Hunger Games? or Real Life?

When I read the books I said I wouldn't go see the movies so I wouldn't be just like the audience in the Capitol, gawking at these kids killing each other for "honor" and "tradition" (public reasons) and dumb-down entertainment for the mindless herd and a reminder threat to the oppressed (real reasons).  Half-way through the movie I remembered my vow and felt like a hypocrite but my husband said it was a good reminder to see it, and indeed it was.  Control is a corrupting and slippery slope - the more one has at stake from being in a position of power (money, control, celebrity) the more s/he will be willing to cross ethical and moral and spiritual lines to maintain it.  This is not simply a fictional account - there are examples of it every single day in our world.  Someone's son or husband or mother dies or gets a little sicker so that someone in control can still be treated to an expensive trip or so his company can continue to profit from building defense machines or so we can buy cheap gas or so the drug money won't dry up (and I don't necessarily mean drug lords or war criminals, but people we see on CNN too).  I have heard it said that the next conflict affecting this country will not be about race or nationality - it will be about poverty and greed.  Our food supply is going to suffer because fewer control more of it and it does not have the strength of diversity.  Government should not be in control of how we nourish ourselves.  This is not the business government was meant to be in and the constituents never approved the USDA or other groups who have control, supposedly for the public good but undoubtedly in the pockets of big money agriculture.  This hits your family right on the dinner table and in the bodies of your babies.    The Hunger Games are not as far away from reality as you might think. Click the link above - take the quiz - learn more.