I got nothing

Yesterday evening was CWF, and after that, I just went home and mostly went to bed, because I had slept poorly the night before, partly because of the pain in my sinuses/worry it was something really bad, partly because I had stayed up too late. "The Hunger Games" had come on ABC Family, and while I told myself, "You hate dystopian-future stories because you're too good at seeing elements of how the culture currently works in them, and you tend to see them as predictions rather than fiction," still, I got sucked in.

A couple of thoughts:

I found the last scene with Rue (not to give too many spoilers away though I suppose most people who care about this kind of thing have seen it/read the book already) was far more affecting to me than any of the Katniss-Peeta scenes. FAR more affecting. Katniss did something that could have put herself in grave danger, that really, made no difference to anyone (other than, perhaps, herself), but she did it anyway. Because on some level Rue was a friend, even if she was a fellow competitor.

I also found the whole "I volunteer as Tribute" thing affecting - you are effectively saying, "I am going to probably lay down my life for my sister, because she is younger and smaller than I am, and is less likely to survive." Taking on a huge risk on the part of a family member. 

The whole concept of "fight to the death" - I'm sure the past "winners" wound up with something like PTSD as a result. Can you imagine? Being released in a forest that isn't REALLY a forest (apparently those in charge can conjure up things like short-faced bears and send them after you) and told, "There are 23 other people of your age in here; the way you come out is to out-survive all of them, even if that means you have to kill some of them yourself. (I suppose that is why their "mentor" was a burned-out alcoholic - he was a former winner)

I remember reading somewhere that a make-up line was coming out based on the make up worn in Capitol City. That just weirds me out all kinds of ways - you WANT to look like an amoral, decadent jerk who plans things like slaughter-fests in order to keep the people you lord it over pacified and too fearful to rise up against you? Really? That's an image you want to project? People WANT to be Effie Trinket? That's messed up.

The whole idea of "bread and circuses," with the side note of "We're going to keep the people too scared to revolt" is creepy but not unlike things that have gone on in the world in the past, and are still going on in some places.

But still, as I said, dystopian futures make me sad and twitchy because it seems like most countries of the world are a few elections-gone-wrong or a few-people-deciding-a-dictator-is-a-good-idea away from becoming dystopian. (Look at North Korea....) As I commented on Twitter, I find it hella creepy and should not have bothered watching. (Still, as recent movies go - it's actually not badly done.)

The pain pretty much abated overnight and while it's back a little this morning (more when I'm actively moving around), it's better than it was, and I think the mucinex is working.