silly premise
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Equilibrium
Rick-34 — 13 years ago(July 30, 2012 12:26 PM)
Hard to watch all of these characters filled with pride pretending that they have no emotion.
If you have no emotion, you don't care about career advancement.
Arrogance is also an emotion.
Strange that an entire film is dedicated to a paradoxical premise. Apparently the world rallied to the cause of not rallying to causes. -
bruce-129 — 13 years ago(August 25, 2012 11:46 PM)
In order to be subversive most stories do take on some contradictory and ridiculous elements look at Gulliver's Travels the mere ridiculousness of the plot lets the real message seep into your subconscious mind where it will at some point permeate your brain if the artwork or message resonates. I really liked this movie a lot.
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Galley_WormFilledSkull — 13 years ago(September 20, 2012 09:18 AM)
Most of these screenwriters get an F in Psychology 101. People without emotions would be catatonic. Almost as good as people without consciousness. We don't really know what an emotionless human being would be like but my guess is he/she would be unable to have reactions, motivations or even consciousness, self-awareness. It simply doesn't make sense.
'Officer, I didn't mean to be incestuous. The priest told me to go down on my niece.' -
lemystere — 13 years ago(December 11, 2012 12:21 AM)
The term is Alexithymia, and it's a sub-clinical personality trait, and not a DSM dx, as far as I can tell, but is used to help classify patients with this disorder, as well as identify co-morbid conditions/diagnose. According to research, it's present in about 10% of the population.
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I_Pinxit — 11 years ago(May 08, 2014 03:50 AM)
Alexithymia is very interesting, because it suggests that people can live (almost) normally without consciously feeling emotion, which is contrary to what most philosophers since David Hume have thought. According to Hume, reason is the slave to emotion, and without emotions, we would do nothing - not even make the effort to drink when thirsty or eat when hungry - so we would soon be dead. The phenomenon of alexithymia seems to indicate that some basic drives and habits essential to keeping us alive and functioning socially are distinct from what we typically think of when we hear the word "emotion", so Hume was (at least partly) wrong.
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the_la_baker — 12 years ago(May 05, 2013 04:59 PM)
First of all, yes, it does. Empathy is the capacity to recognize emotions that are being experienced by another person. Without emotions, there is no empathy.
This is a moot point though since the entire movie makes zero sense. Don't try to explain this film. You can't. It will just make you seem foolish. -
the_la_baker — 12 years ago(November 05, 2013 11:20 AM)
Wrong?
Really, than what is empathy?!
Now I see the caliber of intellect required to enjoy this film. You not only have no idea what empathy is, but are too lazy/stupid to use the internet(you are currently on) or even a dictionary to fact check your own statement.
Thank you for proving my point; Only an idiot could think this film makes sense, let alone is well made. -
I_Pinxit — 11 years ago(May 08, 2014 03:35 AM)
Wrong?
Really, than what is empathy?!
Yes, wrong. Empathy is not emotion; it is the ability to understand the emotions of others. Lack of empathy is a defining symptom of autism. The more severe the autism, the less ability there is to understand how others feel. This leads to abnormally awkward social interactions. It doesn't mean autistic people have no emotions, though. In severe autism, there is totally selfish behavior, but emotions can be quite extreme - including tantrums, panics, elation, depressive moods, etc. -
the_la_baker — 11 years ago(May 08, 2014 11:12 AM)
Yes, wrong. Empathy is not emotion; it is the ability to understand the emotions of others. Lack of empathy is a defining symptom of autism. The more severe the autism, the less ability there is to understand how others feel. This leads to abnormally awkward social interactions. It doesn't mean autistic people have no emotions, though. In severe autism, there is totally selfish behavior, but emotions can be quite extreme - including tantrums, panics, elation, depressive moods, etc.
You don't get it. If no one has emotions, there is no empathy. No emotions = no empathy. That's it. There is no more to say. Everyone is psychopaths. -
lokis_angels — 11 years ago(July 16, 2014 05:43 PM)
I have to disagree. Empathy is the ability to recognize emotions in others. That doesn't mean you have to have them yourself, nor even you have to understand them.
Maybe I am mistaken as to your point, but if there is no emotion, then it can't be picked up on by others. But they will still aknowledge there is no emotion.
The whole premise of the clerics is they have to eradicate 'feelings'. They only have to recognize them, not have emotions themselves. -
DoctorNordo — 11 years ago(August 23, 2014 01:04 AM)
Empathy is not merely recognizing the emotions of others, but also being able to identify with them. An emotionless being is unable to identify with the emotions of others because they have nothing internal to compare them to.
To use an example from Star Trek, Data was able to recognize the emotions of others, but he lacked empathy because he didn't have any emotions of his own. Troi, on the other hand, was an empath and it was no coincidence that she was the most emotional character on the show. Empathy is inextricably bound to emotion.