LOST: the Island as cosmic amplifier
Feb. 24th, 2007 07:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stefanie_beanOn the Fuselage, RodimusBen wrote:
I think that's a fascinating idea, of The Island being "the metaphysical hub of the Earth." The ancient Greeks believed that Delphi was the "navel" of the world - sort of the same idea. That's why the Oracle there was able to tell the future. (The laurel leaves she chewed didn't hurt either.)
One reason I think some of this show is a mystery to people is because there has been more focus on "clues" as opposed to "themes." It may be that a closer look at some of the show's themes might make the show make more sense.
One such theme with The Others vs. the Losties is that you have two radically different kinds of ways of life. The Others are based on force - on a kind of "dogma" if you will (even if we don't know exactly what it is yet.) To me they seem cultish and obsessed.
The Losties, OTOH, are basically a free society, libertarian almost. No one really seems to be able to force anyone else to do anything (Bernard attempting to build the SOS markers comes to mind.) Jack was "leader" in S1 and S2, but largely by default - and because he was the "medicine man." No one attempts to structure an economy or force people to live anywhere.
The Tailies either have died, been kidnapped by the Others, or incorporated into the Losties (Bernard.) They essentially seemed to be a brutal dictatorship - I don't say that in a spirit of blame; they did what they felt they had in order to survive.
But this is where RodimusBen's idea comes in - not only is the Island perhaps the "navel" of the world, but also perhaps in some ways an "amplifier." Everything becomes "more" of what it is. There's the healing, yes, but the Island also seems to bring out the worst - or the best - in people, depending on what they bring to The Island. IOW, it's their own personality / predispositions / weaknesses / fears / loves which get amplified - and thus there's a kind of sorting out process going on.
The Others would call this "picking the Good people from the Bad people." Perhaps their tendency to always see things in black/white categories (good/bad, with us/against us, people deserving to live in a house/those who deserve to live in a cage; people/animals) is what they brought to the Island, and consequently it forms a major organizing principle of their society.
I think the island is a unique central metaphysical hub of the planet Earth. It mysteriously draws entities to it over time, including whatever civilization built the four-toed statue, the Black Rock, Eko's drug plane, Dharma, Desmond and so on. This is also why it is impossible to leave. I believe either Dharma or the group immediately after them that comprises the Others discovered this through their research. They were looking for a way to counteract the Valenzetti equation which would ultimately lead to the destruction of mankind.
They discovered that the island is, in fact, a potential utopia and last refuge for humanity because of its unique properties. Since then, their objective has been to recruit individuals who would be a part of their new civilization. Through Dharma's research on parapsychology, they also became able to identify and enhance the abilities of people with extra-sensory powers, who represent the next stage of evolution. This is why they wanted Walt.
They see the presence of the Losties as an unwelcome element in their plan to create a utopia. For the greater good, they have tried to keep the Losties from discovering who they really are.
I think that's a fascinating idea, of The Island being "the metaphysical hub of the Earth." The ancient Greeks believed that Delphi was the "navel" of the world - sort of the same idea. That's why the Oracle there was able to tell the future. (The laurel leaves she chewed didn't hurt either.)
One reason I think some of this show is a mystery to people is because there has been more focus on "clues" as opposed to "themes." It may be that a closer look at some of the show's themes might make the show make more sense.
One such theme with The Others vs. the Losties is that you have two radically different kinds of ways of life. The Others are based on force - on a kind of "dogma" if you will (even if we don't know exactly what it is yet.) To me they seem cultish and obsessed.
The Losties, OTOH, are basically a free society, libertarian almost. No one really seems to be able to force anyone else to do anything (Bernard attempting to build the SOS markers comes to mind.) Jack was "leader" in S1 and S2, but largely by default - and because he was the "medicine man." No one attempts to structure an economy or force people to live anywhere.
The Tailies either have died, been kidnapped by the Others, or incorporated into the Losties (Bernard.) They essentially seemed to be a brutal dictatorship - I don't say that in a spirit of blame; they did what they felt they had in order to survive.
But this is where RodimusBen's idea comes in - not only is the Island perhaps the "navel" of the world, but also perhaps in some ways an "amplifier." Everything becomes "more" of what it is. There's the healing, yes, but the Island also seems to bring out the worst - or the best - in people, depending on what they bring to The Island. IOW, it's their own personality / predispositions / weaknesses / fears / loves which get amplified - and thus there's a kind of sorting out process going on.
The Others would call this "picking the Good people from the Bad people." Perhaps their tendency to always see things in black/white categories (good/bad, with us/against us, people deserving to live in a house/those who deserve to live in a cage; people/animals) is what they brought to the Island, and consequently it forms a major organizing principle of their society.