The other day I woke up wondering what-the-Hell I’m doing here: I mean, why have I been getting up every morning for the past 31 years to teach; write; parent; and/or otherwise get from A-to-B? Saying it was to find women and get laid – is a bit too simplistic (and demeaning to any female readers I have – and I have at least one). I certainly never pushed myself to make money – as money doesn’t really allow one to excel at anything – that takes practice. And I certainly haven’t pushed myself to lead a life of leisure and inebriation – because as my mentor and former alter ego, Captain Kirk, was wont to say: “Man was meant to struggle; Man was meant to have challenges.” So it hit me in the shower that morning – that what I’m all about is making meaning of things. As Joseph Campbell suggested, I’m all about Man’s search for meaning (I do love making music and love – but they are probably simply therapy for the more profound endeavor).
So when I tuned in to The Family Guy the other night – I immediately attempted to find the relevancy and meaning within this show that so many of my students (college AND high school seem to love). I couldn’t find anything redeeming or of constructive value in this episode where the Family Guy gets his license taken away for reckless driving. What followed seemed to be a glorification of abuse on a level that seemed utterly destructive to any semblance of a social framework (so why do so many of marriage and family students love this show?!). I couldn’t find anything sufficiently redeeming that it would move a family through time in an intact and healthy fashion (a father setting his daughter’s head on fire, and then dousing her with beer???!!)
I mean, when The Simpsons first came out, I suggested that this show heralded the demise of the American Family. But after watching The Simpsons for awhile – I detected a strong undercurrent of love (though tolerance was stretched to extremes) – within the Simpson Family and between other characters. And while South Park also highlights social divisiveness and disrespect between all members of society – we are aware that South Park is an unique place: it is populated with freaks and caricatures – much like the movie Fargo – so it doesn’t purport to be a representative model of anything positive for life and living.
I remember the venerable ol’ Dr. Waring pontificating on the importance of Beowulf – and how the ancient poem heralded the demise of the heroic culture. For those unaware of the poignancy of an heroic culture – it’s basically all about hero worship – except the hero isn’t a con man, or someone trying to get into your pants – on the contrary, he (sorry ladies, not many female warriors back then) is the real deal: a regular Spiderman.
But as Yeats pointed out in his poem, “The Second Coming,” “…the ceremony of innocence is drowned”; and, only Wiglaf (sp.?) attempted to assist Beowulf in his final battle – and so, without a fan club backing him – Beowulf was doomed! A hero needs to have followers…and we are so quick to tear our contemporary heroes down – even American Idol types. And, as corny as it may sound, the American Father was considered a hero back in our early TV history – whether it was Father Knows Best or My Three Sons (you fill in the rest). Heck, we even had The Cosby Show.