Training Day is a cop movie set in downtown Los Angeles. Ethan Hawke plays a rookie cop- Jake Hoyt who is assigned into Denzel Washington’s unit. Denzel plays Alonzo, a crooked cop working in the narcotics department.

Alonzo believes in maintaining the status quo of a criminal world where cops are dirty and are in on the action. As per his own needs he chooses to arrest or murder anybody. He tells Jake to do the same, to follow his lead and one day become a detective who makes actual change. We can see that Alonzo is trying to manipulate Jake into becoming a dirty cop.

Jake resists and says this is not what he signed on for (of course the blue eyed white guy says that). However he is embroiled in a staged shoot-out and is used as a pawn by Alonzo who is also under pressure from his superiors.

The Master (Confucius) sighed, “Would that I did not have to speak!”
Zigong (a disciple) said, “If the Master did not speak, then how would we little ones receive guidance from you?”
The Master replied, “What does Heaven ever say? Yet the four seasons are put in motion by it, and the myriad creatures receive their life from it. What does Heaven ever say?” – Excerpt from Analects Confucius (Edward Slingerland)

I can see a parallel between what Alonzo tries to tell Jake, to let the status quo be and to observe him and learn. Of course I’m sure Confucius didn’t advocate lawlessness and murder. But if a value system is corrupt and validates what we consider immoral or criminal, then a large part of wisdom and a pattern of virtuous conduct could be adopted in the corrupt society. It’s as if the society won’t believe it’s corrupt and it’s just normal to be looted and killed.

But we don’t live in such a society right?

-Tanmay