Grace Blaha Blogs

At first, I was curious to see how Groundhog Day related to civic life, especially with regards to the pandemic we are currently in. The more I thought about it and the more the movie went on, the more I was able to connect it to our current situation. I think that we can all agree that the beginning of quarantine felt like we were living the same day over and over again, I think that the biggest parallel between the world we live in today and that of Groundhog Day is that we often make the same mistakes over and over, not always caring about the outcome’s effect on others. Humanity is stubborn in this way, we make decisions that we have seen to have a negative effect on others, but we are committed to serving our own selves at such a cost. The way that Bill Murray’s character was at first mirrors the behavior of many people that find themselves with freedom and opportunity: they use it selfishly without care or concern for others. Like Phil, the only way that we can bring positive change, is by becoming less selfish and using out wisdom and knowledge to make change for good.

The article written on the movie added even more meaning to the movie. Like Phil, our dissatisfaction with our lives can cause us to miss out on the things that can make it meaningful. The author kept mentioning how one of the biggest things that changed was that Phil started slowing down and noticing things. Humans, especially Americans, frequently find themselves striving towards the future, thereby not absorbing and valuing the present. This has been particularly evident throughout the pandemic, as many of us have wanted to speed through the periods of quarantine, isolation and lockdowns, but the longevity of such circumstances has forced many of us to focus more on the present. I also like what was said about mindfulness not being avoiding difficulty but meeting it with compassion. As Phil was forced to slow down, he started working for a better future for those around him, even though his own future was not guaranteed.

As for civic life in general, the film has an interesting twist on the trope of the Scrooge like character who undergoes a supernatural experience that reveals to him the flaws in living a selfish lifestyle. The movie seems to illustrate that time feels meaningless unless we use it to better people besides ourselves. Phil’s self-indulgent actions led him into a downward spiral, leading him to be suicidal. But the positive encounter with Rita in which she was behaving with civic interest in mind led him to behave the same. This illustrates the ripple effect caused by civic behavior. The humorous thing about Phil’s more community centered actions is that they ended up helping and saving him in the long run. The selfish pursuits that Phil once thought to be best for him proved to break him, but the kindness he showed to others is what ended up saving him.

 

I thought that Biden made very intentional efforts to emphasize unity and commonality in his speech. He emphasized being “one nation” and even mentioned that he thanked people from both parties who had preserved democracy and the functions of government. He was incredibly optimistic, even claiming that Americans were “good people” and that America was a “good nation.” He juxtaposed this with the hurt and division that plague the country, describing that they are moving towards healing. To most watchers, he seems to be assuring that they are part of the good parts of America, assigning the evils of the country to other sources within the nation. His word choice makes the evil in the country appear to be something done by a portion of people, not done by a large majority of the population. This unites average Americans as being part of the “good,” thus unifying the majority country with common goodness. This appeals to Americans, encouraging them and possibly undoing many of the ways in which they have felt villainized or antagonized by the government or by politicians.

It is also interesting to me that he spoke of America and its core values as great and uniquely beneficial to the world, which I think is an interesting choice given the political tension that occurred in the year leading up to this speech. By saying this, Biden is illustrating an image of America in which the country is not characterized by its conflict and injustice. He painted injustice and pain that America has witnessed as something that America is not typically defined by, perhaps even idealizing parts of American history. Biden is attempting to make the hardships and pain of recent years appear to be something of the past, perhaps even making it to be something that is tied to his predecessor. By asserting his presidency and the future of America to be something associated with healing, unity and goodness, Biden is proving to viewers that he himself is bringing such things.

One part that was particularly moving was when he mentioned the need for human dignity and more uplifting ways of discourse. I think that his most interesting claim was that he would fight just as hard for those that didn’t vote for him as those who did, yet again focusing on unity and healing.  In a world where so many people feel alienated or dehumanized, I thought that focusing on human dignity was a very good choice. He made his desires for his presidency very clear, his focus on unity and kindness communicate that he wants his presidency to be one that is characterized by healing. He sets a standard for America, calling to morals and referring to people like Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, drawing on the quintessential American leaders that are the poster children of American values.

As far as setting forth a Presidential persona, Biden’s main focus of ethos didn’t seem to be on his accomplishments alone. His biggest areas of emphasis appeared to be his optimism towards his ability to lead to country and his religious beliefs. I was surprised that he mentioned religious beliefs, especially given the tension that exists within the American church and much of the growing population. It seems that Biden’s purpose in this may have been to communicate that he was a man of values. Biden is expanding on the optimistic portrayal of himself that he had earlier, making him to be a sort of ethical and unifying leader that America so desires.

I think the power of this speech hinges entirely on the rhetorical situation. America has had a turbulent past couple of years, and many voters wanted a breath of fresh air from Biden. Americans were exhausted by the social tension, lies, economic decline and the pandemic’s persistence. Biden is advertising his presidency as the mechanism in which such issues can be solved. He is also combatting the negativity of the past couple years with more positive and calming reassurances of a hopeful future.