[[ 82 ]] Elastic Heart

This video came to my attention this week. Have you seen it?
Some would say it's controversial...   why is that?

What does it represent to you?

To me -- this is a story about Fathers and Daughters... the struggle those relationships often endure. She, fighting to be herself. Fighting him even as he tries to provide a love that she cannot or will not understand.
Then we see her eventual maturing. The slow acceptance as she tests him... only to find that he is a machination of inputs and outputs; for love forces us to play roles.
As the song plays out the two of them eventually find peace, and for a time - harmony.

But when the music ends, she leaves. Adult now, she is able to exist outside the 'cage' of structure and care that he had created to protect her.
He fights to hold her - she fights to pull him through the bars.
Then... he dies.

 ----- A father can never escape the love he has for his daughter.

At least.. that's what I recouped from this.
Maybe you see something different?

Art is opulent like that.    It inspires us to consider the things which are not obvious.  

Hope you enjoyed.
- C.D.

• Click here to learn more about the artist, Sia.

And here are some opinions from others, taken directly from the YouTube comments:

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singsbee.com

22 minutes ago

in Sia's own words, "these two warring 'Sia' self states." The video plays with Shia, representing adulthood and reason, and Maddie, as wild and at times vicious as a child or animal. Maddie plays the subconscious, our imagination, capable of attacking without cause, but also falling asleep in innocence. Shia seems wiser, but he can't control Maddie... and neither can he leave the cage of his own limits. The video makes us question who we like or hate more: reasoning or wild subconscious. And at the end, our dreams are trying to tug us free, but reason just can't get out.

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singsbee.com

22 minutes ago

The Meaning of the Elastic Heart Video plays upon which one of the two is more savage: the angered innocence of an animal (or a child) or the rage of the angry man. Their skin-tone dirty clothing portrays them at the same level. In the end, it's the man who's unable to escape into innocence, and the child wondering why he can't be free of his chains. While nature can be savage, only man can be as savage as gladiator matches of Rome, or the Hunger Games - the movie this song was originally written for.
My Take:
The meaning of Elastic Heart goes both ways. First, Sia claims you did not break me. On the other hand, she says I trust no one, I may snap, I can't survive. She's fought, she's beaten her ex (another one bites the dust), but she still asks herself, why can I not conquer love. How will she find love again if she makes herself impenetrable? Love means an open heart, not a thick skin and an elastic heart. Like Katniss Everdeen in the movie, fighting for peace doesn't bring peace. Love is being open, not being elastic. Peace isn't beating the other person, it's finding someone to share your heart with.

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smogo

5 hours ago

There's a reason Shia La Beouf is in this video, it's because this video is about him. He's playing himself, not acting

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Sweetie Symone

1 hour ago

He's had a pretty rough life. (I'm obviously not talking about his success in acting, but his family troubles)

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shaunaanne100

1 hour ago

+smogo why would you think that? And how do you know? Curious

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HaiiiWazzuppp

4 hours ago

Guys, this is art. Everyone interprets art differently. Just like poetry. Anyone can think whatever they want.

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Anna Martin

1 hour ago

you're absolutely right!

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Amanda Rodrigues

1 hour ago

i agreeeeeeeeeeee <3 div="">

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Mista Waffle

4 hours ago

Cant tell who was trying to rape who....

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Mary Grace The Friggin Weird

2 hours ago

...neither? 

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Veronica Solana

2 hours ago

*or

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Roberto Casuccio

10 hours ago

The video is so cool, strange like always but cool :D
Sia is one of my favorite artists and inspires me so much!!
I covered some songs on my channell, check it if you want ;)
Thumb up if you liked, i'll really appreciate your support!!

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Adam Perez

4 hours ago

+Zauger cared no one

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kaio r.d.s.

19 minutes ago

Ms. Gui

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Jonét Harry

4 hours ago

I would love to be trapped in a cage with Shia. :3

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Jonét Harry

2 hours ago

+Anon Amoose yeah, so he's legal.

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dan scotfield

33 seconds ago

honey calm your sex!

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ILoveLyricsGirl22

3 hours ago

The video is about how Sia's father suffered from Multiple Personality Disorder and how it affected their relationship and how they lived. This is why you cans see Shia's emotions range and change in an instant. There is nothing pedophilic about this video, instead it's actually really sad because as a child you don't know what is happening. This also explains Maddie's behavior. The cage represents how Shia (Sia's Dad) is trapped in his mind and his personality's while Maddy (Sia) is not.

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sdsdsad

3 hours ago

lmfao no he didn't

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ILoveLyricsGirl22

1 hour ago

+sdsdsad Sia has said herself: Growing up he had two very unique personalities. One was called Phil and one was called Stan… Phil was like the best dad ever… He was fun but he was eloquent and he was present and interesting and interested. When Stan came around stuff got scary,” 

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Kelsey Cochran

7 hours ago (edited)

Okay so obviously my first feeling while watching was pedophilia. But then I thought about the two individuals she picked to portray these animals... I think the cage resembles society as well as the "hollywood industry", we all know and hear about. but we never really know what actually goes on behind close doors. Look at Shia LaBeouf's career - he grew up as a child star, and became this great actor. Has had trouble with the press; and went through that whole "who am I?" phase every person goes through. Except child stars have to grow up in the industry, with all eyes' on them. And I don't know about you all, but there are some sick people in that industry. So maybe that has to do with the pedophilia feel this gives? Now Maddie Ziegler is in the eye of the industry. The ending of the video it shows Maddie can still escape - Shia can't. 

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Kelsey Cochran

8 hours ago (edited)

...but I'm not sure. I like videos like this 'cause they make you think.
Lastly, Sia is amazing. She is a good writer, and what a singer! Artiste!

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Wisti Johnston

6 hours ago

My first thouht was a father and a daughters struggle. dident see any sexual tension. But every one se something diffrent i guess

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Kelsey Cochran

6 hours ago

+Wisti Johnston That is an excellent view! I didn't look at it that way, but I can see that now.

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Chloe Walker

5 hours ago

I so agree 👌👍

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Vanessa Kovacevska

4 hours ago

It's actually about Sia and her relationship with her alcoholic father, as she has claimed.

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Kendal Night

3 hours ago

I like your point of view and I have a bunch of thoughts of what the meaning can be but I love the way this kept me thinking its as if I wanna keep it like that. I love this video and Sia's deep thinking

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George Fajardo

3 hours ago

+Vanessa Kovacevska I honestly see that too. Thanks for pointing it out. Cause I was so lost through out the whole video!

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Candee333

3 hours ago

I love your analogy on it. 

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Zee Sharp

3 hours ago

If you watch Chandlier and then this video I saw it way differently. An innocent child with no food to eat etc. And then this video where there is a cage the girl cant get the father figure out and she's pissed at him but still loves him kind of deal. I didn't see pedophilia...I didn't even know it was Maddie until people brought it up. I still don't see it but to each their own. I freaking love this video.

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Stasi Garraway

2 hours ago

+Vanessa Kovacevska Where has she claimed that? Not on twitter. The statement on her website says "two warring self states of herself"

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Mary Grace The Friggin Weird

2 hours ago

that's a really cool interpretations of this video, i really like it :)

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DULCEBAUTISTA

58 minutes ago

One of the best interpretations ive heard/read. Love it, but now I'm depressed. Lol

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The Anavat

26 minutes ago

+DULCEBAUTISTA I'm scared... XD

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Matt Holmes

2 hours ago (edited)

I'm not gonna lie , the video did give a pedophilia vibe here and there , but I know that's not the point/story , is about the different sides of Sia . The cage is probably a symbol of society , and the struggles with society and Sia's personality . And the flesh colored clothing is sort of a symbol of vulnerability between the two. Like everyone needs to get over themselves, I'm pretty sure Sia doesn't want anyone to be offended, ( but she probably likes the controversy )

  

[[ 81 ]] Toni acting out

A delightfully charming interview:
Stephen Colbert speaking with author Toni Morrison.

During the interview, Toni mentions how she believed that everything she'd ever want to read had already been written. Then... in her late 30's, she realized she wanted something else. Something more. Her heart yearned to protest the violations that common social constructs* inflict upon the dis-empowered and unpopular. These injustices were all around her, in ways both subtle and direct.
So at the age of 39... she started writing. She started speaking out.

I think that's a fine age to re-focus the way your life is going. With the novelty of youth behind you, it's reasonable to start seeking greater satisfaction. The dreaded 'Mid-Life' crisis, so easily ridiculed by the media, is really just an easy target; an inventive way of shaming people. But what if, rather than grown men acting like schoolboys and women getting botox, this revelatory awakening in a person's life aligned with something less superficial?

It could be. Not for everyone, however -- sometimes that new sports car is indeed a cry for help. But it's also true that such changes can be a direct and intentional act of metamorphosis.  A sign that a person has figured out some things about themselves and their relationship to the world. When we realize what is needed in order to create our own fulfillment, real change feels like our only choice. We are compelled.
When done right -- you can literally see a progression by which new factors have encouraged someone's personal growth! After all, these sweeping redesigns tend to be very specific: they are not born from impulse ... but the results of well-examined plans and intent.
Some, which eventually reveal themselves to have been the right choice all along.

If you're going to be worth a damn in this life, you'll need to embrace the notion of releasing yourself. Your realized self. The one who takes risks, or promotes ideas which challenge traditions. If you're doing those things solely to thwart other people, likely you're misguided and need to reassess your spiteful designs. But --- if you're promoting positive, loving and sustainable choices...  and the realities of your actions are completing you, you're growing.

                                                 

Of course, not everyone will understand. Some people have an investment in the status quo. They have been conditioned to remain politely caged. Expect them to hiss at you for revealing the uncomfortable seating which comes with conformity. Somewhere along their journey, they traded any need to explore all possible versions of the Truth for the safeness of comfort.

But any mind which questions the moorings of such motives soon realizes that safety was always an illusion.
Thus, even quiet acts of desperation and nobility are fine ways to break the paradigm. You can jam the cogs of the machine with something it absolutely detests - unregulated satisfaction and spontaneous acts of Love and Defiance. When people choose to stop enforcing negativity, amazing things can happen!
And when we emancipate our regulated life, creating ourselves anew through sheer will of intelligent choice?

We push back. We break chains.
We forge a future of unrestrained possibilities, replete with Hope!

When Toni Morrison responds to Stephen's playful questions .... she's acting out. 
Such confident and graceful repose! So eloquent ~ her revolution.

-C.D.

*In this instance, Toni is speaking of racism - but the thought can be applied to many things. This world is full of spears and cages - all struggling to keep everyone in place, when Love has always been the better design.