We live our lives everyday in complete oblivion of the redundancy of it. Deep within us do some of us feel the seeds of discontent within the repetitive nature of our lives that plagues the many of the masses. Although this feeling of discontent stays with many of us, it is important to note the consistency of redundancy all throughout our own life and history. No matter how hard we may try, repetitiveness is always present.

Many times we hear stories of those before us; the older generations that pass by (and away) our very eyes. The many who experience the struggles of the past only mirror ours, just as they repeat the cycle of living, suffering, giving birth, and dying. Our elders were once in our shoes and our position; subject to the world and what lies above in power. With talk of the past, also comes the learning of the history of our world, containing the shattered and sharp fragments of mankind. On display in our history books details humanity and its atrocities, painting our world with its thick brush splotching our history with ugly strokes of blood red on the white canvas. In the past did some of us study the wars waged against Ukraine by the Soviet Union in January of 1919. We are the unfortunate individuals of this world that must again bear the news of the same occurring once again in the year 2022. Again and again is detailed the unjust that has occurred to many in our world, aligned to much of our own present world.

Throughout our very own human philosophies have many philosophized of the concept of a cycle. As presented in Buddhism, it is often touted that us humans are eternally trapped in a cycle of suffering. Those unfortunate are reincarnated into the lesser privileged on the food chain, and vice versa. Not once does this idea seem to fade and see its own end in the religion. With this idea does thus Buddhism maintain that one must come to an understanding of the idea of such cycle. There is no escaping this cycle; one must endure it. The title of “being enlightened” is applied to those who are successful to this. This idea of reincarnation and a cycle is not limited to only Buddhism, as many other individuals outside of the religion additionally maintain their own beliefs of a cycle of death and rebirth in the form of pregnancy.

Even across popular culture do we see the idea of a cycle taking place. Movies, especially those receiving critical acclaim and praise, have displayed such ideas. The concept of reincarnation and cycles take their own form in movies as they are presented. A prominent Japanese film released in 1956, dubbed “Seven Samurai”, is a complex film that regards the complexities of human societies, ideas, and issues. These concepts, reincarnation being among one of them, are all displayed in the film to further convey the ideas in a literary and artistic film. The film is regarded by many in the entertainment industry in a positive manner.

Displayed in a subtle and hidden but powerful message, the Seven Samurai delivers morals and messages through its film in a symbolic manner. As seen in a scene of the movie, a few samurai gather around an old house while the village is under siege by bandits. The owner of the house is a frail old man and his family who are inhabitants of the house. The house has been lit on fire by the bandits, who have also killed the old man and his family. On her last breath, a mother exits the house, cradling a baby in her arms. She hands the baby to a samurai before dying. The samurai are in horror, as a water wheel is distinctly shown in the background.

With the many motifs and symbols displayed all throughout our life that show repeated redundancy and repetitiveness, it shows further the cycle of life and how repetitiveness and life go hand in hand. Although this feeling of discontent stays with many of us, it is important to note the consistency of redundancy all throughout our own life and history. No matter how hard we may try, repetitiveness is always present. Just as you are reading this, you may come to the realization of how repetitive and boring and redundant this essay is, thus proving my point of redundancy and life going hand in hand.