by Dr. Pied Piper
*** This is an editorial and should not be construed in any way as the collective view of PepSi University's distinguished faculty***
While the original films describe the dark side as a general concept of evil, the prequel films and Expanded Universe material elaborate on its nature, explaining that it may stem from all strong emotions — even a positive emotion like love, when it fuels associated negative feelings like jealousy, possessiveness, and fear of loss. To avoid this pitfall, the Jedi forsake all passion and emotional attachment, while the evil Sith draw strength from their overpowering feelingsI am very concerned with the situation in the PepSi Empire. It seems the Darkish Side has taken over and with its emergence has displaced the light hearted, intelligent, innocent spirit of the PepSi Knights. Having dabbled in the dark side myself, I could honestly say that I am very concerned as this story parallels the history of the Galactic Republic from far, far away:
In Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, a teenaged Anakin begins to feel the pull of the dark side when he falls in love with Padmé Amidala; the Jedi Code forbids such strong emotional attachment as "the shadow of greed". His emotional conflict worsens when his mother is killed by Tusken Raiders, and he slaughters the entire tribe in a blind rage.As a Silvialogist, I share the pain and sadness which afflicted everyone after the dramatic death of Silvia in episode 104. For a brief moment, I too entertained the idea that maybe, I could and should do something. But the reality is I cannot. It’s like fighting giant windmills and wooing Dulcinea: neither endeavor was predicated on something real.
In Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine manipulates Anakin's fear that Padmé, by now his secret wife, will die in childbirth to persuade him into becoming his Sith apprentice. Palpatine first tempts Anakin by challenging the dogmatic view of the world he had learned in the Jedi Temple ("'Good' is a point of view.")
When Palpatine promises that the dark side can prevent death, Anakin becomes his Sith apprentice, Darth Vader, and helps the Sith Lord massacre the Jedi and destroy the Galactic Republic. Mad with power, Vader uses the dark side to choke Padmé into unconsciousness when he suspects that she has betrayed him to Obi-Wan Kenobi, indirectly causing her death; ironically, the dark side brings on the very tragedy Anakin joined the Sith to prevent.
(All quotes from the mighty Wikipedia)
Compared to posting a link to Marian’s boobies and giving her an extra name (i.e., as in Marian Effing Aguilera) which, I must admit, are both totally sophomoric and juvenile, I find the current “momentum” disturbing and actually… creepy.
The Dark Side can prevent death theory: by coordinating postcard campaigns, bombarding emails to anyone and everyone, including Agent Barbs, and taking an ad in a national Spanish newspaper (Good Lord!) in order to express one's gratitutude to MA & LS (which for some is designed to elicit some sort of response), the Darkish Side perpetuates the illusion that misplaced passion equals real gallantry and that both actresses somehow need our validation to feel good about themselves.
(BTW, postal service in Spain is kind of slow – last year, I sent a postcard to a friend in the US from Montserrat (Catalunya) and it took 3 months for the damn thing to arrive!)
While these actions seem chivalrous to some who have the arrogance or naïveté to think that they can unsolicitously affect change in the life of an actress 5,000 miles away, it seems a trifle obsessive to others. (And believe me, I know Obsessive!)
When did the PepSi Empire become all about Marian Aguilera? And how dare us think that she needs our rescuing? Sure, doing something, anything, is empowering. But that’s the key: it’s all about Power.
In a parallel to Starwars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith – these actions could bring about another tragedy that the Silvians are desperately trying to circumvent: Marian could very well swear off any gay role, or any gay person, or any gay anything for that matter. Forever.
Do you want to "save" Silvia or do you want to "save" Marian Aguilera's LHDP gig? If the writers brought back Silvia but portrayed by a totally different actress, would you feel victorious?
There is a difference between being a consumer of news (e.g., looking at paparazzi pictures of Marian’s boobies), and becoming the news (e.g., taking out ads and dragging AE into it, calling and writing PepSi’s agents, email-bombing the studios, the producers, the writers, calling for press releases to "highlight the fight", etc.) while encouraging young, naive, impressionable kids into thinking that this behavior is totally okay. It is NOT okay. And the adults should know better.
A bit cliche, but still a powerful prayer:
God grant me the serenityWe should not give up on the PepSi Empire and what it stands for, even if it takes us 3 movie sequels to take it back. And that is through continuing intellectual and academic discussions surrounding Pepa and Silvia (with some gratuitous booby pics when available, courtesy of Sith Pervey Piper, my evil twin).
to accept the things I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Amen
That is the only way we can save the PepSi Empire and restore harmony in the force.
The sun may never set on the PepSi Empire, but it seems awfully cloudy in there right now.
_______________________
This article was originally published in the Journal of Quantitative Silvialogy: Pot Meets Kettle Edition, July 2009, pp 227-235
Next: “Ways to Snap Out of It” and “Silvialogists: Which Kind Are You?”
12 comments:
Thank you, and thank you!
Coudn't agree more with what you've said all above. Glad there are a few more who feel like that about the whole add/campain/obsessive B.S.
:).
Yeah, kinda creepy, isn't it? And if you followed the whole "fight", you'll see that the objectives kept changing: tell Antena3 / Globomedia how they screwed up, petition to get Mariam's job back (assuming she was fired), when it became apparent that Mariam wanted out, it's now to thank her and LS. Huh? What about the whole postcard thingy?
Email Agent Barbs, no leave Agent Barbs alone, call marketers, no, this is just to express our gratitude. Yes, Globomedia is all about the $$$ so we'll try to get Marian's job back. Geez, I should make a collection of all the the various BS.
Hhmmm... maybe I should, when I get the chance.
Dr.Piper,
Thank you for this article. You already know my feelings on where this PepSi Empire has headed and The Save Silvia Campaign.
Anywho, again, I love you article and thank you for being an advocate of freedom of speech!!
She know's how to point things out with the right words :).
I'd love to express more of my HATEFULL (lol) feelings with you but we're on a public blog so i'd rather not do that if you know what im saying :).
But certainly, all the things (again hehe) you've posted above are all true. They are assuming that she got fired, like they have the gift to judge over an video taken and posted on the internet, and by that way got a 'feeling' she was forced whatsoever, and the video was for viewers who where interested what Carlos/Marian had to say about the whole last epi. Not for people who belive they've seen Marian telling stuff in a certain way and behaving odd and blabla 'like she was forced'.
Like Globalmedia/Antena3 gives a F. about 'international' viewers, they are talking about how they are gonna lose THEM as fans (blablabla), 'THEM' don't see commercials during the breaks, so eventualy Antena/GM don't benifit from the international 'fans'. And now im angy again lol. And i have so much more to tell!...
But this will be it, untill September atleast, we'll continue from there. See how things will work out.
so glad that you've written this. I do feel the same-even tho' I don' t get the whole Star Wars thing, well, one of my many flaws-.
I was about to tell them "You should ask Marian Aguilera first. After 8 years, maybe she just wanted to move ON? I would, don't you? That's her JOB, it's not HER" Unfortunately, people tend to mix up reality and fiction. Maybe they're young. Even though I am somehow grateful to the girl who' s been uploading the "PepSi compilation" (that's how I first heard of LHDP) maybe I'm too old (32) to understand this whole "crusade" (:
Plus, death happens. The treatment of "gay characters", in order to be really "fair", must face death, too. It might even be helpful, for those who HAVE experienced real life losses. The closing scenes, in which Paco's words melt into those of "the dead" (no Joyce was harmed during the making of this sentence) were really good. It's just what happens: someone dies. But their "footsteps", remain in those who love them. Keep up the good work!
That'd be "wouldn't you?" another of my many flaws. (;
Hi, just got to know of PepSi U through angie005's constant lobbying in AE and LJ, and am thrilled to find Silvialogy 1, 2 and 3 here. Guess I will be spending some late nights reading through them *happy with the thought*
However, I must say that I looked at the whole SaveSilvia campaign in a slightly different light.
I sent my postcard, and I wrote in the forum to petition. I would have sent a photo for Pepsienglish's video (which I think it's brilliant, btw) if I am not so far deep in the closet that no light shines through. Being a not-quite-young cynic, I have no illusions that there will be a tipping point that changes the outcome of Silvia's death. Which brings to the question - why did i do it? Quite simply, because I love Pepsi(and of course, MA and LS). I just want to say "thanks" to both of them. Being professional actresses, I am sure they will be happy to know that their acts touched the hearts of so many people around the world (Dr Piper, even you craved for feedback, ya?)
I have lived my whole life with people telling me - "What's the point", "Don't bother", "It's not going to work", and most of the time, I do cave in. However, for once in my life, I am doing this without much consideration to the final outcome. Come what may.
ps: If my english is bad, I apologize. If my comments are bad...c'est la vie!
- OnePiece.
Hi Dr. Piper,
I couldn't agree more. Although I respect the actions of others I personally think their actions will not make a difference. If either MA decided to call it quits or the producers, Silvia is not coming back. So be it. I too was heartbroken when Silvia died but I had 4 weeks to think about why it hurt me as much as it did. It was the gruesome, slowly death in front of the ones you love the most that got to me so bad. Pepa and Silvia were to people who really loved each other. Them being two females wasn't the issue for me. As of today I still struggle with feelings whether I am straight or bi. But what Pepa and Silvia had is something we are all looking for: unconditional love. I am not a person who will send postcards or contribute money to an ad. It's just not me. I don't believe in fate. I believe things happen for a reason. So Silvia dying on LHPD was meant to be for what ever reason. Anyway, I have always been a great admirer of your sense of humor and writing style and like you I love Silvia (not MA). Now back to basics which is for me to get my degree in Silvialogy.
Yours truely,
Malbeca
Well, again, this is a very late comment ... I missed all this hoopla when it happened, but speaking for myself, yeah, I'm not the sort of person who would have joined in a campaign to bring Silvia back (much as I HATED that plot twist with a passion). The reason is very simple: there is no believable way in which that character death could have been undone. The way 104 was edited and aired, the shots of the dead characters at the end, the montage of the characters, and the (unbelievable) words of "no regret" from Paco ... all of that had such an air of finality to it that it would actually have been kind of absurd if they'd brought any of those characters back.
Having said that, I would absolutely have written a scathing letter to Alex Pina/A3/Globomedia/whoever to tell them why I thought their decision to kill off four major characters (esp. Silvia and Montoya) and give such an unsatisfying ending to the PepSi story arc was pretty much a death wish for their show, in addition to being bad storytelling and a total betrayal of what LHdP was and what its audience had built up emotional expectations for. Even if Marian was leaving the show, there were far more fulfilling ways in which the PepSi story arc could have been concluded.
If instead of a Save Silvia campaign, this was a "we-can't-change-your-decision-to-kill-Silvia--and-destroy-PepSi-but-we-hate-it-and-this-is-why" campaign, I would have taken part in it.
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