Week 13: Up in The Air

Up in the Air is a movie about love and life. Ryan works at an outsourcing termination company where his job is to fire people. He is devoted to his work and he has no future or any responsibility towards a commitment except for his job. It was only when he met Alex, a girl who has the most similar traits to him that he started opening up to her about himself.

I see the resemblance of Ryan in some of the men I have met with- not wanting to get married, settle down or even think about having a wife because it all seems like too much of a commitment at their age. However, sometimes these are all just because they have yet to meet someone whom they could finally open up with and share their thoughts and life together with, just like Ryan.

Although Ryan had not had much experience in life with people as he travels a lot and only meet and greet people who he sees on his way to work, his knowledge about life are mostly on his work and there is no doubt that he is good in what he does. Thus, the reason why when a new employee, Natalie came and wanted to revolutionize his way of work, he was defensive. 

Ryan was devoted to his life, he loves travelling and he actually enjoys not having commitments. Thus, knowing that he would have to stay at home would cost him his life. I could also relate to Natalie in the sense where she is a fresh graduate and coming from the new generation, she sees things in a different manner, where their company could achieve more by cutting travel costs. 

Her nature of having technology and using the tool to it's best also derived her idea. Although it is efficient, but she lacks experience, unlike Ryan. Her idea is good, but not realistic enough because it disconnects human in the process of emotional feelings like losing a job. Similarly, when her boyfriend broke up with her through text messages. 

Natalie reminded me in a way where I am passionate about work just as she is and is willing to work the best, but I do not have much experience and sometimes a dream may just be a dream because the reality of the dream is simply not realistic to be conducted. However, Natalie is persistent in her work and willing to learn. 

In my opinion, the presence of Natalie somehow transformed Ryan into a more 'humane' being as in before this he barely had a real conversation with people but Natalie gave her an opposite perspective in life that in the end, questioned himself. In the end when he finally opened up to Alex, he was stunned to found that she was actually married with children. This then impacted him more as she was the first women he finally opened up with and now he realizes how much he had actually missed out in life.

This reminds me of a quote that I used to hear people saying on Tumblr back when I was in high school;

You only know how much something is worth it when you've lost it.

 This reminded me of a time when my best friend broke up with his boyfriend. She was too caught of with his weaknesses and did not realize that he had more strength and when she finally let him go and he found another girl, that was when she realized she made a mistake, but it was too late. Sometimes the lessons in life are harsh- but that is what makes us learn and move on to being a better person.

All in all, I believe that this movie is a good portrayal of some people's life principles that could simply change over time and experience. One should not be so stuck to his or her ways and not be willing to learn. Although Natalie is younger and has little experience as compared to Ryan, she did teach Ryan a few life lessons and so did Ryan to Natalie. The next time someone questions you, do not be defensive, but rather take their comments in mind and process them before answering. Sometimes what we think may be right may not be so.