I just finished watching Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. On the one hand, the idea of extraterrestrials or interdimensional beings (or angels or deities, for that matter) having come to earth and brought the key elements of civilization and technology with them (whether making fire, irrigation, or velcro) faces a problem akin to that of intelligent design. It is the common reaction “I can’t imagine how that came about, so I will posit an external intervention to explain it”. Great human creations, whether in art or architecture, science or scripture, usually evoke such a reaction, which is not unlike the reaction some have to the complex creations of biological evolution. But in all these instances, one is simply pushing the problem back without resolving it. If life here was designed, then who designed its designers? If aliens or angels brought technology to humans, who gave it to them?
On the other hand, it was nice to see Indiana Jones make the most important discovery of his life: that eventually the adventure of constantly pressing on into the unknown loses its importance and luster compared to the adventure of getting to know one person deeply, intimately, profoundly. Early in the movie, seeing an aging Indiana Jones reminded me of the embarrassment I felt seeing a comparably aged Lou Gramm and Foreigner singing “Hot Blooded”.
Then again, we also witness Henry discover he has a son, to whom he wishes to pass on such wisdom, and yet who takes after him (and to whom his mantle…er, hat…almost passes quite literally).
The “city of gold” turns out to have as its treasure knowledge. Yet that treasure burns up the mind of those who try to absorb its fullness. Is the attempt to pass on our wisdom to the next generation similar? Is it not the case that it takes life experience to come to value knowledge more than gold, and relationships more than adventure? Can such things be taught?
At any rate, there can be no better way of exploring such questions than to the accompaniment of a soundtrack by John Williams?
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