I really wonder how much of our stuff is just an illusion that sates us into thinking we have it all together.
Last night I was watching television and one of the pinnacle 80’s movies came on. The graphic, F-work laden Scarface. (My friend once counted the F words and there are 365.) I couldn’t help but get drawn into this strange story of the rise and fall of Tony Montana. Outside of The Godfather, I think this is one of Al Pacino’s best performances. It was dark and brooding, and full of so much drama.
But something stood out to me as I watched the glitz and glamor of 80’s fashion play out on the screen. I was so immediately conscious of the fact that I would never, ever wear what they were wearing. But at one time it was all the rage. The tight polyester suits and Italian loafers. All of it looked funny now. Things change.
In an early scene, when Montana’s character meets his boss Frank Lopez for the first time, we’re introduced to the opulence of Frank’s life. His house has a three story living room with marble floors. The furniture was chic and stylistic but now out of fashion. His character says that his biggest problem is how to spend all of his money. Even the Porsche 928, which Tony covets and I absolutely loved, is so yesterday.
And as I watched it I couldn’t help but think about how our stuff is so much of an illusion. We agree to the ever changing idea of fashion and hip. And in the moment we have it, it becomes valuable. And what makes it valuable is our agreement that its valuable. Yet 25 years later, all of that stuff is outdated and out of style. The illusion is gone.
It makes me really wonder how much we play games with ourselves. And 25 years later we still play the game. What’s fashionable today will be outdated in one maybe two years from now. I really wonder if we’re comfortable with being captured by the illusion of stuff.
