This week, I will be exploring the idea of salvation through blindness. As a springboard for this inquiry, I use Bird Box, the 2018 film in which a mysterious force irresistibly drives people to kill themselves. (Spoilers ahead)
For most people in this dystopia, only one thing is certain: if you see the force, you die. Not surprisingly, the sanctuary that the protagonist reaches at the end of the film is a community of the blind.
However, the mysterious force doesn't kill everyone exposed to its visage. Some people (probably a minority) who see the force continue to live, but the force irresistibly drives them to evangelize, to convince others that “It's beautiful!” (referring to the force) and that they should remove their blindfolds.
To me, these two responses to the mysterious force speak volumes about our moment in history, particularly about:
Polarization
Mass psychosis and the unacknowledged epidemiology of “mental illness”.
The evangelical impulse (See The Fall into Time).
Ways of speaking about Hyperobjects.
About the Paywall
This is the first in a series of posts in which the paywall functions as the surface of the water separating the tip of the iceberg from the base.
At the tip of the iceberg, I can tell you about the base, but I can't show it to you. Above the surface, I can offer you hints and metaphors and reasons to dive in.
Please note that anyone exploring the base of the iceberg must follow safety precautions. Most importantly, divers must come up for air at the appropriate moment. When that moment comes, I'll be here to debrief with you.