WALL-E’s Hoard of Insights

On my flight back from Japan, I was lucky enough to watch the film WALL-E. It was one of the best films that I have seen in a very long time. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it. It works as an expressive silent film, fun children’s story, and soft-handed social satire.

When watching the film, I wrote down a few thoughts in my off-line journal. I’d like to share these with you. I try to avoid giving away major spoilers, but reader beware.

The Lighter and Innocence

There is a scene where Wall-E is showing EVE his hoard of artifacts from human civilization. One of these is a lighter and as EVE plays with it, I was so moved! Seeing an advanced robot– an expression of man’s industrial power — being fascinated by fire –the tool which, above all, allowed for man’s industrial might– was touching. This was only added to by the fact that EVE was so engaged by something so simple. Fire has a certain naturalness which lends it mystical properties and in a way, EVE’s captivation by fire is an expression of burgeoning humanity. She’s innocent, pure, and is still able to delight in the simple things. This fits with the movie’s ultimate message of reconnecting with one’s humanity in the face of modern ease and distractions. It is a scene as elegant and primal as fire itself.

The Beginner’s Mind and Going Back Home For the First Time

WALL-E deals with the end of human civilization on Earth, but rebirth and renewal is a prominent theme in the film. WALL-E’s collection of human novelties, EVE’s enjoyment of the lighter, and the Captain’s thirst for knowledge are all expressions of the Beginner Mind. In Buddhism, this is a state of mind in which one perceives without bias or judgment. It is a means of living in the world that allows a person to react to the needs of the environment without the weights of pre-conceived notions and fear. WALL-E collects his human junk because it is fun, not out of nostalgia. EVE explores the earth in life in a child-like way that nearly brought tears to my eyes.  And the captain, when he finally has his curiosity piqued, voraciously consumes information about Earth and is able to enjoy everything he learns because he is unfamiliar with any of the material. Nothing these characters experience is mundane or tainted. This theme is also carried into relationships. WALL-E and EVE’s romance is not based on compatible consumption patterns, religious views or occupations. Instead, it is built on a foundation of shared experience and open-mindedness. The relationships between human characters are treated in a similar manner; positive attitude and openness to experience bring them closer together. Ultimately, this changes the world for the better. I have only recently become aware that such a state of mind was possible and I am happy that this delightful film is able to illustrate the power for good in the world that it represents.