That’s Going in the Quote Book #23

CW: Contains image of a sign referencing sexual assault

On of my favourite movies of all time is The Hunt For Red October, a cold-war military drama based on the Tom Clancy book, and featuring Sean Connery as a Russian submarine commander with a Scottish accent. (Don’t let that seeming silliness turn you off. Connery absolutely nails the role, and the rest of the cast is brilliant to boot.) I went to see it in the theatre, and it was one of the first movies I bought on DVD. I’ve watched it dozens of times, and it never gets old.

So I guess it’s no surprise a quote from the film made it into my book pretty early on. It’s from near the end of the movie, after all the drama is over, when Connery’s character, Ramius, says:

A little revolution now and then is a healthy thing.

At the time, I interpreted that on a very personal level, as it was only a few months after I’d set out on my own in life for the first time, regardless of what other people thought. It was my own private revolution.

Over time, though, I’ve expanded my view outside my own little bubble. I was very unengaged in my younger years. While friends were volunteering and attending marches and fighting to make the world a better place, I avoided such things. The crowds and the commitment and the necessity to interact with others all overwhelmed me, as did reading or watching the news.

They all still do, to be honest.

But as I grew to recognize the importance of social responsiblity, I realized I had to leave my comfort zone. So I did.

If you’d told me 20 years ago that any of the above would be me, I’d’ve laughed on the outside, while feeling sick-to-my-stomach at the thought on the inside.

My stomach doesn’t handle the thought any better now than it did then. But I tell it to stay where it is, grab my sign, and head out the door anyway. Because in today’s world, revolution is more than healthy.

It’s downright necessary.

To see previous posts in my Quote series, click here.