One Flew East - Democratic Underground

H2O Man

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Fri Sep-07-07 09:00 AM
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One Flew East

"…one flew east, one flew west
One flew over the cuckoo’s nest."
-- the William Matrimmatoe chant

Yesterday, there were some fascinating discussions on the Democrat Underground’s General Discussion forum that we might call the "Circuit City threads." There were several issues being discussed that I think are worthy of our attention, including the dehumanizing effects of a corporate state, how laws can be applied in ways that may restrict what our civil rights, and potential avenues for public protest that are protected by Amendment 1 of the Bill of Rights.

There were some interesting disagreements about some of the issues being discussed. I felt that people on both sides of the disagreements made some valid points. I thought that the issues that DUers focused on were raised in a more interesting manner than the event at Circuit City itself. And that got me thinking about how, at its best, DU reminds me of one of my favorite books and movies, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest."

There are, of course, significant differences between the movie and the book. One that comes to mind is that the book has its central figure, Chief Bromden, tell of one of his favorite childhood memories, which involved a variation of the children’s lyric quoted above. That is never explained in the movie, and so the people who only see the movie will have a different idea of what the title means.

Chief Bromden represents "America" in both the book and movie, much in the way that the image of the semi-naked Indian "princess" of the 1800 did. He had been brave and athletic – a football star in school, college-educated, and a war hero. But when he sees his father destroyed by the dehumanizing processes of modern life (both in the larger society and in his home), Bromden suffers from a severe psychological break.

Bromden sees society in terms of a machine, which he identifies as "the Combine." A combine is a agricultural machine that is used to harvest fields of grain. The word is also used in reference to industrial processes that mix ingredients in such a way that they lose their individual characteristics. The term was perfect for the time period the story is set in.

The head of the ward is a cold authoritarian, Nurse Ratched, who uses people like machines. The Chief views the "aides" on the floor as being black men, who represent the cruel overseers on plantations. He sees one as a dwarf, because the aide’s growth as a human being was stunted when he saw his mother raped by white men. These aides are described as bitter, angry men who have lost the attributes that make us human – which is why Nurse Ratched has hired them.

Bromden also views himself as a dwarf. He sees the staff as giants. Those reading the book (and to a lesser extent, those watching the movie) can see that the Chief is actually a very large, powerful man. But his perception has been impaired, and his delusional thinking makes perfect sense to him within the context of his life within the institution. He has made the adjustments that he is convinced are necessary to remain alive within the bowels of the Combine.

But things change when Randle Patrick McMurphy comes to stay on the ward. The anti-social Irishman is, obviously, as much of a symbolic character as the others. He is a little less attractive in the book than the movie, but he plays the same wonderful role. He constantly challenges the system, and his antics begins to awaken the inner humanity in the inmates within that institution. Though McMurphey had originally viewed the other patients with contempt , he begins to see them as real people – as individuals worthy of respect.

His respect creates a sense of self-esteem within the individual patients, and they begin to question the Combine’s control over their lives. In the movie, we see how that can translate into confused attempts to exercise their rights. The best example is found in Mr. Cheswick, when he has a bit of a melt-down when he demands that Nurse Ratched give him his cigarettes.

McMurphy’s response is important. In the movie, the message is delivered by Jack Nicholson’s expression – it is evident that he recognizes there are some issues worth fighting for, and others that distract us from what is important. That theme is better developed in the book: Mr. Cheswick is the first patient who really is inspired by McMurphy, but he tends to be a loud and obnoxious character who demands that others change, but who resists making the internal changes necessary to initiate external change. One can easily imagine Mr. Cheswick becoming furious as he exits Circuit City.

McMurphy’s response to the cigarette confrontation does not mean he only engages in actions when he is certain that he will succeed. There is a great scene where he bets the others that he can pick up the stone sink, and toss it through the window, in order that he can escape. "At least I tried," he tells them.

When McMurphy learns that he can be held until Nurse Ratched approves of his release, rather than when his jail sentence is up, he begins to adjust to the rules of the institution. This is viewed with self-righteous indignation by Mr. Cheswick, who responds to what he views as McMurphy’s betrayal by killing himself in a highly symbolic way.

McMurphy’s ability to pick his battles comes to an end with Billy Bibbit’s suicide. He attacks Nurse Ratched, and is sent to the "disturbed ward" for a lobotomy. His final act of self-sacrifice has a curing effect on Chief Bromden: he begins to see the world as it really is, rather than from the misperceptions that result from how it appeared. Chief Bromden sees that the severely damaged McMurphy will destroy the self-esteem in the other citizens of the ward, and so he puts the pillow over Randle Patrick’s face, denying the Combine that "victory." And then he struggles to tear out the sink, through it through that window, and make his escape.

Just as the book and movie were a vehicle for Ken Kesey to express his thoughts on how the institutions of our society dehumanize people, and steal their dignity and their rights, the Circuit City discussions offered DUers a vehicle to discuss these same issues. And just as Chief Bromden recovered from the damage that life inflicted upon him, and came to recognize that the Combine was both internal and external – and then escaped into the real America – we have an opportunity to examine some of the illusions and delusions of life in Nurse Cheney’s America.

The Bush administration is taking serious steps towards reducing our Constitutional rights. The most obvious examples are found in the domestic spying programs which are commonly called "the Patriot Act." They are largely what had been known as the Huston Plan during the Nixon era. Patriots opposed these attacks on the Constitution then, and they should today. But it requires that we do more than simply read the Bill of Rights.

It’s important that we also use our resources properly – we have television, books, and computers. We can find out what the laws actually are, rather than what we might wish it to be. In the Circuit City discussion, for example, one DUer brought the 1968 US Supreme Court ruling in Terry v Ohio to the attention of many who were unaware of this. It is a ruling with a serious dissent, which was reflected in the Circuit City debates.

We should also look to the history of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and ‘60s for examples of what tactics tend to work best. People like King and Parks did not take actions without having given them a lot of thought, and getting the informed opinions of attorneys. It did not follow that Martin always followed his attorneys’ advice, of course. But he was selective in what conflicts he became engaged in. I think that he set a good example.