POEM #24

Greta Gerwig's Barbie is a classic hero's journey tale. And just like Pinocchio, just like a slew of other fictional dolls, toys, and machines, it was about becoming human—prompting us as the audience to decide or even just question what that means exactly, and more and more now that machines are more human-like than ever. And by the way, machines aren't just robots. They can be invented by humans. While filming The Wizard of Oz, teenager Judy Garland was reportedly forced to go on a very strict diet—chicken soup, coffee, and 80 cigarettes a day—in order to maintain the body and image of a child, to feed the Hollywood machine. I'm trying to figure out a way to be an adult and maintain a healthy sense of fantasy and wonder. I don't think there's an easy answer. Some days it feels like I'm closer to a doll.