The Dude Abides (Even During COVID-19) Blogpost by: Robert Sundstrom

Today, amid a global pandemic, it seems we are often bombarded by bad news everywhere we turn. In response, many of us begin to search out the good news to ‘balance’ our intake, but such an endeavor might prove to be impossible for some or, if not impossible, just as stressful as the bad news. Though it came out over twenty years ago, and long before the age of social media and push notifications, The Big Lebowski may yet have a lesson that we should all “abide.”
The Dude, His Dudeness, Duder, or El Duderino is what the narrator suggests he is at the onset of the movie, “a man perfectly fit for his time.” But I think The Dude may be a man for all times. Amid the chaos of his time, escalating Middle Eastern conflicts and economic hardship, The Dude simply takes it easy and seemingly lives his life with no other motivation but to get reimbursed for his rug. He is authentic and rolls with the punches, though he may be angry or upset he always remains comfortable in who he is. I believe this may be a valuable example to strive towards during these times of intense anxiety and uncertainty.
Many have described The Dude, including Jeff Bridges, who portrays him so wonderfully, as a sort of Zen Master, which is to say that his character personifies certain Buddhist practices of living in conjunction with the whole world. The Dude’s unofficial motto, “the dude abides,” when you think about it means that in a world with such a rich and expansive history, the only thing to do is: do.  The Dude teaches us that despite our circumstances, we have no other choice but to accept them to some extent and continue to exist.
Though this may be an oversimplified view of life, I think it is significant now more than ever. Accepting the fact that we may not always be able to control our circumstance but remaining calm nonetheless is a practice we could all use a little of right now as we experience ‘history in the making.’
As we have learned in class, history is not always told through clear or easy narratives. In fact, post-modern works, such as The Big Lebowski, we learned directly dispute that version of history. ‘Real’ history can be better understood, or so it seems, through small immersions into the culture of that time. It will be interesting to see what types of sources and cultural points historians examine when they attempt to explore our current historic moment. Will they, for instance, investigate articles like Katherine Roseman’s “Some Tips on How to Stay Sane in a World That Isn’t”?  In her New York Times article, Roseman suggests helpful tips to quell anxiety and panic and replace it with a sort of resilience. The tips include things like: Limiting Media Intake, Self Inventory of Mental Wellbeing, Finding Joy, and Making Connection. All of these tips seek to, as Roseman quotes psychologist Rick Hanson as saying, “help you reframe the situation you’re facing. It’s not a matter of looking at the world through rose-colored glasses, it’s about creating resilience.” A sort of owning and respecting your situation but persisting nonetheless.
    Sound familiar? To take solace in small things despite your circumstances or situation is precisely what The Dude means when he says, “The Dude abides.”
    Though it is both easy and understandable to be overtaken by panic or anxiety during this crisis, hopefully, historians will be able to say that “during unprecedented times people were still able to find joy and live life to their fullest potential.”



By:Robert Sundstrom



If you have time read this article from professional on how to stay sane during COVID, and then watch this 26 min interview from Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, and Steve Buscemi on the 20th anniversary of The Big Lebowski. Hopefully it can bring you some joy!


Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/22/us/coronavirus-mental-health-anxiety-tips.html

https://www.today.com/video/jeff-bridges-john-goodman-and-steve-buscemi-talk-the-big-lebowski-in-extended-interview-1347115587527