Will Articles on ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Ever End?

Yes I saw it. Yes it was great. No, I am not giving spoilers. But I have found something interesting … the movie and everything about it is blowing up my news article notifications.

Here are some headlines …. Weekend records crumble at power of Endgame. Fanboys line up for a movie in a world of streaming. Marvel teaching us how to say goodbye. Chris Pratt takes illegal video recording on set. Thor plays video games (not gonna say which one). What’s up with Captain America and his jewelry? Woman Power in A:E! Did every character have their moment? Did you notice the order in the credits? Young man carried from theater sobbing (and not over price of popcorn and Goobers). When to take bathroom breaks in the 3 hour epic (sorry Ant-Man and Pepper, your scenes got top of this list). And so many more.

I would be on my iPad quite awhile if I were to read all these articles. And it would cut into my game time (oops, I mean study time if your reading this Lisa). But I have given many of them some attention. This is a huge event … culturally, economically, artistically, and more.

One church member made a connection I missed. After Thanos’s finger snap, it was kind of like what the world may be like after the rapture … so many people gone and how the world might respond. At least something to ponder.

Why another Avengers article? here is my pint. This event makes me think of Bread & Circuses … panem et circenses. The practice, or cultural phenomenon, of being easily distracted by superficial things. It goes back to Rome in the first couple of centuries, basically connected to the games in the Coliseum, the gladiators. Leaders tried to distract, or divert their attention, from hard times, economic wails, political blunders, and more. If you can keep their attention elsewhere, and maybe a little food in their belly, you can quell any riots, etc.

It won’t last forever. Something else will have to come along to distract us once Endgame wears off.

I see nothing wrong with a little diversion here or there. We need to stop and smell the roses, take breaks along the way, breath a little, enjoy the little things, and so on. But don’t get sidetracked from the destination. So, all work and no play may be bad, but don’t forget the opposite as well … all play and no work will get nothing accomplished.

So enjoy the distraction of Endgame, but it won’t last. You’ll need to, and should, get back to work eventually. At least until Will Smith gives us his rendition of Genie in Aladdin when it hits the screen on May 24th.

Postscript … caution, bread and circuses was a way to strip power from the people. Don’t think this is always used for the good of the citizens. Maybe more on this later.