JUST TEN MORE MINUTES
May 15, 2024
I'm novelist Richard V. Rupp, writing to you from Burbank, California.
This is my monthly RUPP'S NOTES newsletter, which is published on the third Wednesday of each month.
This post addresses snoozing, loneliness, nones, and what is happening to one of my favorite movie theatres.
JUST 10 MORE MINUTES
As a self-employed writer who works from home, I don't set an alarm clock to wake up. But I do roll over several times in the morning, look at the clock, and think, "Just 10 more minutes."
Did you know that those extra 30 minutes of snoozing in the morning can actually be beneficial? The JOURNAL OF SLEEP RESEARCH has published an article indicating that tests showed snoozing improved or did not affect cognition compared to those who woke up the first time their alarm went off. It is even suggested that doing this will make you feel more alert and energetic in the morning. So, next time you feel like rolling over, remember, it's not just a luxury, it's a health boost.
LONELINESS
As a society, we are experiencing a shift in our social structure. The "MeToo" movement concept has expanded from sexism to dozens of individualism issues. Social media comments, reading the newspapers, and watching the news have convinced me that the concept of individualism has reached such extremes that we have now reached a state of individual isolation. I think the concepts of virtual reality and artificial intelligence contribute to this. We talk on cell phones, play video games, and work from home. We don't shop in stores but rather online. We don't go to the movies. Humans don't talk or communicate directly with each other anymore. Human relationships have evaporated. Now, I am reading studies that support this concept. It's a sobering thought, and one that we should all take a moment to reflect on.
Loneliness is not just a personal struggle, it's a global issue. A study by the BMJ, a medical journal publisher, that covered 113 countries indicates that loneliness is prevalent worldwide, with us Americans and the British at the highest end of the loneliness scale. This is a problem that many of us are facing, and it's important to acknowledge and address it.
At least here in Burbank, it is apparent that younger people are not getting married. I think part of that is that Burbank has so many young people in the movie business who don't seem to want to get married. A 2021 study indicates that the U.S. marriage rate was 14.9 marriages per 1,000 people, a 16.3% decline from a decade earlier. Today, 53% of U.S. adults ages 18 and older are married, down from 58% in 1995.
In Japan, the NATIONAL INSTITUE OF POPULATION AND SOCIAL SECURITY indicates a 2021 survey published this month indicates that 17.3% of men and 14.6% of women aged between 18 and 34 said they had no intention of ever tying the knot – the highest figure since the questionnaire was first conducted in 1982. It is suggested that there is a growing desire among young working women to enjoy the freedoms that come with being single and having a career and that men also enjoy being single. The men voiced concern over job security and their ability to provide for a family.
Then there are the latest U.S. CENSUS BUREAU statistics showing that the U.S. birth rate is at the lowest point ever, at about half of what it was in the early 1960s.
I mentioned not going to stores or movies above. You can add to this the number of people not attending church or another religious center. This phenomenon has been termed "Nones"—people who report no religious affiliation. A 2021 PEW RESEARCH CENTER report indicates that 29% of Americans don't identify with any faith. This is up from 16% in 2007. And the upward trend is increasing each year. The Nome's seemed to resist labeling themselves in any particular way. While atheists (who don't believe in God) and agnostics (who don't believe it's possible to know whether God exists) are included in this category, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY professor JACQUES BERLINERBLAU indicates that most Americans who fall under this umbrella don't even claim those non-religious identifiers. Younger people, by and large, are Nome's.
Lastly, I believe the current expanding homeless population is an indication of loneliness. Families, marriages, and friendships are evaporating, which is leading to depression and other mental health problems that have resulted in a segment of our population that no longer fits in – loneliness.
Probably like you, I have no idea where our society is headed.
SKYWARD
My next novel, SKYWARD, continues to progress, though slowly. It is a reflection on today's world, in which a group of Gen Z and A's decide to colonize space with the belief that Earth has an expiration date and that its evolving social structure is shortening that date. They recognize that their venture will require teamwork to ensure their survival. My story requires a lot of reflection on my part. The world's current feeling of loneliness is part of that reflection.
A MOVIE THEATRE MEMORY
Back in the day, one of my favorite movie theatres to take a date to was the 93-year-old Fox Village Theatre in Westwood, with its soaring tower, neon marquee, and massive screen.
I was delighted to see that the Fox Village Theatre will continue to exist, bucking the current trend of movie theatre closings. But it will not be your traditional movie theatre. Rather, it will be a cultural landmark dedicated to the moviegoing experience.
It has been taken over by thirty-six filmmakers, led by Canadian American director JASON REITMAN.
In an interview, Reitman said, "I've been coming to Westwood for as long as I can remember. Many of my movies, including 'Juno,' 'Up In The Air,' and 'Ghostbusters: Afterlife' all premiered at the corner of Broxton and Weyburn. When the Village Theatre went on the market, I had visions of how quickly the National Theater became a block of condos. I immediately made an offer and hoped my fellow directors would join me on this adventure. We take this stewardship very seriously and hope to offer a true community for anyone who loves the movies."
Supporting Reitman in this venture are Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Damien Chazelle, Alfonso Cuarón , and Bradley Cooper, as well as a few indie darlings, such as "Bottoms" director Emma Seligman and "Nomadland" director Chloé Zhao.
The venue will feature a mixture of first-run films and repertory programming from the theater's new caretakers. The Fox Village Theatre, with its 1,380-seat capacity, was historically a hot spot for UCLA students and residents of the neighboring communities of Brentwood, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, and Century City.
Thank you, Jason Reitman, and your friends.
* * * *
If you are new to my posts and find this one interesting, you can read my prior posts, learn about my novels, and learn more about me on my website at www.richardvrupp.com. You can also sign up in the RUPP'S NOTES section to get my posts directly.
Until next month.
Cheers,
Richard V. Rupp, Author
Website – www.richardvrupp.com
Email – rupprisk@gmail.com
Copyright@2024 by Richard V. Rupp