Media Influence: The Vegeta Saga - Good vs. Evil

It disturbs me to turn on the TV, and be forced into the same sad scene on each network: Two or more individuals screaming "fake bitch", flailing their arms against each other, proudly displaying negative behavior, all of this possibly topped off by something along the lines of a strategically coordinated nipple slip, while an audience watches, cheering at the entire debacle until commercial break. It's disheartening to know that scenes such as this are considered “entertainment” but what's more disturbing is to see traits of this behavior being emulated in real life.

We’ve all encountered and observed the praises of absurd actions.

I remember sitting with a few individuals who were dishing on the wild night they had recently experienced, hoping to get kudos from some of the others who were listening on standby in between facebook status updates. As a few of them began to delve deeper into the details of their night it became apparent that they believed it was hilariously attractive to get drunk and flop over inanimate objects, only to awake the next day and sloppily have no recollection of the occurrences from the night before. A couple of them were even bold enough to take to the streets while intoxicated, blaring some pop song from the speakers of their car, failing to think twice about how they may be endangering the lives of those around them by driving drunk.

Or real life scenarios that seem to be drawn from the scripts of shows like Gossip Girl, a program where young adults put on an elaborate display of rumor, jealousy, and betrayal, all wrapped up in a bow fashioned out of a shitload of pretend money and the social life that appears to be everyone's dream. There isn't anything wrong with a good tv drama, but  there used to be a time when you could say that such shows were merely fictitious, failing to resemble reality in the least bit, but in a society that adheres to no sense of privacy, it's plasticized shows like Gossip Girl and the ever growing parasite known as reality television that has lead to never-ending pageantry. Theatrics that leave nothing as a mystery, and it seems as if everyone is working aimlessly to impress each other and secure their ostentatious appearances.

 Although this quote left William Shakespeare's pen almost 400 years ago his words ring truer than ever:

“All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts…”

                    Time never changes, people do.

We live in a society where it's not only good to be bad but “villains” are often rewarded for their mistakes.

Goku and his son Gohan

In the world of the Dragon Ball good always prevails over evil, and nice guys finish first, but not for a lack of challenges.Its shows like Dragon Ball Z that have become out of the ordinary.Although DBZ is animation it promotes a sense of truth and loyalty amidst battles between good and evil. I've never been one of those A-Con type fanatics, but I grew up watching Dragon Ball-Z on Toonami and the raw action filled plot in its early sagas never failed to deliver a level of integrity and sportsmanship that is no longer portrayed in many popular scripted and unscripted series.My friends always think it's weird that I compare an animated show to real life, but the fight for honesty in a universe preoccupied with self interest reminds me all too much of the world we live in today.

In the Vegeta Saga, Saiyans are the baddest fighters in the universe known for their merciless bestiality, inflated egos and the ability to become twice as strong after surviving defeat. This warrior race is equipped for pure destruction and in The Vegeta Saga, Super Saiyan Vegeta (one of the last known survivors of the Saiyan race) and his small squad of stereotypical jocks tear through multiple galaxies taking down every planet within the Z-sphere in order to claim titles as rulers of the universe.

Vegeta

Goku

Remaining undefeated until they reach the Milky Way and stumble upon planet earth they are introduced to a force of heroes willing to do anything it takes to preserve what good is left in the galaxy. The Earth defenders are the underdogs, they aren't the strongest, but they are led by a Saiyan named Goku, and backed up by his  halfbreed son Gohan and Piccolo, a lost survivor from planet Namek.

Picollo!

Piccolo was always one of my favorite characters. The evil half of the greatest  living good in the Universe (Kami), Piccolo struggles with his desires to engage in evil in order to connect with the spirit of his better half . Kami possesses the ability to create Dragon Balls, a key to any individual’s second chance in the universe, a chance to try again and make things right despite the past.

Goku protecting Gohan from evil Saiyan fighters

Dragon Ball Z- The Vegeta Saga is an allegory of the victories and challenges that one may face in their journey on earth.Discovering who you are as an individual while learning to embrace and modify circumstances of your environment in an effort towards greater good. Each episode never failed to leave me hanging on suspense, entranced by a theme which ensures that good always supersedes evil. No matter how discouraged, weak, and torn the Earth Defenders may have ended up in battle, despite how bleak their chances of taking down Vegeta became, they continued to strive for their values, and the passions in their hearts combined with the courage to stand up for others.

Goku catching up on some rest while in heaven

I've had my fair share of shame, but I believe as humans part of our purpose on earth is to learn from our faults and work towards good when we are forced to choose between positive and negative (no matter how small the feat). We’ve all made mistakes in life, but with each second we are given the chance to rewrite the script. When Goku died, he came back even stronger than before, he was a better fighter, and even ended up joining forces with Vegeta in the fight against evil (well, after he kicked his ass of course)!



"A person who is too nice an observer of the business of the crowd, like one who is too curious in observing the labor of bees, will often be stung for his curiosity."

8<3Track Honey