunter, To Change the World (Oxford University Press, 2010), 32. To be fair, Hunter considers all four levels to be overlapping elements of “culture,” not worldview. However, this is at least somewhat a matter of semantic disagreement between philosophers (who study worldviews),and sociologists, like Hunter (who study cultures.) [4] Hunter, Change, 33. [5] What I am calling the ‘Story’ level of worldview is what philosopher James K. A. Smith refers to as the ‘pre-worldview’ level of ‘social Imaginary.’ “The social imaginary’ is an affective, noncognitive understanding of the world. It is described as an imaginary (rather than a theory) because it is fueled by the stuff of the imagination rather than the intellect: it is made up of, and embedded in, stories, narratives, myths, and icons. These visions capture our hearts and imaginations by “lining” our imagination, as it were— providing us with frameworks of “meaning” by which we make sense of our world and our calling in it. An irreducible understanding of the world resides in our intuitive, precognitive grasp of these stories. Desiring the Kingdom (Cultural Liturgies): Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation (Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Publishing Group, 2009), p. 68.
The worldview I learned about in Gary's article and the film Casablanca taught me a great deal. I did not understand what worldview really meant. I thought of this word as a political word that had nothing to do with the reality I live everyday. I am blessed not to have to worry about the corruptness of our leaders when it comes to my families survival on a daily basis compared to the corrupt way of the German dictatorship and the people of France and other countries affected.
I own this movie and have enjoyed the film since I was young at heart as a love story and nothing else Today my perspective is so much wider and deeper I feel ashamed I had not thought of some of the things shown to me today and in this program at Bethel.
The events in my life that are innate and the projected influence from my family, friends and society have scripted more in my life than I would have liked. I noticed during this journey that the decisions I made reflecting those events have been self centered but realize I was unaware what I was doing and if I had to make those same decisions today, the outcome would be completely different.
Rick scripted his past into a life for him to survive, not only physically but emotionally. The wall he built was suppose to protect him from feeling close and trusting again. He was surprised that the mere sight of the one responsible for creating the wall would tear it down so easily.
When he learned of the visa's and the two in need of them his mind told him to take the girl and run, because Victor would be captured any how and he did not care about the cause, so he thought. After many encounters from people who needed him and the witnessing of the oppression on people who just wanted to be free changed his view and his mind to listen to his heart.
Amy, FANTASTIC insight" "Rick scripted his past into a life for him to survive, not only physically but emotionally." That is EXACTLY why we construct our worldview… to protect ourselves… to try to manage and/or control the heartache in out life. Well said!
I had the opportunity to see Steve Scott perform in 1990. At the end of his short set, he paused and advised the audience to be “honest with yourself, with everyone around you and with God.” The act of re-evaluating my worldview starts at the first step: being honest with myself. If I don’t start there, then true change is impossible.
By “scripting” our worldview, we do the opposite; we lie to ourselves, and lock ourselves into a prison to suffer the consequences. A worldview is composed of thousands of small beliefs and values. Each one is either bowed in allegiance to the King of the universe, acknowledging that He speaks truth, or it has been constructed by a lie, and is in open rebellion. The lies come from either a sense of self-preservation, from the enemy or our own pride and arrogance. As a believer, it’s my daily job to examine what I believe, in a given situation, and hold it up to the light of scripture.
If I let the lies take over my worldview, then I start to “script” my own reality. I doubt others’ motives instead of my own. The wrongs done to me overshadow what I have done to others. My sins become explainable, even reasonable. As time goes by, I will find myself in a story of my own choosing, not God’s. And, as Jay Sherman would say, “It stinks.”
Above everything else, guard your heart.
It is where your life comes from.
Proverbs 4:23 (NIRV)
Nate,
How interesting that you focus on "morals" as foundational for the decisions we make. Certainly, morals are influential in our worldview and how we live. I appreciated your perspective and views about the movie as well as your personal application. Thanks for the great post!
Amy,
Thank you for sharing your depth of insight about yourself and about the key figure in Casablanca–Rick. I appreciated your views about changed actions and thoughts, which could/would lead to "different outcomes". How true this was in the movie scenario, and how true it can be in our personal lives. Great post–thanks for your vulnerability and candidness!
Amy, this is great. I also did not know or even understand what the word Worldview meant I even went and looked the word up but, still did not get it until I spoke to another class member that help me understand what it meant. To be honest I still felt that this word did not mean anything to me until now that I have to read about it and work with it. Now, I am opening my mind up to know what it mean and understand what my own Worldview is.
I love the honesty and the transparentness you have Amy. I am truely blessed to know you and be in your cohort.
Good afternoon Jessica,
I too never thought much about my Worldview, let alone know what it was and how it impacted my life and those around me. Who says knowledge is not important?
I totally agree with you that our examination of worldview will be enlightening and may be a never ending process while living on this world planet in our current period of time.
Thank God for helping all of us to change. Come Lord Jesus.
Thanks for writing, Jessica.
In Christ, Bob R.
While watching Casablanca and reading Four Levels of Worldview I have found that I am ready and interested in taking a look at what has shaped my worldview thus far. The "map" of my life, I have feel, was plotted when I was young and I haven't given it much thought in the thirty some years I have been following it. I have always felt that the decisions I make are based on my desire to do what is "right" without really understanding where I got my idea of "right." In light of recent events in my own life I feel my worldview beginning to shift, so embarking on this journey of examination of that worldview I'm sure will prove to be enlightening.
Jessica, I'm excited to see your journey progresses!
Hello, Jessica. I am so glad to see that someone has the same thoughts that I have on the word Worldview. This is a word I never thought about until now and to be honest I'm not even sure if I even heard of the word until now.
I concur with you how easy it is for us to go on with life and not really linking our decisions to why. I haven't really thought to consider why some of my decision are based on my background and culture while others are from my experiences living here in the U.S. There are decisions I make that someone from my culture my question to as why I made them but it's really because of my experiences in growing up in the US.
Hi Jessica, I find myself in a similar position. Different events in my life have prompted me to re-evaluate my worldview. I moved to the United States when I was fifteen years old and since that day, I embarked in a new quest. Some of the core values and beliefs that were instilled in me since I was a child have been re-evaluated and reshaped. In the end, I feel that this makes me a better individual. More aware of the world that surrounds me.
I am definitely interested in reassessing my life map. I'm not sure I remember what I plotted way back when, but I think I am in need of some "recalculating." Overall, I too think I have generally had the desire to make moral decisions and done what was "right" based upon my upbringing, family, friends, and life experiences without fumbling too badly. I'm curious to see where it all goes from here.
Thanks for posting this Jessica. I guess I never thought about where my beliefs originated from so maybe I will be taking a journey of my own. Good luck with yours.
Good evening, having never watched Casablanca I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the movie. As far as how the movie impacted my worldview that is difficult to say. The time and setting of the film provided many incidents that prompted the change in Rick. He was noble and highly admirable at the end of the movie. Sacrificing for the greater good is something as a Mom I do on a daily basis. My new clothes are always the last to be purchased as the welfare of my kids is always first. The last two of my classes reviewed and discussed many global topics so in turn these factor into decisions that I make for my kids with their classes and discussions around the dinner table. So as Bob stated above I make many decisions throughout the day but usually with a purpose when it involves my family and my work.
I'm glad you enjoyed it? And I agree. A good mother is the most sacrificial creature on the planet!
Hello Jennifer,
I too, had never watched Casablanca. What a great movie. I watched it several times.
I hear what you have to say about what it takes to be a Mom and recognize the self sacrifice you make on a daily basis. Thank you and I give you my encouragement to continue on with your journey serving the Lord.
I like the point you make that our Worldview impacts families and community, not just individuals.
I get the understanding that these concepts of Worldview and Life Story are well worth the time it takes to study them.
Your post got me thinking about Mothers and why us men need to treat Moms with love and tenderness.
Thank you for writing.
In Christ, Bob R.
Jennifer,
As a mother myself the sacrifices we make are ones we do not even think about at the moment. The decisions we make everyday are suppose to reflect Christ and the needs of our family hopefully affecting our neighbor. It is hard to think outside the box of our family and sometimes our family gets caught up in society; that is when we call for a family Bible study and our decisions seem to change based upon what God says.
Jennifer,
Many parents are self sacrificing. Is it the right thing to do? Is it a moral issue? Is it based upon our character? What defines a good parent and a bad parent? Some of these can questions can have a subjective answer but virtue is universal. Being kind and doing what is right is not subjective. You sound like an awesome Mom!
I learned from both the movie Casablanca and the article Four Levels of worldview is that in the end all the decisions that you make are a result in the morals that you have. While there are instances were emotions might set you off course from your morals, like in the case of Rick in the beginning of the movie, in the end your morals it is the morals instilled by family, friends and culture that will ultimately decide which path in life you choose.
Great insight. Emotions do play an important part in our lives, but can also knock us off the morals we want to be committed to.
Hi Nate,
In addition to the morals as influenced by our families, we really bring our personal experiences into how we make decisions. We have all made decisions in the past that were both good and really bad and hopefully we learned from those and how they not only impacted us, but others around us.
Hello Nate,__I agree with you in Rick's case. Ilsa's influence, her confession to Rick that she loved him, had a profound impact on his decision to get her out of Casablanca. Your post tells me it is crucial to have a famliy, friends, and culture that love, support, and guide you in the right direction. I thank the Lord my"Worldview" includes the culture of God's Kindom.__Your post helps keep me on course. Thanks for writing Nate.__In Christ, Bob R.
Nate,
Yes our emotions are very strong. The course can be tricky without the constant reminder of Christ and what He did for us. Rick does not speak of God, but Elsa does. You can tell he is a sentimentalist from the beginning. We are very lucky to have a free country and a powerful, loving God.
I agree Nate. Emotions are definitely hard to ignore when it comes to making decisions. In light of recent events in my own life I have found that the morals we make decisions based on are so different from person to person. Even people you thought were raised the same and had the same morals make decisions that you feel are wrong. The only way that I can make sense of some of those decisions is that some people have a harder time keeping on course despite their emotions.
I agree Jess, trying to keep your emotions from running your life is one of the hardest things to do and is something that everyone has had to struggle with at some point or another.
I agree with what you say in regards to your moral. However, I have seen people who feel they have been hurt so much that they become the oppressor to someone else as well. I have seen people who fled through persecution and then said I made it through all by myself, why do everyone else feel they need a handout. The hope is that the values and morals that have been instill on you are strong enough to help pull you through those rough situations. I agree with you, this is just something to think through.
I believe that character may not be obvious but actions speak volumes. In people's quiet ways, their actions can impact the weight of the world to the people that it effects.
Yep, emotions can definitely set you off into a tailspin. But I think you're right. Once everything calms down, most people are right back to the person they were before — just with more experience.
Interesting post Nate. It made me think of the people I know that are lead solely by their emotions and little else. Being around someone like that can be exhausting for me… I just want to grab their hand and say" " Hey, you do not have to be tossed to and fro by your own silly thoughts that lead no where constructive." But this shows how analytical I can be at times and not exactly compassionate, huh? 🙂
Someone once told me that I needed to stop making decisions off my emotions. I think your response is one that I finally identified with to separate moral decisions and emotional decisions.
Excellent! Separating moral decisions from emotional decisions is exactly what Casablanca is about!
Four Levels of Worldview in Casablanca: Impact on my life.__Gary: I enjoyed reading your intriguing article, Casablanca and the Four Levels of Worldview: Why Everyone Meets at Rick’s. Doing so made me realize how important the relationship is between worldview and making decisions. It unnerved me to learn that so many of the decisions I make, some being more important than others, may be made throughout the day without any conscious awareness of why I make them. I wonder then, what kind of impact I am having on other people, let alone myself. I now accept the responsibility of building a biblically based world view on God’s truth gained from having a sound relationship with Jesus Christ. As I rest in Christ, I pray that my worldview will be constantly transformed, creating decisions in accordance with God’s larger-than-life will.__-Bob R. ___
Wow! You got all that from one post and a movie? That's awesome! It is a little unnerving isn't it?
Bob,
I couldn't agree with you more. Society takes us so far from God's truth and way that if we are not in constant prayer and Scripture reading I find the enemy tries to creep in. Worldview hits home closer than I thought, I am glad to realize this today as to prepare the future generation.
Bob, Your insight about the Worldview in Casablanca, and your comments of personal reflection were touching. I appreciated the focus on "transformation" in your last sentence–as it seems we are all on a journey toward transformation as we follow Christ each day. This, over time, will hopefully bring our Worldviews more in line with God's truth, as we actively engage in life.
Thank you for your wise words–and may God guide and bless your thoughtful decisions!
Bob, this is deep I like it never thought about it in this way. Building a biblically based worldview is something I am going to look into to guide my own life. Thank you this post it's great!!!
Tom, Wow! Excellent insight! I agree. I don't think anyone's worldview changes easily, nor by "choice." Instead, something in their life creates environment where change is possible. It can be something that "happens to them," like what happened to Rick. However, it can also be change they initiate, like your decision to keep asking yourself the question, "If I truly believe what God says about this situation, then what will I do?" Eventually that practice itself will change you. -Gary
Exactly, it is our personal experiences which influence decision making and "world view".
I look forward to this class on Thursday. Interesting forum.
While observing the transformation of Rick Blaine, it struck me that worldview change comes only from necessity. People can be restless, and will change things that are more or less superficial. We decide to try a new career, hobby or perhaps even different experiences in the hopes of perspective expansion. However, human beings don't change their worldview unless events demand change. In Rick's case, he saw that there were unstoppable forces at work in Casablanca that were not going to allow him to remain as he was (withdrawn, cynical and purely self-interested). He was trapped between his love for Ilsa, and the growing presence of the Nazi Germans, and neither would allow Rick to not be involved.
In my own life, events have occurred which demanded that I review my central beliefs: what my actions showed that I thought to be true, not necessarily what I stated was true. This re-evaluation happens regularly, sometimes daily. It's one of the ways that God refines and conforms us to His image, if we are open to His work. As I grow in Christ, I am continually going back to scripture, then asking myself, "If I truly believe what God says about this situation, then what will I do?" Through this process, I pray that the forces needed to move me to action will become decrease.
"How can you say that you're not responsible?
What does it have to do with me?
What is my reaction, what should it be?
Confronted by this latest atrocity
Driven to tears…"
– Driven to Tears by The Police
I like your analogy Tom, I agree with your point that worldview change comes only from necessity. Remarkable circumstances draw out some incredible results from people. An incident or event usually is the catalyst to change.
I think you hit a key point, Jennifer. The worldview change only needs a catalyst; often, the person who experiences the change knows in advance that something is wrong. They may not be able to articulate it clearly, but the need for change is known.
An example that I can identify with is Drew Carey. He struggled with his weight, and used that to fuel a successful comedy career. If he didn't think his weight was an issue, then he would not have even mentioned it. However, when he found that he could no longer fit in clothes sold off-the-rack, that was the inciting incident for him to make a lifestyle change. It took an external force for him to make the necessary changes.
In Casablanca, Rick had set up defenses to protect himself from the pain of losing Ilsa in Paris. Rick positioned himself as owner and manager of an establishment where he could isolate himself. He gave Sam strict orders not to play "As Time Goes By.” If Rick could have been honest with others and with himself, he would admit that he was grieving the loss of relationship with her. Yet, when there were several inciting incidents, only then was he able to make the necessary changes to his story.
Good post Tom. Very interesting ending too… that you pray "that the forces needed to move [you] will… decrease."
This leads me to wonder about our nature and if we are able to acheive a certain 'level' so to speak of spiritual and intellectual maturity in which we are able to change without God prompting us in a dramatic fashion. Which in turn leads me to ponder Job and all the dramatic ways that God allowed events into his life and the purpose of those events and the millions of ways God used it to teach not only Job, his buddies and the Devil but also the world over, about patience, character, and dozens of other lessons beyond me.
The ending: Yeah, me use words good. 😉
Tom,
Great post! I really appreciated your reflective and personal insight. Your portrayal of the character of Rick was helpful–and it was easy to see the conflicts he must have experienced in his situation. I appreciated your comment …"events have occurred which demanded that I review my central beliefs…", because it seems we all can struggle with the reality and truth of our beliefs and how we respond to situations in our lives. I liked the reminder to look to scripture–and then take action. Thanks for your candid comments!
Tom,
Very well written! I posted my response to the movie very late and I did not review yours or anyone elses. You did a very detailed explaination I of alot of my thoughts.
Jerry
Hey Tom,
Good post! I agree. I think some of us have the capacity to reflect on our worldview without outside prompting or interference, but more likely, there is some event or action that leads a person to change their worldview.
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