I’m not a movie critic, but I will say that the movie “American Fiction,” from my perspective, used the truth as a satirical comedy. This past weekend, my wife and I went to the Nickelodeon Theatre and discussed how the writer and actors managed to get their point across to people who are ignorant of what people of color deal with daily. It’s a tragedy the way some people stereotype others so much that they will believe every story told to fit their ideal description. What is harmful to all of us, to me, is that the more lies a person tells, the more the other person will believe.
The more exciting someone’s life is, the more it’s acceptable. Society gives a person’s life a rating. You’re either dull or exciting. Even that is approved on whether your situation is extreme enough to be noticeable. We see this on internet influencers. People will pay to view another person’s life. We’ve also seen this pretense work with some rappers who have never experienced the raw life on the streets from those who have lost hope. Some rappers have college degrees and two-parent families and live a sheltered life but are still lonely and lack attention. It’s all about the money. I’m not pitting anyone against the other or categorizing a section of people. I’m just attempting to understand the nuances and idiosyncrasies we all have.
Keeping this article brief, my wife pointed out a subtlety I overlooked. Underlying the principles were two primary themes. The strong and responsible person is the one dying early if they rest. They carry the burden of an entire family and their own, while others expect them to and are never noticed by others about their problems. Sadly, the strong pays a price for leading. Is this why people won’t accept responsibility because they worry and will always be considered the strong, responsible family member? Everyone dumps their decisions and life choices on them whenever they can. Who will take care of the parents? Who will be accountable for making life-changing decisions? Who will sacrifice their life for the rest? Some family members are silent and invisible when an important decision needs to be made. But find ways to contact the strong ones when they need some help.
The other theme is setting ourselves apart from others. Some of us don’t want to be attached, and we push them away. I am not sure if it’s about being introverted or just enjoying a solitary life where emotions don’t have to be shared with others. Maybe fear of being attached to someone who might leave will affect them mentally and physically. We don’t take the time to relate to or understand others because that leads to attachments, which lead to relationships and vulnerability, which can lead to deception and being foolish. Some people aren’t aware of this feeling and live alone, being so comfortable that they can’t recognize true love when it appears.
“American Fiction” opened my senses and reminded me of my experiences. It made me see myself, and I’m not happy about my faults. Yes, we have some family members and friends like those in the movie. Yes, some of our family and people can be irritating and get on our nerves. All human beings experience some turmoil in the family. We all hurt and feel sad about any losses. Regardless of our color, we are one giant, unhappy family who don’t have the time to hate each other for their color, which we are not responsible for. All families disagree and may not always get back together, but if we open our hearts and minds to the bigger picture, we can see that God is and will always be our Father. We’re just one big dysfunctional family.
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