Orlando

Life 2.0 : "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...."

It is day 67 of the US Traverse. We have made our way to the most southern point of our trip – Orlando. San Francisco is now more than 5 000 km in the past, and Montreal, our final destination 2 300 km into the future. Major distances by car but minor if you travel with an X Wing Starfighter.

Today will be spent at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and more importantly the Star Wars Galaxy Edge theme park.

The Galaxy Edge Park and rides are truly magnificent, both in scale and detail. Old and young can lose themselves in the fantasy world created by George Lucas and the Disney team.

The little boy in the photo captured my interest. He impatiently waited in his Republic Trooper uniform for his turn with Darth Vader’s Tie Fighter. All dressed up - a true believer.  

One day when he’s older he might reflect on the stories behind the story and appreciate how George Lucas masterfully orchestrated the age-old tale of democracies being turned into dictatorships and a need from people, under certain conditions, to be freed from freedom.

Most of us would say more freedom is good. Freedom of expression, freedom from those in power and freedom to do what we want. But history has shown that when people feel powerless and frustrated, the freedom they deeply ache for is a freedom FROM individual responsibility.

Make it someone else’s problem - Lose awareness of your individual self and become an anonymous member of a unified group. Be relieved from the burdens of will, decisions and being responsible.

But as Jyn Erso said in Rogue One: “We have hope. Rebellions are built on hope.”

“You feel empty. You feel alone. Lonely. Almost frightened, but also strong, yes? The name for what you are feeling is freedom. How did you expect it to feel? You are free, and that can be lonely, and empty, and frightening. But it is also powerful.”

But that is all in the future for our little trooper.

As for today...

He can just enjoy the magic that I experienced in 1978 in a cinema when the words scrolled over the screen:

“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....”Read more