We are watching the destruction of our government, thus we are watch the destruction of our lives. We are worse than Truman, we have no way to escape and unless there is a massive uproar we will remain witness to our own demolition.
Truman Burbank is an insurance salesman living on Seahaven
Island who is watched by millions 24 hours a day, 7 days week. Truman lives
within a fabricated television set with nearly every aspect of his environment
being controlled. Truman is unaware that he is filming and has no understanding
of his surroundings. He believes in the authenticity of his own false reality.
His reality begins to literally fall apart when one of the
stage’s lighting crash down on his lawn. Truman carries on with his daily
tasks, unfazed that his set is falling apart. However, this does strike
confusion in Truman’s mind, he begins noticing things he hadn’t before. Such as
his wife’s advertising placement products thought the show, strange appearance
of people that try to tell him that he is on television, and the interception
that occur when he tries to leave. When Truman begins to voice his confusion,
the producer of the show deflects Truman’s emotion by engineering coincidences
that cause Truman to question his sanity.
Truman’s reality has been fabricated since his conception as
an unwanted fetus. He becomes the first child to be adopted by a corporation
and in that sense Truman is property. Since his birth, every aspect of his life
has been recorded and enhanced to be consumed as entertainment. Truman has
followers from around the world that enjoy watching his every move.
In his last efforts, Truman escapes from the border of his
town and makes it to the lake, looking for the different reality, a true
reality. As he gets further into his voyage he reaches a wall and finds
staircases that lead to an exit. His last words, before he walks in the door
are, "In case I don't see you, good afternoon, good evening, and good
night." This is a phrase that he is famous for.
The Truman Show is a cinematic reflection into how society
numbly consumes media. In every living moment and sleeping daze, there is
always a camera on Truman’s every move. The observation of his life has
consumed the masses as he has become a household name with merchandise and
establishments created in his honor. Within the film, the camera cut to his
speculators, reacting in awe any mundane act he does such as greeting the
neighbors or driving to work, there are always eyes on Truman. The Truman
Show itself is an artificial contraption of a false reality. To Truman his home
is his world, he has never left nor does he have the ability to leave Seahaven
Island. His attempt to go beyond the curtains is tainted with reinforced fear
and maze-like contraption created to keep him actively complacent within this
façade. Truman had the understanding of the essence of the outside world. He
knows of a world as his viewers do, there is a concept of globalization but it
his hindered when he tries to leave.
The show’s producers have created a limited artificial
creation that has infected Truman’s mind. And though this would seem like an
evident result of brainwashing and corruption of Truman’s liberty, there is
little outcry from his observers. The world consumes the infringement of
Truman’s sanctuary and liberty with amusement. This form of media is consumed
as entertainment as much of our society consumed tragedies and scandal with
amusement.
Society enjoys the visible destruction of the world
surrounding them. And nothing reflects this greater than how we consume our own
destruction through the consumption of our own false realities. Especially
relevant today, politics has seemed to be entertaining rather than informative.
Our government directly and indirectly has an effect on our lives. And with the
current administration actions, many people are more amused than they are
outraged.
