Deep Life Reflections: Friday Five

Issue 3 - Breaking News

Hello and welcome to the third edition of my new weekly email newsletter, Deep Life Reflections: Friday Five.

Each Friday, I share five things I’m enjoying and thinking about, which I hope you find useful on this journey towards a more balanced, intentional, and fulfilling life.

Here’s my Friday Five this week.

1. What I’m Reading

The Plot Against America by Philip Roth (2004)

A dark tale of an alternative reality where the aviator Charles Lindbergh sweeps the 1940 U.S. presidential election to take power from the sitting president, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Lindbergh wins on an ‘America First’ platform to keep the U.S. out of the second world war and also begins a growing anti-Semitism movement across the country.

This was my first taste of Roth’s work, and it’s a provocative exploration of American identity, as witnessed through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy (the fictionalised younger version of the author.) At the heart of the book is the moral character and strength of his mother and father, despairing yet defiant in the face of a slow-burning yet terrifying persecution.

2. What I’m Watching

Pinocchio (2022). Directed by Guillermo del Toro & Mark Gustafson

I’m a big fan of the macabre worlds Del Toro creates from his imagination and was curious to see his take on the famous 19th century fable by Carlo Collodi. As one might expect, it’s a more adult version, set in the 1930s of Italian fascism, dealing with grief, war, and rejection. Del Toro plays on a central theme of imperfect fathers and sons, and advocates for the wisdom found in forgiving oneself for the mistakes of the past. The painstaking stop-motion animation of the film is also superb, and it’s a joy to watch.

I loved the words of film critic, Carlos Aguilar: “[Pinocchio] speaks to the notion that our brief time alive isn’t measured in faultless accomplishments but also in the precious glimpses of the divine we carve from the rubble left behind by personal and collective catastrophes. Despite the sorrow, we replenish our will to go on.”

I expect the film to do well at The Oscars this weekend. The film has nine nominations.

3. What I’m Contemplating

How news distorts the reality of life by exaggerating the negative and excluding the positive, summed up by the news policy, “If it bleeds, it leads.” This was the focus of my latest article, where I looked at the seduction of pessimism, and advocated for a more optimistic approach to help find personal growth, peace, and fulfilment in life. Our world reflects what we put into it, and that’s something within our control. The people we choose to spend time with. The activities we choose to spend time on. The content we choose to consume.

4. A Quote to note

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from their point of view...Until you climb inside of their skin and walk around in it.”

Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird

5. A Question for you

Do you have a good balance with the news, stories, and opinions you consume daily? Often when I read a strong opinion by someone on a contentious subject, I’ll seek a counter opinion. I find this often helps give a broader view and strengthens my understanding of the subject.

Thanks for reading and, as always, I’d love to hear any thoughts you may have.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the journey.

James