The Wire

I love The Wire. Watched all of first season within a day. This means a lot coming from someone with ADHD, not being able to sit through a movie or even listen to a song in its entirety.

It makes me realize that some things aren't as clear cut as they seem... There isn't one character that is completely "right" or completely "wrong" except for McNulty who doesn't give a shit about anything but his own set of rules. He doesn't care about chain of command, he doesn't care about pissing off his superiors, and he doesn't care about anything but solving the case and putting the criminals behind bars. Originally, I hated Daniels for being a sell out, but I realize that he actually has his own morals which are very admirable. He doesn't sell out his own unit, and he fights for the case at the expense of his possible promotions. At times, I emphasized with individuals in the Barksdale Organization although they were responsible for the deaths of innocent people. For example, D' Angelo Barksdale was just someone that was born into the life of crime, and he had to live the life and play the game, whether he liked it or not.

This begs the question of what is right and wrong. How can it be defined, and who defines it? There are too many gray areas, and matters collide into each other. Like for example, Omar Little who kills Stringer Bell, is he justified in his killing of Stringer Bell? Omar, unlike Stringer Bell, doesn't not involve violence in anyone who is not in "the game," so does that make him a better person that Stringer Bell? Stringer Bell, who was involved in the killing of witnesses, people in his own organization, and innocent people, was so elusive and good at what he does that he could not be prosecuted. Does that mean Omar did a good deed by killing such a dangerous man who might have taken the lives of more people.

I usually like stories with a simple and short plot line. Where everything ends in a "happily ever after." The Wire is just so overwhelming for me, I'm not sure what to make of it... except that the world is a fucked up place.

Because right and wrong is subjective, the only way we can have universal truth is to indicate someone or something as the authority on morality. What should this be? Popular opinion? Majority? But these aren't universal truths since masses are easily swayed. I guess this is where we can turn to the word of God and designate God as the ultimate authority. Who else better than the creator of the heaven and earth to help us figure this whole thing out.

I also think it's messed up how our justice system works... or rather doesn't work. This is something I completely do not want to get into, since I'll just get really heated and angry. From studying a minor in Law & Society, I almost want to say that Law is an antonym for Society. Law is definitely an antonym for justice. I know that I need to stay away from the whole field of law and especially criminal law to remain sane.

I guess I can also find comfort in a superior being, or in God. That there is one who resides above us all, making sure the universe is fair. I do believe in karma, not in the Buddhist sense, but in the sense that everything that we do will come around, sooner or later. I have faith in that system, although we often times do not see it directly. I just wished that the whole Karma system worked more blatantly and obviously.

On a lighter note, I am obsessed with Idris Elba. He played Stringer Bell brilliantly, is good looking, and I found out he is British with an amazing American accent.