I just watched Transformers today. Just like the norm, we see a flurry of 3D graphics and the over-emphasized theme of “fighting to save the day”.

While the enjoyable movie seemed to serve no other purpose other than entertainment, one particular scene caught my attention, and till now I’m sill pondering over the relevance of the subtle message it was trying to convey.

This scene was when the leader of the Autobots – Optimus Prime, and the leader of the Deceptocons (I hope I’ve spelt it correctly), Megatron, were engaged in this heated battle. MT went on about how humans as a dumb race do not deserve to live (and in fact we were truly portrayed as idiots most of the time in the movie), while OP insisted we deserve a chance to choose.

This scene somehow resembles our everyday battle. We fight each other to create an ideal world, a world WE think is the best for ourselves / everyone else. We don’t often seek their opinion, but instead decide for them since they probably can’t make a wise decision if left on their own. We call this attempt a battle for the Greater Good.

But truly, what’s best for us is for us to know. No one else would know better.

Sometimes it just puzzles me, why do we have to coat our individualistic visions and efforts in the name of others? What is actually wrong with doing something just to please oneself?

OP fought for the human race because HE felt it was the better choice.

MT did the opposite because HE wanted to create an alternate world.

LKY built Singapore based in HIS ideals of a functional democratic nation.

Parents urge us to study hard and score well because THEY perceive such efforts as the key to success in society.

And when so many people out there are trying to impose ideals upon us, what’s left for us to decide? And if we truly make a decision, followed by action in the name of self, does that make us a lesser being?

This is just very, very puzzling.