On Purity

Thoughts on "purity" have been presented to me in two forms today; in PoliSci, and in Battlestar Galactica: The Plan (a DVD with some new scenes showing the cylon point of view up to season 2 or 3).

Today in PoliSci, my prof pointed out some quirks in the Republican party, citing the recent example of a New York Congressional election. Bigger name Republicans were actually voicing their support to a third party candidate, Douglas Hoffman, over the Republican nominee, Dede Scozzafava, which eventually led her to drop out of the race. He went on to the "purity" issue, but there's a term I want to dredge up first-- RINO, Republican In Name Only. It's used to describe anyone who isn't radically far to the right, such as moderate Republicans, or anyone who looks like they might be "workin' with Obamma" (second 'm' to emphasize the hickish pronunciation, rhymes with "Alabama"). And that acronym came to mind as we spoke in class about how being a "real Republican," even by the definitions of those within the party, is becoming more and more about a lockstep conservative ideology. One step out of line, you're not conservative/Republican (as the case warrants), you're one of THEM, the Impure, the gay, godless LIBERALS. It's kinda sad, kind of unnerving, and definitely off-putting.

Battlestar struck a different note in this "purity" line of thought. In this feature (I wouldn't call it a movie), mixed in with existing clips from the show (to illustrate the timeline) were new scenes showing what the cylons were up to the whole time, and it was surprising. As we got through it, we were shown the conflict within the cylon ranks, which weren't as clear in the show. Different models experienced life among the fleet and humans and began to question what they were doing. One knowingly fell in love with his human wife, and ended up committing suicide outside of the range of Resurrection instead of blowing up the ship he and his family lived on. It ends with the short truce between the humans and cylons, to which all cylon models save one set voted for-- the Ones. But even they had one "unit" among them who decided that the Ones and the rest of the cylons were wrong for attacking mankind. Another One told him that he would be boxed for his "new insights" ("boxing" is taking the consciousness of a cylon from its body and transferring it to a hub where it remains in stasis). They were then executed because the humans found them. It struck me as pertinent in a way. These thoughts had made these cylons "impure", and they would have to be suppressed, contained, or killed. The funny thing is that their experiences with humanity is what made them that way. The time spent among humans fostered compassion in a few of these cylons, and this was dangerous to an ideologically driven genocide.

I have to work a vote tomorrow, looking at fourteen hours of BLEH. I have tests all this week, too. BLEGH!!!

Sean