To the Editor:
Do you remember the 1982 Warner Bros. movie titled “The NeverEnding Story?” The movie’s central plot is a young boy who is engrossed in a book about a world called Fantasia. Fantasia is being devoured by a force referred to as “the Nothing.” As I watched the movie with my children recently, I sat in amazement with a strange feeling this movie wasn’t released in 1982, rather it was a current documentary about the Donald Trump campaign. I mean, talk about plagiarism, I think Trump lifted the plotline and is using it as his campaign platform. He and his campaign are “the Nothing.”
In a direct quote from the movie, Fantasia symbolizes “the world of human fantasy, it is the dreams and hopes of mankind.” The antagonist character is upset that Fantasia has no boundaries as there is no limit to the imagination. This is much like how there is no limit to the American Dream. The antagonist goes on to say Fantasia is dying because people have begun to lose their hopes and forget their dreams. Because of this, “the Nothing” grows stronger as it feeds off the cynicism and apathy of the world. Starting to sound familiar, right? Perhaps a bit like the recent Republican National Convention.
The climax of the movie is depicted in just a few sentences. This part of the movie truly epitomizes the Trump campaign. The lead character is asking the antagonist why he is driving the force called “the Nothing” that is destroying the world. The antagonist replies, “Because people who have no hopes are easy to control and whoever has the control has the power.” Wait, could this be true? Did the creators of “The NeverEnding Story” predict Donald Trump’s campaign platform?
Here is the good news, there is hope. As the movie comes to a close, the lead character defeats the antagonist who was driving “the Nothing.” However, he fears he did not succeed as “the Nothing” or rather the cynicism and apathy still exists in the world. But in the end, humanity wins. Humans realize they have the power to dream and imagine. After their realization, their dreams come true, without their leader. They once again see life as a wonderful thing, filled with aspirations, hopes, and unlimited imagination. In current day reality, humanity doesn’t need anyone to make America great again, as it is up to us to make America great again.
So what is the moral of the story? Choose our next leader wisely, but perhaps consider you can be the one to make America great again.
