In the argument of who controls our lives,
compatibilism brings together the best of both worlds – parts of our lives are
determined for us while we continue to have free-will. The
Adjustment Bureau does a great job putting this view into perspective. Sprinkled with mystery and a dash of love,
the movie does well in keeping audience interest while playing out a
controversial topic. David, a young and
popular senate runner, meets Elise, an up-and-coming dancer, in the men’s
bathroom on the night of elections. A
few months later, they meet again on a city bus – could this be a sign that
they belong together? As David soon
finds out, the Adjustment Bureau has other plans for their futures. Throughout the rest of the movie, David must
struggle between the knowledge that everyone’s lives are predetermined and the
free-will inside him that longs to change the future.
“You don't have free will,
David. You have the appearance of free will.”
This statement made by one the members of the Bureau
really struck me. The rest of the dialogue
goes on discussing that although we make small choices, like what toothpaste to
buy, our bigger choices, like who we marry, are already determined for us. We may seem free, but we really aren’t. This is the determinism side of the argument,
and, in terms of the movie, hints at the theological aspect – the “chairman” in
the movie is assumed to be what we perceive as God. Therefore, are we that helpless in our futures?
No matter what we do, what we say, what we think, we don’t control our
future at all? I can’t wrap my head
around this notion because I really believe that we have the power to change
our futures – nothing is written in stone.
David eventually gets to ask about why his family was
taken away from him when he was young; his dad and brother were planned to be
taken away in order to give him the desire to be in the limelight, but his
mother’s accident was just that, an accident.
Throughout the movie he is constantly told that if he tries to change
anything and succeed there will be numerous ripple effects and not only will
his future change, but so will many others.
This idea that one action affects many others is something I do believe in. Everybody and everything we do is connected
in some way or another. Ripple effects
can happen by simply smiling at one person who is having a bad day. It’s a beautifully complex notion, and it
makes you wonder how everything you do affects someone else. Think of it like the idea of time
travel. It is a common belief that we
couldn't possibly travel to the future because it hasn't been written yet; some also say that we could travel to the future, but what we experience could change depending on how our present plays out. On the other hand, we could travel to the
past because it has already happened, but we could seriously alter the future
(or our present) by doing something as simple as stepping on an ant. This Back
to the Future train of thought highlights how predominant the ripple effect
is.
“Most people live life on
the path we set for them, too afraid to explore any other. But once in a while
people like you come along who knock down all the obstacles we put in your way.
People who realize freewill is a gift that you'll never know how to use until
you fight for it. I think that's the chairman's real plan. That maybe one day,
we won't write the plan, you will.”
The last words of the movie provide
some wonderful food for thought. Should
we just take what life gives us and say “well, that’s just the way it is”, or
should we fight for what we believe is right?
A personal experience recently occurred that exemplifies this
choice. One of my professors has been
having problems with the university about her employment. She shared with us that the university has
decided to let her go after this semester and on top of that she is not allowed
to go on our study abroad trip in May. Devastated
and confused, the class asked her if there was anything we could do to help the
situation or change their mind. She said
that she didn’t want us getting involved, that this was the way it was, and
that this has to be a part of God’s plan.
That’s her way of handling the situation, and that’s completely
fine. I, on the other hand, believe that
she should fight for her position and or have her students show their support
publicly – like how David fought for the women he knew he loved and how his
case worker helped him. We have to at
least try to take control of our lives, otherwise what’s the purpose of being?
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