Cinderlla Man: Something to Believe In

Cinderella Man is a good movie. It is reminiscent of the American films from the golden age of American cinema that leave you feeling good inside. Cinderella Man is about overcoming obstacles and fighting for your beliefs. Without further research I cannot say that James J. Braddock was actually a man of as strong convictions as portrayed in the movie. Men of conviction are extremely rarely simply because the price of conviction is too high for most men. Society often rewards those who do the best at recycling at recycling convention. Beautiful women for example are not typically attracted to strong, independent men. Sure, they claim to like men of confidence. But, in reality beautiful women like most other elements of society are most confortable with the familiar, the nondescript, which essentially means weaklings.

To the extent that one is independent in his thinking, which a man of conviction is, the price is typically isolation and an inability to keep a "regular" job. And, it is not always a question of some esoteric conviction like a firm belief in orgies, it could be quite rational--not that orgies are necessarily irrational, but they are not exactly a conventional practice. It could be something as simple wanting to work hard to promote the company that you work for.

The convictions of hard work and decency--not the hollow buzz words that politicians bandy about during a campaign but rarely believe in and quickly forget about after the campaigning circus is over--but real work like the desire to present a knowledgeable, compassionate, competent employee to customers. That kind of conviction very often gets you fired. You are far more likely to be "successful" in the conventional sense if you simply go along with things and accept a general decay in competence, intelligence, and ability despite the bad impression such behavior gives to customers and others. I am speaking from experience here. I know how difficult it is to maintain a conviction, and the more rational the conviction, the more antagonistic people will tend to be toward it. Just shrug, laugh it off, and don't think to carefully about anything. That kind of conviction will make you more money than any of that misleading propaganda that parents, teachers, coaches, and just about everyone else are so quick to promote such as "all you need a dream and the desire to work hard to make it." Bullshit! First, you have to define what "making it" means. Usually it means to make a lot of money. That is the conventional sense. It is the sense against which most people will measure you: girls, banks, employers, friends, etc. How much money do you make? That is the big question. And, to make a lot of money in most circumstances means making those with the power to help you feel good. Again, there is nothing inherently wrong with this decision so long as you are honest about yourself and about what you are doing. Personally it disgusts me when people try to pretend that they are so selfless in what they do and think when in reality they are grotesquely self-serving; the charity is just a sham. But, the sham is really what rules in society. Wearing the mask. Deception. That is the true secret of "making it." Learning how to make your way in society while never letting anyone know what you really think despite the fact that almost everyone tells you to be honest and truthful. What they really mean is that you should be honest and truthful, but they can lie, cheat and steal at whim and it is all good because you shouldn't take things so seriously; and in being 'honest' or 'truthful' they mean tell us what we want to hear. That is how it works.

My martial arts teacher called it "the human racket." And, he was ever so right. Proof? When was the last time that you told someone who mattered: a boss, a parent, a lover what you really felt? And, if you did, what was the result? Probably disaster. I cannot count the number of times some lazy boss told me "we have an open door policy so that you can feel free to give us your honest opinion." Yeah, right. Translation: we have an open door policy alright so that we can find out whom we don't like and fire him. I am not talking about going around complaining to people as an example of truthfulness. Nobody likes that kind of a drag on life. I am talking about tactful honesty where you feel free to tell someone that you feel mistreated for example, and what is more the person actually take an interest in what you say. Perhaps he even makes an effort to do something about. Hardy, har, har. Fat chance. Most of the time if you try to tell someone that you feel mistreated, she looks at you like you are from Alpha Centuri--that is a galaxy far, far away.

Still think that society is not based on deception? Well, what about the propaganda on the legal system, the place where "justice" is supposed to be served? Since when was "justice ever really served in a courtroom? So, why not just call it what it is? It is not the justice system. It is simply a system of arbitration that is almost always a disaster for everyone involved--except lawyers and judges--and very often those who are the most decent and rational are the biggest losers. These are just a few of the things that make holding a conviction very difficult, and it is why the philosophy of war and self-defense are good ways to protect your convictions--and your sanity.

Movies like Cinderella Man are rare on the contemporary scene. It is reminiscent of the Classic movies especially American movies that had a wholesome, feel-good quality to them. It was an enlightened quality and it was commonplace in movies like High Noon, The Magnificent Seven, Man of the Thousand Faces, Angels with Dirty Faces, Captain Blood, The Sea Hawk, Dr. No, Goldfinger, From Russia with Love, and so many others.

Cinderella Man does something else that is quite understandable given the current cultural and intellectual climate. It makes you wonder is it really worth it to fight for something that you believe in? LSV