The problem with entertainment is this...
In the right mood, I could hate or love any movie/book/story. I am a habitual cynic when it comes to ANYTHING at ALL in this world, and I find my first reaction to something new is almost always that of distaste. Everything is always "pandering to a certain viewer that I find ridiculous." This goes for politics, entertainment, and even day-to-day goings on around campus.
This isn't something I am proud of, nor do I mention it to boast. I think it is often childish, since it is always easy to criticize.. But at the same time, I do honestly feel that my instincts are very accurate, even if they are childish.
This leads me to my point..
When I watch something in a cynical mood, I will hate it. It could be the most amazing, touching, thoughtful, intellectual, interesting piece of work ever created, but if my mood is sour, then I'll think it to be rubbish. The same is also common when I'm in a good mood, or a sentimental mood! I'll watch the most ridiculous movie and be miraculously "moved" by its content.
The question is, are we all like this? Is my innate cynical sense mine alone?
I would bet that most people would agree on entertainment if we could simply view it without emotionally prejudiced eyes.
This isn't a blog about how to achieve this, (I wish I knew), but more of an epiphany I had this evening while watching The Singles Ward. I never liked it before, but I REALLY enjoyed it this evening.. Perhaps this is because I'm in a similar place in life to those in the film. But whatever the reason may be, I really need to take fewer grains of salt in with the world around me.
The problem with giving EVERYTHING the benefit of the doubt, is that some things really are awful. I don't want to hold that "kindergarten teacher" mentality that EVERYTHING ANYBODY makes is AMAZING!! I think that kind of reaction fuels mediocrity while doing away with incentives for superior creation. But I think if I were a kindergarten teacher, I'd hoard "fuel" from everyone when I'm feeling cynical, and splash it out liberally when I'm in a random mood.
Moral of the story, I'd make a crappy kindergarten teacher.
Riding Llamas
Friday, 10 April 2009
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3 comments:
you would make a crappy kindergarten teacher. Sometimes 6 year olds wet their pants.
One more thing, when i was in college i was invited to the middle school to judge some projects the kids had done. one of the other college volunteers gave every kid 100% even though their effort, ability, and creativitiy varied from one end of the spectrum to the other. I told him he was an idiot and was doing those kids a great disservice by giving them more points than they deserved. His response was, "but they were all so cute and i didn't want to hurt their feelings". Face it, some creators need their feelings hurt. Some books need to be burned, some movies need not be watched, and some politicians need to keep their traps shut.
Then again, not everything can be perfect. Understanding, acceptance, forgivness, "benefit of the doubt", and "a grain of salt" are eyes everyone should practice looking through.
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