I found this interesting, especially after seeing Boone and Shannon last week.
There were two HAM references in this episode that really stood out to me. First of all, Kate and Juliet hiding in the banyen tree. We know that several Losties have hid in those trees, even Kate did in the Pilot. But the obvious parallel in this episode was when Kate put her hand over Juliet's mouth, like Boone did to Shannon in HAM. It even looked like Shannon, all blond and terrified.

And then Sawyer actually uses the phrase "Hearts and Minds." I always thought it was interesting that Boone's episode was titled Hearts and Minds, because it was never directly referenced in that episode. And now, how many episodes later?, the phrase is actually used in the context of a totally different episode. I like how TPTB did that.

Thoughts? Interpretations? Were we meant to think about Boone and Shannon in this episode, or somehow the parallel to their relationship? How it was strained and strange but they loved each other?
I'm not sure if a parallel is really supposed to be drawn, and if so what the meaning would be.

Hearts and Minds... one of my favorite episodes of the series!!! anyway yeah i noticed both refrences too, Pretty intresting stuff!

I noticed that immediately too, LL. When Kate woke up in the jungle I had a sneaking suspicion she had been "wacky-pasted" by the gas cannister. Then when the monster showed up, I felt even more strongly about it. Imagine my surprise when she woke up the next morning still handcuffed to Juliet. ;)

Good call about the "wacky paste".... similar idea there.
Woah, it would be crazy if it was all a hallucination, like Boone. I don't actually think that's viable, but it's interesting to think of the parallels.

I thought of that episode right away when Juliet mentioned Hearts and minds, there has to be some meaning there. I wonder how much of this is all one big con by the Others?

Yes, I think it all might be one big con, and if it is, that would certainly be reminiscent of how Locke conned Boone. hmmm.....

I noticed as well Laura. The conning theme was huge tonight (obviously) and Locke's "pasting" of Boone was a con as well, although I hadn't thought of it in those terms. I think we are meant generally to link Juliet's act with conning, although I'm not sure exactly how to play out the HAM references.

I noticed the Hearts and Minds reference, but didn't put together the banyan tree or Locke's pasting.. Nice job.

It is a con, but the tie-in with the phrase kind of eludes me.. It could be a reference to a Psychological Operations (psy-ops) campaign in Iraq called Hearts and Minds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearts_and_minds_%28Iraq%29).. The focus being to get them to regain our trust.. Which is in turn based on LBJ's use of the term in Vietnam for the same concept. To get the rival camp on board with your goal, in order to achieve said goal.

It might have been mentioned when HAM originally aired, but hearts and minds was a term used by the U.S. military durinf the Vietnam War. It's a euphamistic term for the propaganda campaign we ran of the Vietnamese to get them to support our position. Of course it originates in the Bible: Phillipians 4:7. I think that reference gets to the heart of what Sawyer said. But when Locke pulled his wacky-paste stunt on Boone, it was a con, which the Vietnam reference better suites. Also, the Others are waging a hearts and minds campaign against the Losties, and Juliet is their point person.
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It is a con, but the tie-in with the phrase kind of eludes me.. It could be a reference to a Psychological Operations (psy-ops) campaign in Iraq called Hearts and Minds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearts_and_minds_%28Iraq%29).. The focus being to get them to regain our trust.. Which is in turn based on LBJ's use of the term in Vietnam for the same concept. To get the rival camp on board with your goal, in order to achieve said goal.

Looks as if we were posting at the same time. :)

I It could be a reference to a Psychological Operations (psy-ops) campaign in Iraq called Hearts and Minds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearts_and_minds_%28Iraq%29).. The focus being to get them to regain our trust.. Which is in turn based on LBJ's use of the term in Vietnam for the same concept. To get the rival camp on board with your goal, in order to achieve said goal.
So maybe Juliet is a plant to convince the Losties to help the Others achieve the same goal??? It would make sense. Instead of working against each other, they could work together to attain the goal.

I caught the reference as well when it was explicitly said in the episode, good job to everyone here for fleshing out some further similarities. I never knew about the Vietnam thing, it makes you think though. This was a very strange episode... I definitely don't trust Juliet.

So maybe Juliet is a plant to convince the Losties to help the Others achieve the same goal??? It would make sense. Instead of working against each other, they could work together to attain the goal.Could be... That would be the ultimate "If we don't live together, we'll die alone" scenario..

I didn't take it that way though... Not to get too political, but the usage of Hearts and Minds is total propoganda. We used it during Vietnam, to get the Vietnamese on board with the US being in their country. And we're trying it again in Iraq.

My interpretation is that Juliet is a plant to try to get the survivors to entrust her. But to make no mistake - she is the enemy.. But your perspective is very interesting Lost In Louisiana... Makes you think...
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Looks as if we were posting at the same time. :)great minds think alike ;)

So maybe Juliet is a plant to convince the Losties to help the Others achieve the same goal??? It would make sense. Instead of working against each other, they could work together to attain the goal.




Could be. Could be.

But I don't trust her any further than I can throw her. This is what I think she is up to.

http://thefuselage.com/Threaded/showpost.php?p=1471822&postcount=13

and


http://thefuselage.com/Threaded/showpost.php?p=1472042&postcount=15 (http://http://thefuselage.com/Threaded/showpost.php?p=1472042&postcount=15)


She makes we want to:hide:.

I agree that Juliet is not to be trusted, and I think we were set up to "know" that based on Ben's comment to her during the Expose scene when he explained how he was planning to manipulate the Losties. She is following that strategy.

Isn't it funny, I always thought "Hearts and Minds" was another Wizard of Oz reference - and in the epi of that title, I interpreted it meaning that Shannon and/or Boone needed to find their courage over their hearts and brains.

/shrug

Hearts and Minds was also an Academy Award winning documentary in 1974 which focused on the US Hearts and Minds operation in Vietnam. I've the seen the movie a couple of times and, even being aware the movie had a strong point of view, it was still a devastating attack on the program which it portrayed as little more than empty propagandistic rhetoric based, in no small part, on racist assumptions of Vietnamese and Asian culture.

Also, the "hearts and minds" combination shows up in the bible - specifically in Philippians 4:7

and don't forget the old saying, "when you've got them by the ______, their hearts and minds will follow"! [insert appropriately convincing anatomical part, suited to whichever gender is the target for coercion!]

Did the stain on Diane's shirt remind anyone of Shannon's gunshot wound?

Thanks for the information about the Vietnam connection, everyone. I wasn't posting here back when HAM aired, so I don't know if it was discussed then. I'm quite sure it was, though. I definitely see the parallel between Sawyer using the phrase and it really referring to what Juliet is doing by infiltrating the Losties. She's getting at Jack's (specifically) heart and mind and will manipulate him in order to manipulate everyone else at the camp (because he is their leader). But will everyone still trust Jack if he's paired off with Juliet? Especially with Sayid not trusting her, and Sawyer potentially being a new leader? Interesting....

I love the 'nam reference but i think Jules is an unknowing and unwilling plant who is genuinely afraid and unsure but through her presence the losties are meant to gain empathy towards the Others (i personally believe only ben, the writers and not jules is aware of this).

also i think hearts and minds can be a nod towards the disparagy of the two terms which often conflict each other.