S is for...Survival

Survival of the fittest

Charles Darwin

Darwinian Theory

Survivor the TV series

Bear Grylls

Ray Mears

And on doing a little bit of google searching - Survival of the Fittest - what looks like a fucking horrendous TV show. But I’m sure is equally fucking hilarious.

This is what I think springs to mind for a lot of us when we think about survival.

Why am I writing about it? Well it’s an ‘S’ word obviously. But it’s perhaps up there with being one of the most important ones? Maybe one day I’ll do a top 100...because, I’m a sad twat.

Anyway, recently I was watching an interview of Marlon Brando talking about when he gave his Oscar back. He got the Oscar, that he gave back, for his part in The Godfather, a film I still haven’t watched yet. As a film student this usually appals most people. And I...don’t fucking care. I’ve got the box set downstairs ready to watch. But I may never watch it...just because, fuck you.

Him giving his Oscar back is one of the most fascinating things to me. Because undoubtedly when people start looking at cinema, at some point they will come across Brando. He’s an icon. And when people think about cinema at some point they think about the Academy Awards and The Oscars.

If people are so set on achieving something, like an Oscar, and then they get it, why on Earth would they give it back? But that’s the point isn’t it...what are people actually trying to achieve? And why?

Just got me thinking, I won’t be surprised if an athlete gives back their sporting medal at some point soon in a similar circumstance to this one.

Anyway, Brando gave back the award in protest of the treatment of Native Americans in film.

Sacheen Littlefeather went in his place. She got some shit for it. That’s sad.

And Brando wasn’t even the first person to decline an Oscar. George C. Scott was.

To surmise. Survival. Marlon Brando. In this interview I was watching Brando says that he thinks we create art in order to survive.

That is something I agree with 100%.

Check this out.

Who doesn't love a good quote?

"I am quite conscious that my speculations run quite beyond the bounds of true science." - Charles Darwin

Songs to listen to now:

Eye of the Tiger - Survivor

Survivor - Destiny's Child

I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor

I'm Still Standing - Elton John

Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) - Kelly Clarkson

Started from the Bottom - Drake

Warrior - Demi Lavato