Manalo, Genevieve D.

September 27, 2019

2A11

The problem with people is that they are masochists and slaves of harsh reality. We tend
to follow the rules of the world regardless of how wrong it seemed to feel deep inside our
conscience, as we see no point on going against a tradition or a concept that has long been ingrained
within the minds of almost every person. It appears that going against it would mean being immoral
or unethical in the eyes of the society. And so, the only resort we all do is to comply with the reality
that we are used to, notwithstanding, the morality of the norms that govern our reality because the
truth is, what is essential is not the rectification of the questionable norms but on how society
would perceive us and the essence of their perception on our ultimate survival. It is only then, that
this changes, when one becomes courageous enough to go against the norm and to be the catalyst
of change that shall soon motivate a group of people to support one’s advocacy and to change the
conventional reality lived by society.

People prefer the reality that they have been accustomed to, for why would we choose to
live beyond a life that’s highly unpredictable and uncertain when we can simply live and be
comfortable with the life that we can predict—a life when everyday is routine. Maybe, this is why
“cell” is the word used in exchange with a life lived in routine. This, is likewise, vividly portrayed
in the movie, the Truman Show, with the life lived by Truman Burbank. His cell was his everyday
life because he was confined in a repetitive everydays that the repetition and the predictability of
his everydays made him unconsciously live in a cell. This is why his life was his own cell, not
until he chose to go beyond the boxed life given to him by the Truman Show. Through the movie,
I could see why we would rather choose to be prisoners of our own accustomed lives than to go
beyond what is not certain and predictable. We would rather choose to live life in routine than to
get ourselves hurt with harsh truths outside our comfort bubble. We like to play it safe and playing
safe makes us prisoners of our own life.

Nothing could validate and justify an act that limits a person’s choice and reality. What
Truman did was, in no way, ethical by all means as it hampers Truman on discovering the world
as it is, regardless of the pretention and deceit that lies beyond the world which Cristoff had made
that could ruin what Truman had perceived of the world as being filled with sunshine and rainbows.
He was deprived of the full truth about the world and reasoning out that nothing better is out
beyond the world which Cristoff had made could never make the Truman Show ethically
acceptable. This is only a part of the many reasons that justifies the unethicalness of the Truman
Show. Another reason is the show’s manipulation of Truman’s emotions. Despite the comfort and
happiness that Truman felt as being the star and center of the Truman Show, nothing could
outweigh the fakeness of the reasons behind his joys and sorrows not knowing that the people in
his life were all just actors and actresses of the show. Nothing was real except his feelings. Having
one’s emotions played can never be ethical regardless of the entertainment it brings to people.
Personally, I think that what Truman said was his own belief and version of truth, that there is truth
within the world that he has created for Truman because Truman was the sole thing that makes the
Truman Show real. His truth is not absolute for there can never be an absolute truth. Cristoff’s
belief may not coincide to people like Sylvia, as she has her own personal truth based on her
perception and interpretation in the situation of Truman. The relativism of truth makes Cristoff’s
reason for his actions more invalid. The only person, who has the right of choice, to play safe,
remain ignorant and to imprison himself within the confines of Cristoff’s world should only be
Truman alone.