For John Locke, the world was to be understood through the senses, and only through the senses. He believed in natural law and natural right. He believed that people are a blank slate at birth.
For John Locke, the world is what he makes it. He apparently controls the lives of people around him. He appears to be evil incarnate, and containing him on that island is the highest concern of some.
As much as I enjoy a bit of action television (Note: Terry O’Quinn is a fine actor. I enjoyed his brief parts in JAG and MatLOCK.), the convoluted world of LOST represents the predictable manipulation of sensibilities and education that typifies Hollywood. Throwing around the names of philosophers like Locke and Bentham in the show as though they mean something significant exhibits only the writers’ ability to deconstruct the world without constructing an alternative. It reads like a freshman philosophy paper. That’s high school freshman.
At least The Matrix had a coherent sense of reality, Karen Carpenter sang in a minor, Gran Torino was looking for something, and ALF had the sense to continue seeking his preferred nutrition source. But LOST, in my opinion, only represents the lostness and emptiness of the 1970s, renewed, clarified, and amplified. But we must hand it to ABC — they made a lot of money off nothing. Perhaps this is an opportunity to clarify to people what being really lost is all about?
March 31st, 2010 | 11:37 pm | #1
You mentioned ALF. That’s awesome.
As for Lost, I figured out what the deal was during the first season and stopped watching the show. I knew this was going to be another of those carrot-before-the-donkey series that pretends to be going someplace but only makes you dizzy, because all they really care about is dragging out the story as long as possibly.
April 1st, 2010 | 9:03 am | #2
Oh yeah. THAT John Locke. “Lost” says it all. As was said on another “show about nothing” : “he’s a loathsome brute, but I can’t turn away.” Frankly, I’m glad (being) “Lost” will soon be over.
April 1st, 2010 | 1:21 pm | #3
I agree…LOST reminds me of that game where you make up a story by going around the room and having everyone say one sentence.
When the writers appear to make stuff up on the fly, it’s time to check out. No good can come of that.
April 1st, 2010 | 5:07 pm | #4
Let him who hath a television mentality understand:
My hope for a quality ending would be to have Terry O’Quinn wake up with Suzanne Pleshette.
April 2nd, 2010 | 7:35 am | #5
Collin:
Wow. Your comment has just dated me.
April 2nd, 2010 | 9:49 am | #6
Collin, that was the best ending ever. I still compare all endings to that one.
April 2nd, 2010 | 2:17 pm | #7
Oddly enough, I hear that a recently-discovered manuscript of Revelation ends with a significant variant reading in which Adam wakes up next to Suzanne Pleshette.
April 2nd, 2010 | 5:37 pm | #8
Jugulum, you just made my day.
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