Waking Life

I just watched this, thanks for the recomendation. I enjoyed it a lot.

Now its time to force all my friends to watch it :)

Oh i found another "lucid dreaming" movie today. I didnt fint the other post where to list ones favourite dream movies so i just mention it here. Its called "Dreamscape" and its an old movie. But its has som interesting ideas in it. Recomend it to.

waking life? meh. it's a neat idea, but it's poorly done.

i think they tried to cover too much material in too short a time. two hours is nowhere near enough time to properly explain the intricacies of evolution, lucid dreaming, existential philosophy, etc. let alone trying to explain all of those. and in the end it left a lot of details out, and ended up being confusing. (meaning you had to rewatch scenes to understand their meaning).

that's my two-cents anyway.

I just watched that movie last night. At first, I was a little unsure if I'd like it. The dialogue seemed largely one-sided, with the main character hardly talking, through most of it. As it went on, though, it started to interest me more. It definitely presents some very thoughtworthy ideas, but it pyrhho said, it's a little too compact. It puts the ideas out there, but they're left unclear in some cases. Also, the movie could use a little more interaction - the main character doesn't seem to say enough. My other main complaint is that the animation style at times makes me dizzy. When the style is more realistic, and every object is floating around, its hard to watch.

Overall, though, a good movie. Definitely gets the ideas out there, which is something that deserves to be done. I know I'll be reading over the script a few times, partly because I dont own the movie, and partly because I wont be distracted by expanding heads and moving tables.

ok lets quit talking about it as a whole, did anyone understand the bit about being a neo-human and evolution? I found that part of the movie to be the most interesting.

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Originally posted by bmx-life™
ok lets quit talking about it as a whole, did anyone understand the bit about being a neo-human and evolution? I found that part of the movie to be the most interesting.

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The neo-human thing is the supposed largest scientific breakthrough of human history, which factors out the concept of time from an equation, such as a learning experience. Whatever it might be, it would mean that each of us would have access to everything available in the Universe at an instant. It would mean we would cease to function individually, and become part of a huge information grid. A little like being on the internet 24/7 except much faster :)

Basically the 'telescoping nature of the evolutionary paradigm' is the idea that our technology is increasing exponentially, and we are getting more talented and intricate with it. When we learn something new, we can apply that knowledge to solving more pieces to a given puzzle. That means that the more we learn, the faster we can do things, and it's been happening very predictably for a while now - even since ancient history, that humans would have an explosion of information around the beginning of the 21st century. Things will just keep speeding up as we go along. Computers, TV's, cars, etc. We're part of a giant math equation is what he's trying to say :-P

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We're part of a giant math equation is what he's trying to say [/b]

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The Law of Accelerating Returns math equation. Warning: long read. ;)

It is an interesting idea, that the speed of technological growth will continue indefinitely. Whether it will pan out or not is open to debate. Mostly the whole theory relies on the growth of computing power. Whether or not the rate of expansion continues or not really depends on humans themselves - not the technology. If a sudden worldwide catastrophe occurs, if we can't find a way to store more information, or if there is no economic value in developing better technologies and increasing computing power, you can't really expect the law to continue.

It will be interesting to watch. Afterall, according to the theory, we will begin to see the automation of society within our lifetimes.

Yes the Law of Accelerating Returns...Very interesting. Global catastrophe aside, I think science and technology could continue on an exponential scale. While we're increasing in technological power, we're also doing so more efficiently. Cars, for instance, have become very efficient (hulking SUV's aside). I think humans will find a way to keep the equation going, provided there isn't a major interruption. It's in human nature.

yeah, i find that part really awesome too bmx. i've only seen the movie once, but i'm pretty sure i know what that scene's about. it's kind of a nietzsche-esque idea about the overman, the epitome of our human species. we are at a point in our evolution where we can actually witness ourselves evolve.

Downloading from Ares right now. Is it even directly linked to lucid dreaming? Do they actually use the term "Lucid Dream" or do they just ramble on about the afterlife being a dream? *confused*

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Originally posted by Sparky
Downloading from Ares right now. Is it even directly linked to lucid dreaming? Do they actually use the term \"Lucid Dream\" or do they just ramble on about the afterlife being a dream? *confused*

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I don't know if you're already done getting the movie and watching it, but here it goes anyway. It does specifically mention about lucid dreams. The whole movie is not about lucid dream, but I would say about a fourth to a fifth of the movie is solely about lucid dreams. There is even a few scenes where they talk about a couple of reality check techniques...

Must of missed the reality check bits, alot of it was just false awakenings. Anyone interested in the idea how the couple in bed explain, that ideas once they are out, sort of get out there to everyone!

The part where they mention reality checks was at the "dream lounge" where they're just hanging out and talking.

The scene where the couple was talking was pretty neat. I liked more the argument against reincarnation, and it completely changed my view on it. As for the part about "once the answers are out," I didn't think it was too convincing. They mentioned an example of two guys figuring out a problem almost the same time in different places, but I think that's a result of how society is interconnected nowadays. Especially with the advent of the internet, people tend to share information. If two people continuously have shared access to new discoveries, it would be very likely that they solve the problem almost at the same time.

I don't think that was the point though, even with all our communication techniologies, things just happen at the same time everywhere. Such as the example of the crossword experiment, using the internet as a way of 'knowing' or cheating' isn't really applicable to this.

The guy burning himself, was sorta ..strange to say though ;)

true. I just feel a little skeptical about it because I never read of anything major regarding "the answers" thing. Just a personal opinion really.

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Originally posted by Xisdence
The guy burning himself, was sorta ..strange to say though ;)

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Even better was the scene at the bar where the guy is telling a story to the bartender. Really surprised me how it ended out... lol. :sniper:

The guy burning himself was a bit negative but I enjoyed hearing him out.

The part about the 'answers being out there' is often called 'collective consciousness' I believe. Here is an interesting read:

http://www.spiritual-endeavors.org/free/10...100monk-all.htm


Btw, if you want to read someone else's educated opinions about Waking Life;

http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~gte484v/wakinglife.html

I think it's a great website, explains some scenes as well as offering new viewpoints on others.

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Originally posted by Awaken
Meanwhile, let's change the script for Shawshank Redemption to include the Terminator busting in and ruining everyone's shit :)

edit: And only because he was pissed off, not because he had anything to prove ;)

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LMAO!!!! :chuckle:

For some reason that situation would amuse me to no end.... :lol:

Anyway, I watched it one day on cable without knowing what it was, and I thought it was absolutely brilliant, so I ordered it off Amazon. I think this whole movie is just awesome and I love the way every concept and idea is developed. I particularly like the Self-destructive man, the guy with the loud speakers in his car and the 4 guys lead by adam goldberg...but everything as a whole is just really really good

I'm watching it right now on my computer, It's kind of boring.

Changed my mind, two old guys were shot.

At the end, did he die? I was a little confused by it.

It sounds like a lot of people didn't enjoy the film because they have come to expect the same thing from every movie they watch. That's the point of the "Holy Moment" scene where Caveh Zahedi (brilliant filmmaker imo) talks about how mainstream film has become nothing but a story-telling medium, which is such a small fraction of what one can create on camera.

Waking Life doesn't have a plot, except that an unnamed young man is presented with various sociological and philisophical ideas until he comes to the realization that he is dead, at which time he gives in and rises away eternity. The point of it is to convey ideas and provoke thought.

That's my objective opinion, anyway. :D

p.s. Try injesting something hallucinogenic before watching it.

He's dead or dreaming? :?

I saw it has hes still dreaming, not dying

well, towards the end of the movie Richard Linklater himself introduces the concept that perhaps when one dies he goes on to inhabit the dream world with the only difference that he would never be able to wake up. That is a possibility of what happned Wiley that makes him unable to wake up from the dream plane...

You could also see it as letting go of the search for explanations, releasing the impulse to view things as distinct from each other, ideas as distinct from each other, and oneself as distinct from one's environment. An end to the journey that is, in fact, only the beginning of the journey.