Day Ten

IT WAS SO SO HOT TODAY, GROSS.

I found out today I can't be in 'film appreciation club' anymore... as it turns out I'm going to be busy on Tuesdays and Thursdays with university, Wednesdays and Fridays with work, and Mondays aren't an option because the teachers in charge can't do Mondays. Guts.

So Mondays are going to be my only free days... and working on Fridays means I won't be able to continue my much-loved tradition of going to Helen's place after school and eating and de-briefing and then going into town together to youth group. This makes me saaaad, as it's something we've done consistently since, what, Year 10? At least. I'm very sorry, Helen. =(

Today in painting, Anna and I made the most amazing artwork ever, using black, red and white ink and ink-rollers on a massive piece of A2-sized paper. We rolled it, splattered it, streaked it, covered it with stencilled circles and rings, black lines... it was so, so therapeutic and hilarious. As usual, Anna got the paint ALL over her, in the way that only she can. Including several spots on her face. She's so fun to work with, and just as passionate as I am about pushing the limits and going crazy, which makes for inspiring art sessions.

In media we're watching 'Triumph of the Will' which is this crazy 1935 propaganda film about Hitler's regime. It's disturbing how jubilant the music is, and how happy and attractive all the people in the film are, and how they all seem to LOVE working for Germany's supposed betterment. Can you believe this quote:

"Around you stand the flags and standards of this National Socialism. Only when they are threadbare will the people be able to understand, by hindsight, the greatness of our time, because of what you, my leader, mean to Germany!"

- Deputy Führer Rudolph Hess

Yes, in hindsight, now that you mention it, Hitler really WAS a great guy, aw geez, we got it all wrong. It's unimaginable that the filmmaker, Leni Riefenstahl, could have been unaware of the extreme antisemitism endorsed and propelled by Adolf Hitler, yet supposedly she was, (even when she was interviewed in the 1970s?! This is what Mr. Rewiti told us...) However in the film, there apparently is not even one reference to Jews, and only one or two references to a "pure race." It's so interesting to consider - the way they manipulated their speeches to instill this idea of making Germany the most powerful nation in the world. And all those people looked on and believed him.

Ignorance is not bliss.