The Lives of Others Reflection

The Lives of Others Reflection

This film was interesting because, even though I should have expected it, I did not imagine that the government would actually bug someone’s house in order to make sure citizens were not rebelling against the communist party. It seemed like something from 1984, which despite popular beliefs, still seems to be relevant even today. In the movie, I found it fascinating, that the person most affected by the “spy system” seemed to be the spy himself. While yes, the writer lost many people he loved and had to be secretive in order to accomplish his mission against the GDR, the spy became so invested in Georg’s life that he ruined his own career in order to protect this couple and their relationship.

This moving provides insight into the bureaucratic system of asylum laws because many refugees and migrants are not treated as humans with personal lives or valid emotions; instead, refugees are moved through a bureaucratic system to get from one place to another. As we have learned in class, many migrants from the start are not treated with equal human rights, and their wants and needs are not taken into account. I think relating this to the “spy system” would show that if the government got involved with their personal lives and took time to learn about their everyday experiences, the government might be more sympathetic to the migrants needs. The movie shows that too often we ignore other people’s lives in order to make things run smoothly, but when moving in a assembly line type motion prevents people from judgements that actually reflect the needs of each individual.

Overall I enjoyed the movie because I was able to watch a movie that showed what life was like for East Berliners during the Cold War, something I have never really been taught in that much detail.