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INT. ELLIS' APARTMENT - NIGHT

Silhouetted, Ellis holds a tape-recorder to his mouth and activates it. He takes a deep breath while thinking of how to start. After a moment--

ELLIS
The Big Picture. We step back from the narrow timeframe that we're allowed by our relatively brief life. I have existed for 19 years, the human species for 2 million, life on Earth: 4 billion, the Universe: 15 billion. I perceive and retain the immediate sensory world within the nineteen years allotted to me - through REASON I conceive of the other 15 billion.

Ellis paces around his cave-like apartment. As he speaks, close-ups reveal the many posters, maps, diagrams, articles and drawings that cover the walls.

The visuals supplement his narration.

ELLIS (cont'd)

Stepping out of the study of empirical science for a moment we recognize many other equally fallible means of comprehending existence. Abstract thought allows me to think mathematically, outside of time and independent of tangible things. I can thus recognize systems, relationships, process.

Life is a form of process - learning, making choices, suffering and triumph - nothing is immediate or spontaneous transformation, nothing happens without reason or consequence. Therefore, Civilization - billions of lives affecting each other and the whole, linked by circumstance, history and purpose - is a PROCESS.

And with every process, two opposite forces work as agents of change.

One force contributes to slow disorder, when components of the system naturally head in independent directions, creating an increasing condition of chaos, dispersion of energy, disintegration, stagnation, entropy.

The other force, however, is the natural gravitation towards balance, equilibrium, the consolidation of equations; it is what empowers natural selection with its quality of refinement, when the random elements work their way through a delineated hidden order, abiding by infinitely complex patterns. Disorder could not have created this.

This is a force of magnificence that orchestrates all processes toward a state of perfection; the same force that allows complex organisms to function, that keeps the universe from collapsing upon itself and all other improbable compositions from disassembling; the same force that attracts electrons to protons, and, even, humans to each other.

Ellis snaps the tape-recorder off, exhales heavily while wiping his forehead and for an instant, scans the wall as though processing immense amounts of information refracting from it.

He decides to rewind the tape-recorder for a moment. He knows exactly when to stop it, as though he's done this hundreds of times. He hits play.

ELLIS (tape-recording) (cont'd)
...empowers natural selection with its quality of refinement, when the random elements work their way through a delineated hidden order, abiding...

After glancing quickly at the log on his notepad, he darts over to a filing system on a shelf. He pulls out a copy of ORIGIN OF SPECIES BY CHARLES DARWIN.

Hits rewind, stop, play.

ELLIS (tape-recording) (cont'd)
...when the random elements work their way through a delineated hidden orderÑ
Dropping the tape-recorder he opens to a fresh page on a notebook, pulls out a pen while simultaneously flipping through Darwin's text.

ELLIS (whispering to himself) (cont'd)
How...? Work their way... work their way how? Here it is.

A sheet of paper falls out, photocopied from STEPHEN J. GOULD'S THE STRUCTURE OF EVOLUTIONARY THEORY.

ELLIS (cont'd)
"To accept Darwin's argument of Natural Selection, one must accept a world where externalities direct and internalities supply raw material for the central phenomenon of Evolution".

Ellis begins to write on the pages of the notebook. C.U. on his words as other sounds slowly dissolve.

HUMANITY AS A PROCESS - RANDOM VARIATIONS...

FADE TO:

EXT. CITY STREETS - DAY

Slow-motion. People walk in all different directions, silently.

GREGOR (V.O.)
Hold on. Don't mix terms. Survival in what environment?

ELLIS (V.O.)
In, well... not physical I guess.

GREGOR (V.O.)
No. Rephrase your contentions then.

ELLIS (V.O.) (slowly)
Humanity is a General Living System, its different modes of operation have fallen into place according to the capacity of individuals in relation to the environment. For advancement to occur through the existing process, the random variation and activity must benefit survival of individuals in the environment.

GREGOR (V.O.)
Again, survival in what environment? Remember you're speaking in broader terms than just... homes, cities, streets.

The people walking show signs of interaction.

ELLIS (V.O.)
Ethical, behavioral terms, right? Survival... rather, co-existence in... social environments? No...

GREGOR (V.O.)
No, you're still narrowing your perspective.

ELLIS (V.O.)
I know, because humanity exists beyond society, right. So we're talking about planetary co-existence. Beyond our definition as a biological species, beyond cultural species... we're just talking about the human entity experiencing the human condition.

Close-ups of people's faces deep in thought.

GREGOR (V.O.)
Maybe this will help. You said that in order for there to be any form of advancement, random activity must favor survival. Now, what do we mean by "random activity" when we're talking about biological systems going through natural selection?

ELLIS (V.O.)
"Random activity" is those single genetic mutations that eventually get passed on to the next generation and incorporated into the species if it's a favorable trait.

GREGOR (V.O.)
OK, and biologically speaking, what dictates those changes?

ELLIS (V.O.)
Chance.

Wide shot of many, many people walking.

GREGOR (V.O.)
So, in turn, this all-inclusive, macro-societal system of consciousness called Humanity, what part of it is "random activity"?

ELLIS (V.O.)
Individual behavior, choices... Oh, I see what you're getting at.

GREGOR (V.O.)
And what dictates those changes in behavior, if not chance?

CUT TO:

INT. GREGOR'S OFFICE - DAY

Ellis stands up excitedly in the small, dimly lit room.

ELLIS
Free will!

GREGOR nods, satisfied. He is a tall youth, not much older than Ellis. They are sitting across from each other at a table.

GREGOR
Thus the human adventure through Reality is distinct from that of any other existence.

He states that as though it was a famous quote.

ELLIS
So if the human world works through the laws of natural selection, and each person's free will slowly affects changes in behavioral patterns, eventually the changes that best benefit the human condition... are the ones that truly begin to define us as a civilization.

GREGOR
That's what happens every time a philosopher or scientist reforms or builds on previous ideas, when a nation's leader figures out more effective government, or when nobler and richer expressions of communication spread through art and inspiration. If these changes are ultimately constructive and not destructive to the entire process, we'll know that they follow the existing patterns towards equilibrium... that their path is not disorder, but this hidden order, as you called it.

ELLIS
Right, so it's like the philosopher or leader or artist, and potentially anyone, is effecting closer and closer approximations of what it means to be human, living in the environment Reality.

GREGOR nods, extending both hands as if to say: "there you have it."

GREGOR
The search for meaning.

Ellis has a moment of certitude, his face is vibrant. GREGOR maintains his composure and carefully studies his newly acquired "pupil". While looking down, Ellis' certitude somewhat diminishes and is replaced by doubt.

ELLIS
But wait, GREGOR, what if there is no common human condition, and we're fit to survive through infinite modes of behavior without it making much difference how our civilization turns out?

GREGOR
But Ellis, there are modes of behavior that affect a very subtle damage that may be imperceptible to us, at first. For instance, how do you think genocides end up occurring? It's not the work of one malevolent leader, it's the result of unfortunate circumstances and singular traits that are passed down through generations that create the opportunity for such leaders to take power.

ELLIS
So you're saying that there are other traits that are passed down which can, in a similar way, slowly create prosperous and just societies?
GREGOR nods sternly.

GREGOR
If there is a way to experience Reality that perfectly and optimally fulfills our position in that Reality... wouldn't you want to know what that is?
Ellis thinks for a moment, takes a look at the bare walls of this small
square room, and the single light-bulb hanging above his head.

ELLIS
I noticed you don't have many books here. How did you get this space, anyway? You're not a faculty member, are you?

GREGOR
This is supposed to be a closet.

ELLIS
Oh, you must be part-time then.

GREGOR
Heh, I'm a student, like you. A seeker.

ELLIS
And so was LOREI, right? Did he find this place?

GREGOR
No, we had to improvise with a new place after he graduated. We haven't been recognized as an organization since then. The conference room we reserve every month is across the hall so this is a good place for storage and office-keeping.

Ellis looks at the pile of stuff behind GREGOR and marvels at the ironic model skeleton.

GREGOR (cont'd)
How did you find this place?

ELLIS
Huh? Oh, I... I'm not quite sure actually. I guess I sort of just knocked on this door, by chance.

GREGOR
Interesting...

ELLIS
Well I found LOREI's address book, like I said, and I must have seen, written down somewhere, a room number... but this isn't really a room, is it? So. I don't know.

GREGOR's intentions are somewhat inscrutable, which makes Ellis uneasy.

GREGOR
When you read his book, did you come across his list of time coordinates?

ELLIS
Whose, LOREI's? Oh, those were time coordinates?

GREGOR
You know about them?

ELLIS
Well I didn't really, uh-- I just glanced over it. I wasn't sure what I was looking at.

GREGOR
You arrived at one of the times on that list. You must have known.

ELLIS
What do you mean?

GREGOR
Ellis, I don't think you knocked on this closet door by chance. You were looking for something, you knew exactly where to find it, you knew exactly when to come.

ELLIS
I guess in a roundabout way I did.

GREGOR
So, tell me - after you discovered that several years ago a student organization actively pursued similar interests as yourself, what did you proceed to do?

ELLIS
Find out if they still existed; if they didn't, look for ex-members.

GREGOR
And what did you come across instead?

ELLIS
What I thought to be a schedule plan for future meetings.
GREGOR leans back in his seat.

GREGOR
Future, I'll say! What kind of a club schedules meetings twenty-one years in advance?

ELLIS
I asked myself the same question.

Ellis opens LOREI's book to the last few pages again.

GREGOR
You'll find later that those time coordinates are more than they appear. Though, Ellis, you were right about one thing. These are meetings in the narrow sense that we used to get together to share ideas. But after a certain point we realized they couldn't be held as club meetings anymore.

ELLIS
Why, they cut your funding?

GREGOR
Let's just say that by necessity we assumed a more secretive format from then on.

ELLIS
You meet in these closets.

GREGOR
No, across the hall there's a conference room we reserve each month at particular dates and times for supposed study groups. This room is a convenient space to store materials, considering facilities management has completely neglected it and I have the only key.

ELLIS
I don't get it, so were people opposed to the ideas...?

GREGOR
We were afraid the status of an organization implied that we promoted a certain agenda. All we wanted was to open people's minds, from there they could go where they chose.

ELLIS
What was this called, when it was still a club?
GREGOR smiles nostalgically out of the corner of his lips.

GREGOR
The Paradigm Shift.

Ellis looks up from the notebook in amusement. He looks back down at the dates. C.U. of words: MARCH 2nd, 6:00pm.

GREGOR (cont'd)
But come on, it's time to let him in.

ELLIS
Who?

Ellis looks up from his watch.

GREGOR
Lorei.

FADE TO BLACK.

EXT. CITY - SUNSET

The golden circle of the sun sinks into distant towers. Hovering above the city we feel a quiet, peaceful tension.

FADE TO:

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE CONFERENCE ROOM - EVENING

Ellis prepares to enter the conference room. He needs to clear his mind by drinking from the water fountain and wetting his face. The hallways are empty, most people have left the building.

He paces towards the conference room. Through the shades of one of the windows he sees shadowy shapes moving in front of the light of a slide-projector.

CUT TO:

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - EVENING

Upon entering, Ellis takes a seat near the back. An older man, though surprisingly youthful, creates shadows in front of a complex diagram labeled QUANTUM PHYSICS.

LOREI
Following this logic, disruptions of the time-space continuum like this and others are entirely possible, insomuch as the continuum itself is only another incomplete attempt to identify the tiniest portion of the physical universe... that which is perceptible to us. In effect, not only do we already exist in any and all places at once, not in one moment but eternally... not only that, but even such distinctions have always been made and are only made...

Lorei places his index finger firmly against his temple.

LOREI (cont'd)
By our own minds.

Around the darkened room, light murmurs of agreement are heard.

LOREI (cont'd)
"Show me something that is spiritual" someone once asked of the poet Rumi. He replied: "Show me something that is not". THAT is why... to answer your question.

He paces back to the projector and switches slides. Lines of flawless Arabic calligraphy fill the wall.

LOREI (cont'd)
These texts have this apparently illogical composition, with statements that, if taken out of context and interpreted literally, plainly contradict one another. But these words are not without wisdom. They must be seen as part of one great circle of knowledge. They are not errors.
While pacing around, he smiles at the floor.

LOREI (cont'd)
This is the language that must be used in order to contain the most complex and simplest meaning, in one, universal statement. You just need to look closer to realize that the Eastern thinking is incredibly advanced. This is the language that allows anyone, the scholar and the village-man, to read, recite, and understand. This is the language that allows a Prophet to say: "I am with you at all times and under all conditions. In My presence there is a wisdom, in My absence another." And alas...

Lorei removes this slide and replaces it with the previous one on Quantum Physics.

LOREI (cont'd)
We have come full circle. All times... all conditions... How could such presence be possible unless He is present and absent at the same time, which depends on how we perceive things... That is why there is a wisdom involved with His presence, and another wisdom involved with His absence. But ponder the many significances of these words so you may know of your own knowledge and not of mine.

Lorei shuts the projector off and the room is silent, people shift around in their seats.

LOREI (cont'd)
What does all of this mean for you?

The lights turn on. Ellis is able to see the people in the room for the first time. A small group, of no more than ten youth, guys and girls, is gathered near the front. Ellis is surprised at how normal they seem.

LOREI (cont'd)
For you, living today, in this world. Let's be honest, what an overwhelming world it is. Let's not underestimate the beauty of our dreams, but let's not overlook the horror of our nightmares.

He points at the blank screen on the wall.

LOREI (cont'd)
I would put up slides displaying the atrocities we've committed against ourselves during the past Century but I'm sure you've all seen slides like those, countless times.

Lorei's stern and honest look creates the deadest silence in the room.

LOREI (cont'd)
But I have to put this into perspective by telling you that - despite anything you might hear on the news, or from your parents and teachers - your generation has significantly greater potential than any that came before you. Your thoughts have taken a wider range of vision, your intellects have become keener, your emotions more sensitized; the Spirit of the Age that has been mysteriously breathed into you has made you capable of seeing the whole world, truly under one perspective.

The students who seem to be veterans of this group are deep in thought. Ellis is still trying to take it all in.

LOREI (cont'd)
And what noblest mission is in store for you, what most important role you will undoubtedly play in the course of history, even I fail to grasp. Your generation, this precious thin layer spread across the globe, is a miraculous microcosm for Mankind. While one by one you are reaching maturity during this immense transition between one Millennium and another, at the same time, Humanity is approaching that same stage. You've all gone through the turbulent times of adolescence. You all know how necessary and unavoidable they are. You all know the importance of lessons learned, and I'm sure you've made what seemed to you the gravest of mistakes.

Around the room, people nod or smile to themselves.

LOREI (cont'd)
But look at where you are now. Mature, confident individuals, pursuing your dreams - not completely rid of problems but at least prepared to deal with them. Let your lives be a model for this growing world in violent transition; know that we are not stuck in an endless cycle, that things have changed and will continue to change, and that the essence of Human Nature is not ultimately selfish - all remnants today of conflict and corruption are products of human developments that were necessary until this point, but are now on their way out. Merely by necessity this old structure is painfully extricating itself from the lives of people, from the governments of nations, simply because its fruits are rotten and ready to leave nothing behind but a brand new seed -- you.

Lorei is visibly worn out after a passionate delivery, and reaches over for a drink of water.

LOREI (cont'd)
And please...

He takes a sip of the water and puts it down.

LOREI (cont'd)
Know that the old order needs no help falling apart. Events of two kinds are affecting change, if it be your heart's desire, take part in those that build this newly emerging, universal organization of society.

C.U. of Ellis' face shows that he is enthralled by the end of this speech. The other youth begin to clap as Lorei starts getting ready to leave. He thanks them humbly but is anxious to get on his way. ALIA helps him gather his materials.

ELLIS
Lorei, wait.

Ellis runs up to Lorei with the address book in one hand. GREGOR follows.

ELLIS (cont'd)
I thought you'd like to have this.

LOREI
Wow, I haven't seen this in ages.

ELLIS
My name's Ellis, I wanted to talk to you...

GREGOR
Ellis came in contact with me after finding out about the old club.

LOREI
I'm glad to meet you here, thank you for returning this.

ALIA
Nice find, Ellis.

ELLIS
It's really-- I'm glad to have found you guys. This is so different...

GREGOR
I'm sorry to interrupt, but Lorei needs to go.

LOREI
I really need to go.

ALIA (to Ellis)
Lorei's always in a hurry.

ELLIS
Wait! But I have so many questions.

Ellis starts pulling out his notepad.

GREGOR
It's important that he leave, but the rest of the group can--

LOREI
Ellis, correct?

ELLIS
Yes.

LOREI
Walk with me as I leave.

ELLIS
Thank you so much.

LOREI
Of course. I like questions.

CUT TO:

 

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