hope
April 10, 2008
you may remember i wrote about why Happy Feet makes me sad, how i get frustrated by the movie because it implies that all we need to do to save the world is make people see what’s wrong. I don’t believe that, because people look at what’s wrong right in the face and don’t do anything. The moving message of hope falls rather painfully, to me, because the messages are being delivered all the time, and people mostly just blow past it.
Still, this doesn’t mean you can’t tell a story of hope in a way that works. I know there are folks out there that don’t agree with me, but I absolutely adore the show Eli Stone, partly because the kind of hope compiled with ridiculousness and a little bit of mysticism is intriguing. The show is a rather comedic law show that is very character driven and complete with musical numbers (which we all know makes me happy), but it’s even more important than that.
The main character of the show is an excellent cynic who has to deal with the amazing, and the amazing is coupled with tragic. In response to all of this he has to hope for the best possible. The show is all about cultivating that hope and doing good, not out of some need to redeem the soul, but more out of the need to have a decent life. The show is a lot cheerier than anything I’m usually willing to watch, but when i think about some of the cases the show has dealt with I realize that while they manage to keep the brightness and humor, it’s all pretty sad and dark, and they don’t always win.
The idea that this kind of storytelling goes on makes me happy, because this is something i identify with.
There are people out there doing these crazy incredible and awe inspiring things, and it’s not all about the peace corps (though I know people doing that too, and I cannot begin to express my admiration), but about people who are smart and talented and good finding something good to do and bringing that goodness to others. I have two examples this week, courtesy of Casey and Angie.
Bren Bataclan’s Smile Boston Project is an artist getting out there with some great giggle inducing paintings and reaching out to people and trying to cut a deal. I love it, and I love that he’s taken it not only to Boston, but to other cities as well.
The other is Shawn’s Uncultured Project. This is incredible stuff that leaves me in absolute awe. Someone taking the time and initiative to go out somewhere where people have nothing and start making a difference. I’ll let the video speak for itself, but if you watch it, really think about what he’s talking about because this is the kind of call out we all need to get off our asses and start doing something.