Fake news is ridiculous and makes me laugh more times than not, yet some of my friends are greatly offended by it. The attitude we hold has everything to do with the way we choose to perceive life. Those who think the world is headed toward hell in a hand basket tend to find fear in everyday things. But, for those who hold hope for the future find silliness in the very things others fear.
It’s all about the long game. A life paced for eternity doesn’t get frantic when things go south. There is always a silver lining to be found by the ones looking for it. Artists need to find the silver lining in order to continue their creations. Finding inspiration or a muse is always associated with the positive side of life. It takes great focus to see past the world’s distractions and find the gift of joy and peace in the midst of the chaos.
I liken it to the short film I watched as a young kid called “The Tortoise and the Hare.” The rabbit was a really cool guy who was faster than anything. He was so fast that he’d flit around doing lots of things for fun in between his official task or goal. My favorite part was when he left the racetrack, hopped into a fast convertible and picked up three women for a flirtatious drive.
I admired his ability to attract the women, own a sports car and still have plenty of time to get back to finish the race. There was only one problem; all of his flash in the pan ideas and exerted energy got him so mixed up in alternate activities that he forgot the importance of focus and discipline.
The methodical turtle that focused on the race won. His discipline guided his every step as he moved a few inches with each stride. He didn’t allow the rabbit’s charisma to alter his strategy, nor did the blast of wind from the sports car driving away spin him off track. The turtle just counted on the hope within him and plodded along one step at a time.
In the last few seconds of the race the hare sprinted faster than most thought possible, but he was 2/10ths of a second too late. He had lost. The women left his car and went to the winner’s circle to cheer on the tortoise. The slow, but methodical champion received numerous kisses from the three women and many others. He didn’t need a sports car, as the crowd lifted him and carried him into the golden sunset.
I’ve learned over time that rabbits today make really cool short films that lack story. They also make low quality features with some great scenes, but no story structure to keep the film alive during the second act. Tortoises on the other hand work methodically on features, making sure every step is done to its best level of quality.
Marketers love rabbits who can speed ideas to market, especially the popular ones that have fans who consistently overlook their story flaws. However, audiences love the tortoises that carefully craft compelling stories the audience want to watch over and over again. This tension between hare and tortoise fans keeps a full line of good and bad movies alive for audiences to sift through regularly. But the stories that become classics and out last the test of time belong to team tortoise.
I wish that I could find the old short film I saw, but the below will have to suffice.
CJ's Corner 