Idiocracy with Paul McDonald and Britt Mooney
Paul McDonald and Britt Mooney blast off 500 years into the future with Idiocracy. In this Beavis and Butthead meets Brave New World story, we wrestle with how the past has led us to the current culture. We have a choice to lead, follow, or get out of the way. We all have fruit we want to grow, but need to investigate what we are using to grow the life God has called us to. Fill up on Brawndo and get cozy in your hibernation chamber as we discover God’s truth in this movie.
Quotes
In every man is a middle schooler waiting to emerge.
The way of fathers teaching sons a craft is the healthiest thing to do.
We reward men for safety more than risk-taking in our culture.
If your truth doesn’t align with God’s truth, there will be consequences to that.
The thing that was most needed was associated with something dirty.
Even an average Joe needs a purpose.
Humility means admitting that you might be wrong.
There’s fruit that you want to grow, but you’re putting salt into the soil.
You can’t depend on external sources and institutions to fix your problems.
The solution to one problem isn’t appropriate to use for every problem.
There’s a lot of things we can’t control, but we can control what we participate in.
Many people are just arguing over which lie they like best.
Lies lead to bondage, slavery, sin, and death. But truth brings freedom and life.
Themes
Beavis and Butthead meets Brave New World
The idea of genetics and biology shaping the world we find ourselves in. The priorities of the world being safety, comfort, stability, convenience, hope being placed in institutions.
The church promotes men who are thought of as nice guys. But what little boy’s greatest desire is to be a nice guy—they crave adventure, standing up for what’s right, being a hero—not playing it safe..
Following Jesus isn’t going to be comfortable or feel safe.
We aren’t designed to just get out of the way and do nothing.
The danger of following propaganda and the consequences of pursuing the truth. We are fed repeated statements about what is important, or what is true. We need to examine these base beliefs to see where they came from.
We all have fruit we want to grow. But many times what we are using to try to grow the plants is killing it. We need to identify the poison we’re spreading on our dreams and replace it with water that works, even if it comes out of the toilet (and seems distasteful, unpleasant, illogical).
Jesus didn’t heal the same way twice. The solution to one problem doesn’t fix every problem. It’s not a formula, but a relationship with God, a walk and a dance with Him, that will navigate your life.
The idea of commitment and sticking out the tough times. When you eliminate all the hard things in life, you discover that your life has no meaning.
It might be helpful to take the approach that I might be wrong.
Resources
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Is There Anything Good About Men? by Roy F. Baumeister
What You Accept Is What You Teach by Michael Cohen
Wild at Heart by John Eldredge
Why Men Hate Going To Church by David Murrow
Believing is Seeing by Michael Guillen
“Be passionate about what you believe, and know in a decade most of that will change.” - Craig McConnell
Questions
What words would you use to describe the culture we are living in? Globally? Nationally? Locally?
What’s your family culture? What is your personal culture? What are the priorities? What are the values? What is most important, as evidenced by the actions (generosity, vacations, work, honesty, play)? Where do you spend most of your time?
What activities make you feel fulfilled? What actions leave you feeling emptied/drained?
What are you doing now that will have an impact in the future?
How would describe the men and women you look up to? What are their values and priorities?
Where are you an observer in life? Where are you a participant?
What suggestions have you been fed about what success looks like? Marriage? Parenting? Being a man?
What truth do you believe to be utterly unassailable and unquestionable? Is that healthy? Is that growing fruit or killing it?
What messages are you being subjugated to? What does the world tell you is bad or evil? Is it?
What fruit are you trying to grow that is proving unsuccessful? What do you need to release that you think is helping that is actually killing it? What do you need to embrace that might seem undesirable? How are you putting salt in the soil of what you’re trying to grow?
What is the difference between running from something and running to something? How has this been evident in your life?
What would it be like to admit you might be wrong? What would it take to release these tightly held beliefs?