An Affirmation of Something I Always Knew (Week 6)

After my little adventure with Faulkner, I decided that it was time for another movie. The title of choice? Badlands. Paranoid murder, doing something just because, falling in love (serious question mark but sure), and the ultimate question of "What if?" are all themes that come across in the film. Kit's killing spree that begins with an act of rebellion and continues with murder out of self-defense is disturbing but somewhat understandable for a lost soul like him. Holly's brief examination of what her life would look like if her mother had not died, or better yet, if she never married her father to begin with made me pause and reflect what could have gone differently to keep me in Michigan. But do you know what was the most important message in the film? Do not have kids! You see, kids bring all sorts of unexpected "joys" to your life and one of them for Holly's dad was Kit. I already knew that I did not want kids before watching the film, but now I have yet another reason to never have them. I took Holly's "What if" and applied it to her father. I found that if he had never had Holly, he might still be alive. So maybe the key to my longevity is to also remain childless. This was an affirmation of something I always knew.