Amanda and the Human Condition

By: Walter Reilly

In the movie “What the Bleep Do We Know” the main character, Amanda exemplifies the human condition in a multitude of ways. First the human condition must be defined. The human condition is the situation, or condition, in which every human being finds him or herself by virtue of being human. It is the experiences which all humans share regardless of sex, age, culture, religion, social status, or time in which they live. In the scene in the movie in which Amanda encounters a young boy named Reggie and steps onto his basketball court, Amanda demonstrates the human condition in a few different ways. At first, she is skeptical of the boy’s intentions and intends to continue walking down the sidewalk but when the boy throws her the ball again she has no choice but to step into his court of possibilities. Amanda demonstrated the human condition in her ignorance. She does not understand the quantum physics that the young boy is telling her and like most people does not know why things happen. Amanda does not believe that quintessentially matter does not exist and that most of what we think is matter is empty space. Next, Amanda demonstrates another aspect of the human condition in her pessimism. Amanda thinks that there is no way she will make the shot and because of her lack of faith in herself she misses it. The next scene in which Amanda demonstrates the human condition she is talking to her boss and gets the Polish wedding assignment. Amanda is reluctant to do it and feels two aspects of the human condition because of it. Amanda feels emotional pain and anxiety because she must return to the very church she got married in and has to take photographs at a different couple’s wedding and wedding reception. The wedding brings back harsh memories Amanda has from her own wedding she fears that the groom of the wedding she is photographing will do the same thing her own groom did. At the wedding reception Amanda demonstrates two more aspects of the human condition, loneliness and concupiscence. She feels detached from the party as she photographs them and watches them enjoy themselves. Then, after Amanda begins talking to a man at the wedding she displays concupiscence. She knows that she should not drink yet she proceeds to get drunk and make a fool of herself. In Amanda’s final display of the human condition she illustrates the desire for happiness, anxiety, dread, alienation, and emotional pain. In this scene Amanda wakes up and as she walks by the mirror, she hates what she sees. Amanda distorts her self image in a way that makes her look much heavier than she is and it is because of her condition and the way the mind works. Amanda feels alienated again from everyone before she remembers what thoughts can do to water and what her thoughts must be able to do to her self image. After this enlightenment Amanda sees her own beauty and her life goes through a complete turnaround from depression and loneliness to happiness. 1