84 years later, this is still cinema’s greatest one-word mystery
By Dan Selcke
Published 1 day ago << EDITOR ADDED DATE 2025-11-26>>
- “Rosebud” is emblematic of the fact that the puzzle can never be solved
- No one thing can tell us why someone is the way they are
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Kane becomes an incredibly accomplished person, but he’s always unsatisfied. He builds a newspaper dynasty, but the money isn’t enough. He runs for governor of New York, but the adulation of the people isn’t enough. He marries twice, but family isn’t enough. “Rosebud” seems to reveal what would have been enough. Kane was robbed of his childhood. He wanted to be a kid and grow up with his parents’ love in his life. If he can only go back in time and fix what happened to him when he was 8 years old, then he could be happy, but he can’t, so he never will be.
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“Rosebud”?
Doesn’t everyone have something in their past that they wish they could go back and change?
“If he can only go back in time and fix what happened to him when he was 8 years old, then he could be happy, but he can’t, so he never will be.”
That really rings true in my life and I bet in most people’s life.
I wrote about the concept in my Magnum Opus.
“… checked the Eternal Possibilities Machine, which generates all the possibilities for use in creating the alternative worlds. In all those probability lines …” CHURCH 10●19●62 (Vol 1) 978-0-557-08387-9 page 45
Were there such a tool like the “Eternal Possibilities Machine” so we could see the “alternative worlds” that would give us the most happiness. Were it possible to go back and fix these “mistakes”. But there isn’t and that’s an eternal fact of life.
“You have to play the hand you’re dealt; not the one you could have had. (Don’t regret what could have been; you might have been hit by a bus!) And certainly don’t envy somebody else’s ’cause you don’t know what you don’t know’. Their hand always turns out to be worse than yours. In other words, there’s always always some one worse off and some one better off. Get over it and move on!” — Anonymous
“My love, were it in my power, I would sadly grant thee this boon. But, we have to continue to follow His Plan for us. Let’s go forth and speak no more of this. Who ever is last will be last. It will be His choice; not ours. We’re but humble custodians of His temple on earth. It’s not our place to trump His plan. Whatever that plan be, know that I will be with you to my last breath.” — character “John” in CHURCH 10●19●62 Volume 2 Page 399
At this time of year, I always get sad, maudlin, and sappy. It’s now “easy” to see the mistakes.
“I think we all wish we could erase some dark times in our lives. But all of life’s experiences, bad and good, make you who you are. Erasing any of life’s experiences would be a great mistake.” — Luis Miguel
I’ve always thought there are NO “mistakes” in life. There are choices we’ve made based on incomplete dikw (i.e., data, information, knowledge, wisdom) or choices made in haste or choices that were “against the odds”.
“It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not weakness, that is life.” – Jean-Luc Picard
“There are no regrets in life. Just lessons.” – Jennifer Aniston
“So, pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile.” — a World War I marching song written in 1915 by George Henry Powell and his brother Felix Powell.
[FJR: Writing this makes me feel better.]
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Reinke Faces Life 