What I learnt from Captain America:Civil War (no spoilers)

Captain America: Civil War is more Avengers than Capt, or more superhero rollcall, depending on how you look at it, but it raises a few interesting intellectual ideas.

1. There's an interesting line from Vision, that could be applied to depression and anxiety disorders (and other mental illness). "I wish to understand it. It is part of me, but the more I know, the less it controls me. Who knows, someday I might even control it." If you suffer, or someone you love suffers, get them in a group or talking to someone because the more you understand the beast, the better to tame it. 

2. "Victory at the expense of the innocent is no victory at all". There is an underlying theme in the film of accountability. Our modern warfare talks of collateral damage rather than dead people. There's a short conversation that covers foreign policy in the last 2 decades:

'Ironman: I'm doing what needs to be done to stave off something worse.

Capt America: You keep telling yourself that.'

If you think back to the arguments on the WMD prior to the Iraq war, this was more or less the exact conversation going on around the world. It's interesting the film takes a side and keeps asking us to question our position. (or agree with our position).

3, "You're wrong, but you think you're right, and that makes you dangerous." I think this sums up the ACL and their stance against LGBTQI community (and now divorced women - funny they have no issue with the men?). Or fracking, or a myriad of other issues in Australian politics right now. Evil is not necessarily a behaviour on it's own. It's distorted belief that is defended in the name of being right.

4. What follows on from the above, is the call to action for every one of us. "Compromise when you can, but when you can't, don't. If they are telling you what's wrong is right, it's your duty to stand your ground." This speech was longer but I can't remember it all. I think it's pretty good advice though.

5. I liked what they did with Spiderman. I'll be interested how the jury falls on this, but I grew into Spiderman through the cartoon, so the irreverent, chatty Spidey is how I think of him.

6. As an aside, we saw Jungle Book and I find it interesting that both films have a 'United we stand, divided we fall' theme. Not sure what that means in the modern geo-political environment but it must mean something.

7. I love, love, love that Daniel Bruhl is in it. Makes me want to watch Rush again.

8. The most important thing I took away from this, is that while we can't change the past, it's never to late, and it's our own responsibility to "Reframe the Future". That will be my new mantra, as I try to make the world a better place for me, my kids and the world at large (it won't be easy, but why not me? Someone needs to start the change, and if every individual sets to work, imagine how swiftly we can alter the course - be it climate change, poverty, human rights or whatever else we think needs altering.)

9. It's very unsatisfactory to finish a list on 9. But I will, because it's my blog and I can do what I like.

Have you seen it? Do you live in the Marvel Universe? What are your thoughts?

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons: Author Fetx2002 (File:Captain_America_The_Winter_Soldier_-_Stealth_S.T.R.I.K.E._Suit.jpg)

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