“Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (Woody Allen, 2008) is a fun and funny satire on America’s mainstream culture. Love, sex, female/male identity in search of the meaning of life, and the possibility of passion. It is definitely just a beginning of the journey. Young, we just scratching the surface of who we are. Men are dull and women are clueless.

In an authority based society man thinks that woman knows something and waits for instructions on what to do or for an approval. Woman believes that man is in control and fight the phantom. Just like in politics we think that the government knows something or that banks are in control and pass the responsibilities to someone else. And then we suffer, and we feel sorry for ourselves and wait for something else to come alone.

In today’s financial crisis, it may look like America is suffering from greed but if you get a closer look, you may see that it is more likely that we are suffering from boredom and a identity crisis.

Think about it, what would even the best of the best American men do if he did not have a “money game” or a “war game” to play? Nothing right?

So far “The Star Wars” is the only common ground for Americulture. What do we believe in besides war? What do we stand for besides money? So, maybe by the good fortune, solving the Global Environmental crisis is the next adventure that will redefine US culture, and will give it unity.

Crisis is always a good thing.

In literature the word crisis has another name – “climax.” Climax is when the hero changes his value system through new action.

Action has been a measure of truth across all ages.

“Vicky-Cristina” is drifting, man is bored in the board room. Strangely American man will do anything to get the money but would not lift a finger to get a woman, or understand the woman, or to hold on to the woman. Who was it that said that the family is the basic unit of society and that the easiest way to change society is to change the family dynamics.

Change creates change.

To change a personal or cultural identity will take tons of self-awareness and internal power. The good news is that being a young culture, America also has all the benefits of the youth – abundant energy, flexibility, and puppy enthusiasm for the new. This time, the new is a new game, and the one who makes the new rules is the one who will lead the game.

Where is no passion there is no compassion.

We understand what we love, we love to understand. Like a soldier is never ready for peace the businessman is never ready for love.

Strangely only sex makes American man more human, and connects him to a woman. No wonder we confuse sex with connection and glue ourselves to every passer by or a computer screen.

We stroke our troubles with the feather of small talk, we afraid to cut through to the heart of the problems to split it open. We search for proof of life in money, and objects, and forget that only connected world is real.

There is a slight sense of irony in the movie: life is passing by just like a cloud on the blue sky. What would it take to bring these people to life? Maybe it will be a world economic crisis, or it could be green revolution. WiserEarth needs wiser people, just a bit more curiosity, passion and trust in its own power. Freedom simply means flexible rules and flexible actions to get what you want and know what you need. Time to raise the bar.

“Vicky Cristina Barcelona”, sex, love, power, passion, money, barcelona, comedy films, female, green revolution, love, male identity, passion, scarlett johansson, woman, wiserearth, woody allen, penelope cruz

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