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 The
Way Back - Would I Survive?
By Gail-Elaine
Tinker, M.S.
The recently released film, The Way Back, is a drama
about a group of prisoners who escape a Siberian prison camp
during World War II. The film is inspired by the book, The
Long Walk, by Slawomir Rawicz, depicts hard-scrabble survivors
who in the name of freedom, escape cruelty and must make life
and death decisions. They are also challenged beyond human
limits by unforgiving terrain. Among others, it stars, Ed
Harris and Colin Farrell.
As painful as the viewing the plight of desperate prisoners
would be, I would greatly prefer viewing it to the artificial
hardship of the reality program, Survivor, where contestants
are isolated in the wilderness and compete for cash and prizes.
The show uses a system of elimination, allowing cast members
to progressively vote one another 'off' until there is a 'sole
survivor.'
While both situations have competition, disagreement between
individuals, desperation, and learning curves in survival
skills; it is in the 'real life' example of survival in The
Way Back where you can admire the human spirit, for better
and for worse. The genuine suffering of prisoners of war never
managed to amuse me in Hogan's Heroes or McHale's Navy either.
World War Two is a nightmare in the history of examples in
human cooperation. When I look it up I find axis massacre
of innocents, extermination of races, the crushing of proud
nations, the creation of prisons and ghettos for millions,
nasty medical experiments. But it was also a time of civilian
support of war effort, warrior success through cooperation
by land, sea, and air, improved scientific cooperation, and
the countless gestures of human generosity.
I remember 'The Greatest Generation' for Anne Frank, Schlindler's
List, Saving Private Ryan, Valkyrie, and other tales of heroic
decency depicting a time when sharing a piece of bread was
life-saving. I put The Way Back in this category. During dark
days of human evil, kindness did exist.
When I watch survivor, I see pure plotting and scheming and
only the worst of the villains are rewarded. If these are
the nation's values and we are ever invaded or should we suffer
from devastation like home front war, there will be no Schlindler,
no shelter for the Frank family, Mother Theresa would be voted
off. I'd better prepare to escape for survival from my neighbors
since I don't play the game.
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| Gail-Elaine Tinker, M.S.
is a psychotherapist in private practice on the Lehigh Valley
PA. She was born in Philadelphia in May 1960, eldest of three
children. She was greatly interested in writing, language, theater
and music throughout her youth which opened opportunity such
as performance, travel, and academics. Gail-Elaine had planned
a career in teaching English but upon seeing the state of secondary
education in the 80s, she re-tooled her skills to become an
addictions counselor.
She was married and has a gifted son with
AS. She had a career in Art and entrepreneurial publishing
while raising him. Upon her divorce she furthered her credentials
with a Masters in Clinical Psychology and Master Levels in
Reiki training. Her goal is to change the stigma of mental
illness and facilitate positive solutions for her clients.
Gail-Elaine continues her work in trauma,
chronic pain, grief, and addictions in her general practice
of psychotherapy with art and somatic psychology. She serves
as Therapist, Consultant, Life Coach, Reiki Teacher, Advocate,
Community Speaker, Blogger [www.tinkerpsychotherapy.com],
and also as Features Contributor for PCM.
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