Comments on: Waking Life: A Lucid Dreamer’s Review

By: Ashley Alcala

Ashley Alcala — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:40:13 +0000

There are two kinds of sufferers in this world: those who suffer from a lack of life and those who suffer from an overabundance of life. I’ve always found myself in the second category. When you come to think of it, almost all human behavior and activity is not essentially any different from animal behavior. The most advanced technologies and craftsmanship bring us, at best, up to the super-chimpanzee level. Actually, the gap between, say, Plato or Nietzsche and the average human is greater than the gap between that chimpanzee and the average human. The realm of the real spirit, the true artist, the saint, the philosopher, is rarely achieved.

Why so few? Why is world history and evolution not stories of progress but rather this endless and futile addition of zeroes. No greater values have developed. Hell, the Greeks 3,000 years ago were just as advanced as we are. So what are these barriers that keep people from reaching anywhere near their real potential? The answer to that can be found in another question, and that’s this: Which is the most universal human characteristic – fear or laziness?

Chapter 8-LOVE THIS SCENE.

By: World of Lucid Dreaming

World of Lucid Dreaming — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:41:33 +0000

Awesome movie… and not at all what I expected. I especially love the ending After this I watched Richard Linklater’s other rotoscoping movie, A Scanner Darkly, based on a story by Philip K Dick – equally as mind-blowing!

By: Carly

Carly — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:45:12 +0000

Waking Life is absolutely one of my all-time favorite movies!! I’m thrilled you’ve written about it!!

By: Diana

Diana — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:47:56 +0000

“I have had LDs where the switches work just fine”

I’m glad you said that because I have had lucid dreams that I questioned later only because I couldn’t “prove it” to myself. But I definitely have had dreams where I am the prime mover.

By: Diana

Diana — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:45:01 +0000

I love that movie! I too have watched it many times and every time I am blown away by the dialogue. I wish in my life I could have access to others’ perceptions at every turn.

I was struck by the waking life/dreaming life theme but I was also taken by the theme of one’s very existence, the act of existing and how thinking defines that for us. It’s only when he allows himself to question his thinking, have it be questioned, that he breaks through the wall of reality as we know it into something more awake and alive, which turns out to be ironic.

This movie will be in my collection forever I hope. The main character is a very likable fellow by the way.

By: Amy

Amy — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:51:42 +0000

I enjoyed reading that, thank you. I have a Netflix subscription and will see if they have it. Looks really interesting!

By: Ryan Hurd

Ryan Hurd — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:02:59 +0000

KMG — that is too funny. did you know that the light-switch test for lucid dreaming is a myth tho? I have had LDs where the switches work just fine – this is apparently a case of expectation making the rules of physics.

Danielle – yes, my family have told me the same thing when I made them watch the movie. definitely a movie for the afternoon after a cup of coffee, not late at night after a few cocktails.

Louche – it’s a rare library that carries this movie. but two copies? that’s awesome.

By: Louche

Louche — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:53:35 +0000

I haven’t watched the film yet, just a few scenes on YouTube. But this article is reeeeally making me want to watch it. I just checked, and my library has two copies!

By: danielle

danielle — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:08:49 +0000

There’s some irony in that the effect this movie had on me was peaceful dreamy sleepiness. I tried watching three or four times and never made it to the end.

By: KMG

KMG — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:31:55 +0000

I loved this movie! I have seen it several times and always pick up something new. You know the scene where the friend is explaining the phenomenon of lights not turning on? The same day I watched that movie for the first time, I walked into a dark room and flipped the light switch on … and nothing happened. It was just a tad difficult not to leap to conclusions… Turns out it really was just a burnt out light bulb.