Blog Archives
Learning to Color
A glass of water is half full. Or is it half empty?
Sam: “This sandwich is delicious!”
John: “No, this sandwich is terrible.”
Dalton: “It’s not the best, but it’s pretty good.”
Some see things in black and white. Others may see the gray area.
One of the pinnacle phenomenon’s of the human mind is how person x can see something one way and person y can see it completely differently. Then, person z can see the same thing and give a reaction in the space between person x and person y.
Whatever the situation, people will react similarly or differently, with varying degrees in between. But these are the two very basic reactions of any human mind to an event or occurrence.
“This is great” or This sucks I mean, “This inhales profusely!”
“That was a smart decision” or “That was dumb.”
“Love it” or “List it” (I concede that it is a mildly addicting show, eh).
But here is one of the truly remarkable characteristics about this dynamic: In some circumstances, the presence of an outlier with definitively rigid opinions can become the catalyst that surprisingly brings the masses together.
Wait, what?
Even upon brief reflection, it doesn’t make much sense on the surface. The odd one out is the one who unites the larger population of people who are considered the inside? How does that work? Aren’t there reasons why this person is on the outside to begin with?
One word: Apple.
When we hear this word, some of us initially think of a deliciously tasty red fruit. Others recall the ending to a well-known movie adapted from a best-selling book. However, after these first reactions, a majority of us are probably thinking of computers, tablets, phones, music players, etc.
Apple = Fruit = World Altering Password = Technology = Steve Jobs.
Most accounts portrayed the late Steve Jobs as a black and white thinker/innovator. He had a vision and that was that. Period. If you agreed and did what he needed, then great, welcome. If not, you were fired. Astonishingly, it was his rebellious thought process, wild ideas and relentless one-track mind that ultimately united consumers of all mindsets and backgrounds with Apple’s wide array of technologically ground-breaking products.
Do you own an iPhone? An iPad? An iPod? A MacBook Pro? If not, have you ever used one?
Most people, in my opinion, would not characterize Steve Jobs as normal. He was not part of the mainstream of American society. He was different. But, incredibly, this outlier became a beloved figure and thinker to the inside.
Steve Jobs rigidly saw things in black and white, and yet, in doing so, he opened the world to all the colors and opportunities in between.
Most people will color inside a box, but it takes something special to want to discover what’s outside the lines…
P.S. I learned about the trailer via a tweet from Ashton Kutcher on my iPhone 4s.
In a World, Where Sharks Act as Guardians…
In a world, where sharks act as guardians, what nation rises to superiority regarding coastal defense?
Obviously, the answer is Finland.
The explanation:
In a world, where sharks act as guardians, Finnish officials, cognizant of their shrinking economy, need big, daring solutions to their economic woes. As a result, they hire professional shark wranglers to catch and release and/or redirect swimming patterns of big sharks (using their native Nokia technology in some way) towards the coastal waters of Finland for protection. Due to its newly established abundance and myriad of shark species, their tourism profits soar while simultaneously adding a strong defense system for their country’s shores. Perhaps most importantly, they finally have a good reason they can use to explain to curious people around the world why their country is called Finland.
Reality Check
The influx of Emmy nominations for shows featured on Netflix was no anomaly. Fellow dramas on cable networks that were nominated for Emmy’s were also no fluke. Even PBS has a stellar hour-long journey that takes us back to the sensationally proper early 20th century England. Shows like, “House of Cards,” “Mad Men,” “Game of Thrones,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “Homeland” and the remarkably addictive “Downton Abbey” have projected themselves as thoroughly entertaining with great settings, engaging storytelling and, above all, superb acting and originality.
The shows listed above, along with some shows on the major networks (“The Big Bang Theory,” “Person of Interest” and “How I Met Your Mother” as a few examples) have gone to painstaking lengths to present a story and set of characters that an audience will enjoy and care about. Relationships have been formed and they are long-term.
The specific revelation about Netflix’s evolution as a leading entertainment provider of new content is indicative of the ever-changing face of the modern television viewer and his/her expectations and preferences.
Contemplate this: Five years ago, Paul Giamatti became John Adams for the HBO series, “John Adams,” Steven Spielberg co-executive produced, “The Pacific” on HBO with Tom Hanks in 2010, Kevin Spacey stars in “House of Cards,” Maggie Smith dominates, “Downton Abbey,” Michael Shannon and Steve Buscemi light up “Boardwalk Empire” and January Jones realistically portrays the wife/divorcee of an advertising giant in the 1960s on, “Mad Men.”
If only I recognized just one of those names?
Within the last decade, the word “epic” has been a common adjective to describe some major motion pictures. Writers and directors made a cogent decision to create entire worlds filled with exciting action, seductive drama, story lines the size of the Empire State Building and plot twists that, figuratively speaking, “blow our minds.” And don’t forget about those omnipresent soundtracks that alone gives us goosebumps, swing our emotions and get our hearts racing in just a matter of seconds. While the movies of recent memory are not the first to project an “epic” story on the silver screen, they have nonetheless set the standard for movies, television and all relative media alike today.
Interestingly, many people will refrain from watching the newest episodes of the aforementioned shows listed above and instead sit down and watch an entire season during the weekend. Thus, it feels more like a movie with multiple sequels than it does a routine television show. “24” sure was great…
And there are many things said about the reality television shows that dominate the major networks (sans “The Amazing Race”), but superb acting, rich characters and original storytelling are not among them.
Among the convoluted world of modern television that is overcrowded with reality shows about anything and everything (literally), one certainty is shining a hopeful bright light through this overcast cloud of reality noise: more and more fans are investing their time and imaginations in shows that portray grand stories with compelling characters woven together with clever writing. For Heaven’s sake, The History Channel produced a blockbuster hit with, “The Bible” (sadly, I think NBC only saw dollar signs and not the great story when it bought the rights to the series sequel). National Geographic struck presidential gold with, “Killing Lincoln” (narrated by Tom Hanks).
The dynamic of watching television is continuing to change on a seemingly monthly basis.
In fact, it’s quite epic.
That’s the reality.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 