A Review of Terry GIlliam's "The Zero Theorem" - Page 3

Christoph Waltz’ portrayal, Qohen’s neuroticism, Qohen is not just waiting for a call his whole life, he's been waiting for a calling because isolation in all forms makes the question of meaning ultimately pointless. We blend in with the drapes and furniture. We’re mired beneath the heels of daily routine and unyielding surrender to our merger with the cogs of the time clock, etc. 

As someone who has found themselves working independently and in pursuit of your passion and connection with yourself/family, how do you maintain such a profound understanding of the analog lifestyle? How do you stay sane, plugged in during these ‘unchartered times’? How do you keep from being distracted and overwhelmed???

DW:  Well, there’s a lot to address in that question! Let’s begin with Qohen and his waiting for a call(ing), essentially outsourcing his contentment and purpose. Never wait for something external to “arrive” to give you meaning and direction. Recognize that you are the one who gives yourself meaning, not some outside source. That “meaning” often comes in simple, mundane ways that go unnoticed – making the morning coffee, feeding pets, tending a garden, cooking a meal. With some exceptions, the digital world rewards reaction, the analog world rewards intention. Our online culture tells us more is more and, it speeds us up while reducing our attention span, it overloads our personal space with information that is often inaccurate or curated to manipulate and distract. So, there is a need to diligently practice and strengthen critical thinking skills as well as detach from emotional reaction/interaction online. We must limit our time online and step away from electronic devices for a while each day. Don’t misunderstand me, I love lots of things about online life – the social interaction and sharing of creativity, the wealth of information available, the fun of exploring the world from your digital interface…these are all fantastic. However, none of that compares to the contentment and inspiration I find in things like digging my hands into the soil and growing plants, walking barefoot, the quietude of a forest, baking bread, creating art with my hands, listening to a busker perform, wandering thrift shops and meeting people with stories to share. On the other hand, I also spend, and have always spent, time gaming (on all platforms). For me, it is an activity that pulls me away from reality and destresses my mind. Right now, I am playing Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine. I am the kid that skipped school to go to the arcade, and that will never change.

So, savour your time online, but continuously engage and hone your critical thinking skills, detach yourself emotionally, and limit your daily exposure time. Slow down and enjoy the unassuming beauty of everyday existence – that first sip of coffee, the quirky person you randomly meet that ignites a creative spark in you, the feel of grass under your bare feet, the texture and detail of the peeling paint on a graffiti covered wall – all the moments, even the tough and painful ones. Realize that you are in more control than “the system” would have you believe. Create in every way that comes along, stay curious, keep learning and failing and learning again until your final breath, and hopefully beyond that too. Your life has already begun, Qohen, and the phone ringing won’t change that, so stop waiting. The message arrived in the silence of self. Are you listening?

Talking about the finale of the film, it seems to me that Q ultimately drowns, not in fantasy but distorted reality.  Bainsley sees his emptiness like an aimless tornado and when Q drops his guard, admits his desires, she runs. Access denied.  The fuck is the point in putting yourself out there for ridicule and rejection anymore?

DW: Does Qohen drown? Or is he simply keeping his head above water, so to speak? Q has been waiting in his decrepit church for meaning to come in the form of a phone call from some external power. Simultaneously, he is working for Management trying to prove life has no meaning.  He is in limbo, unsuccessful in engaging with the real world, hiding in his crumbling faith and waiting for a saviour. Bainsley is a virtual medication provided by Management to keep him balanced and working. Q perceives this manufactured escape and Bainsley’s companionship as a “saviour” to his internal existential black hole, which he carries with him into the virtual space. Medication for symptoms is not a cure. The beach is stagnant, the sun never sets, and Bainsley is paid to be there. Bainsley has a job to do, she isn’t there for Q’s deliverance.  She leaves because she cannot fill Q’s demand, it is too much, she is on her own journey of self-salvation. Q ruptures the boundaries between worlds and sinks – truth drowning him – he must save himself. We see this again at the very end of the film. Q comes to a place where he demolishes the corporate machine and accepts his “black hole” - he lets go, falls in willingly, and returns to the beach – alone. The beach is still a form of simulated life however we see Q control the sun and achieve his desire of a sunset. Some measure of Zen is attained. There is sadness but also a degree of empowerment - self-acceptance, self-reliance – as Q actualizes whatever small part of control he can over his existence. He is calm, he is not waiting for a phone to ring and give external meaning, or frantically seeking someone else’s answers for pay. I suppose he has brought these two sides together and crushed them – accepting that yes, existence can be meaningless, given a large enough view, however it is also full of meaning, when attention is given to the moment you are in and you engage there. Solitude is not loneliness, and there is much you can only hear when engaging in solitude – including the meaning you give to your own existence. And so, one could read the setting sun as closure and then ask, will Qohen also make the sun rise?