Disciplining my film queue.
This past week, I reread How to Rearrange the World... by Todd Temple. My mother gave it to me when I was in high school and, while I can't know for certain, I suspect its subliminal impact on me has been significant. A dozen or so years later, it still has things to teach me.Just before I picked up the book again I'd started making a list of films I wanted to see, primarily culling from top rated and award winning films, but also hitting a list of top grossing films--this last list tended to be much more recent and much less worthwhile, but I included many because of their sheer popularity and I believed they would be fun.
When Todd Temple discusses discipline in his book, he includes an approach from a unique perspective: Discipline is not about denial or punishment but about efficiency. We avoid bad things to make room for good things and we avoid good things to make room for great things. Sure, we can eat cookies and cake and chips all day long, but then we won't enjoy other things we like, things we like MORE. I can watch all of these popular, top grossing films but I won't have time to watch what I will really enjoy. So instead of hitting what's popular or faddish I'm going to focus on things that will lead me to think, to learn, to grow.
What I won't focus on is the truth that I'm only redirecting myself now nor that most individuals will never do it in their entire lives.
posted by Lachlan @ 3:52 PM
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