We surround ourselves with entertainment of all sorts; books, television, movies, music, art, and anything else that stimulates our cerebral cortex and other parts of the brain that make us the species we are. We remember the entertainment that pushes boundaries, whether it be someone like David Bowie with his timeless music that transcended genres, Richard Pryor who opened doors for countless people of color, Bruce Lee who helped bring Martial Arts to the western culture. We remember these people and their actions because of the contributions they made to our society.
There's now this unspoken notion that since those things were done, they are over and we have moved on. People expect things to be better since a battle was fought and won. As we grow, we realize that is not how life works. That is not how relationships work. That is not how any of it works. That, of course, doesn't mean all is for naught. We keep fighting so future battles are easier won. We keep fighting because those things we believe in are worth fighting for.
I say these things, not because I want to get on some soap box, but because I see authors, artists, etc, being cancelled, censored, for past events. Some of which are worthy and warranted, some not as much. People in the public eye, regardless of how many eyes are on them, are in a position to say things that stir the pot, to do things that make people think, to create things that pull people from their comfort zone. It is our duty as entertainers to stimulate that cerebral cortex we all have and hold dear. To do nothing but surround yourself with comfort is a privilege and curse. It is a privilege because not everyone has the luxury to live without being challenged. It is a curse for that very reason. if you never challenge yourself, you cannot grow.
We see it in every gym across America that in order to grow (muscles) you must push your limits. And it makes sense. We can see the results in every person who murders a keyboard with each tap of their oversized arms. And it helps them grow, not only physically but mentally they are more confident, happier people. And kudos to them. But when it comes to mental stimulation, thought-provoking ideas are considered taboo. We must not speak things that challenge us. We must not hear things that go against our belief systems. And that current climate of thought could not be more stifling to growth if it tried.
I am not talking about schools of thought that impede on the quality of life for others. I am not talking about restricting what one person may do when it hurts no one else. I am talking about the complacency that the arts, in all forms, have becomes easily digestible, candy coated, mass-produced replicas of each other.
Shows like The Golden Girls, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Sports Night (Aaron Sorkin), and so many more made the audience aware of what was happening in the world around them. They made the viewer step out of their safe bubble and examine what is happening. Books like Lords of Chaos, Johnny Got His Gun, The Crucible, to name a fraction of a fraction of a fraction do the same. Not to mention the countless bands and musicians who do the same.
But in today's world, any thought that strays from the narrow view of the majority is attacked and picked apart in pieces from the piece that was picked. Because it is easier to edit what you hear and pick that apart than to listen with uninterrupting ears and understand what the whole message is. It is easier to react to something than to form a well-thought response. It is easier to yell freedom than to understand that the strangers around us suffer as we do. That the people who look different, think different, speak different, are not always so different. But first we must learn to listen. We must learn to properly communicate, and communicate clearly. If we have ideas that are grand but we cannot express them clearly and thoroughly, then the idea we have is never going to be understood.
As entertainers, we have the moral responsibility to push envelopes and say things that others might not like. If we never did that, then suffrage would still belong only to white men. If we never did that, then certain medical substances would still be illegal in all 50 states. If we never speak the words that make others uncomfortable we never make progress.
We cannot be afraid to clearly speak those words out of some fear of being rejected or laughed at. You will be rejected and laughed at by some...but by others, they will listen, they will understand. They will see the validity of your thoughts and those parts you can't speak clearly, they will speak them for you. They will help you grow.
But none of that can happen by surrounding ourselves with people who only think, dress, and act like you do. Surrounding yourselves with mirrors is only actually fun in a fun-house.
So, challenge yourself. Push yourself to move out of your comfort zone, if only for a while. You can always return home. And who knows, maybe you'll find a home better suited for you once you venture out. I know many people who have.
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