The Daylight Syndrome
12 years ago, a little known gem known as "Daylight" took America by squall, then immediately departed. It starred Sly Stallone, as a firefighter trapped in a collapsed tunnel, leading a bunch of whiny New Yorkers to safety. While it's still awaiting its BBQWTF to ripen to full cult status, let me be the the first to say that I saw it coming, and allow me now to briefly lay aside my sarcasm and blog you why:
They escaped, like only two of them or something, in an unbelievable fashion. The movie ended with them ecstatic in the 'Daylight'. I asked my budding 19 year old philosophical self a pinnacle question:
WHAT NEXT?
Something happened in these people's lives immediately after that. What was it? Basically, what would you do first, after narrowly escaping death? The best thing I came up with at the time was 'go to breakfast'. Isn't that a bit anticlimactic? But it was like, dawn on a weekday. I would hope that the girl I escaped with would want to fuck, naturally, but short of raping her I can't guarantee that as a next action. I mean, breakfast would seem like a really good idea- you'd be really hungry, not having eaten for a day, and having done all kinds of crazy physical feats, but then you'd just be really tired and want to go to bed. How can your life being threatened feel so epic and dramatic, while the really good things just don't? What is there TO do, really? Have a fucking party? What do you do at a party? Stand there, talk about interesting stuff, get drunk, play a game, try to flirt...
Anyway, I could go on and on with the specifics. You get it. You do. The point is: this WHAT NEXT feeling following epic events has acquired a name, and I dub it....
They escaped, like only two of them or something, in an unbelievable fashion. The movie ended with them ecstatic in the 'Daylight'. I asked my budding 19 year old philosophical self a pinnacle question:
WHAT NEXT?
Something happened in these people's lives immediately after that. What was it? Basically, what would you do first, after narrowly escaping death? The best thing I came up with at the time was 'go to breakfast'. Isn't that a bit anticlimactic? But it was like, dawn on a weekday. I would hope that the girl I escaped with would want to fuck, naturally, but short of raping her I can't guarantee that as a next action. I mean, breakfast would seem like a really good idea- you'd be really hungry, not having eaten for a day, and having done all kinds of crazy physical feats, but then you'd just be really tired and want to go to bed. How can your life being threatened feel so epic and dramatic, while the really good things just don't? What is there TO do, really? Have a fucking party? What do you do at a party? Stand there, talk about interesting stuff, get drunk, play a game, try to flirt...
Anyway, I could go on and on with the specifics. You get it. You do. The point is: this WHAT NEXT feeling following epic events has acquired a name, and I dub it....