Comments on: Excellence, and the rest of it http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/ NEWS AND VIEWS FROM EDITOR STEVE OGDEN Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:55:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU by: animwatch http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-14 Sat, 07 Apr 2007 11:59:41 +0000 http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-14 AnimWatch is a website I run, dedicated to excellence in independent animation. If you like good stuff, I encourage you to check it out: http://www.animwatch.com Hope to see you there! AnimWatch is a website I run, dedicated to excellence in independent animation. If you like good stuff, I encourage you to check it out:

http://www.animwatch.com

Hope to see you there!

]]> by: Erika http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-13 Sat, 07 Apr 2007 04:17:47 +0000 http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-13 Thanks for the link...maybe another 25 years. I'll check out Idiocracy. What is "AnimWatch" all about anyway? Thanks for the link…maybe another 25 years. I’ll check out Idiocracy.
What is “AnimWatch” all about anyway?

]]> by: animwatch http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-12 Fri, 06 Apr 2007 12:29:11 +0000 http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-12 Yeah, Jackass isn't too far off the mark, but OMB has less narrative, if you can imagine. Just a series of mishaps with a guy falling on various things and hitting his crotch. Ah. I'm sure Jackass was the model or at least the inspiration. For a glimpse of OMB, you should check this out: http://youtube.com/watch?v=CNR8d7KqozY Idiocracy is really a very funny, but very scary movie. It would be easy to dismiss it as the very thing it criticizes, but such is the danger of satire. In truth, the first 45 minutes is the best portion, and the end sort of degenerates into a fairly typical movie. But the things the movie has to say about the dimming of general intelligence, and the influence of Corporations that low intelligence tolerates, is more than worth the price of admission. Yeah, Jackass isn’t too far off the mark, but OMB has less narrative, if you can imagine. Just a series of mishaps with a guy falling on various things and hitting his crotch. Ah. I’m sure Jackass was the model or at least the inspiration.

For a glimpse of OMB, you should check this out:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=CNR8d7KqozY

Idiocracy is really a very funny, but very scary movie. It would be easy to dismiss it as the very thing it criticizes, but such is the danger of satire. In truth, the first 45 minutes is the best portion, and the end sort of degenerates into a fairly typical movie. But the things the movie has to say about the dimming of general intelligence, and the influence of Corporations that low intelligence tolerates, is more than worth the price of admission.

]]> by: Erika http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-11 Fri, 06 Apr 2007 05:20:44 +0000 http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-11 This is just an afterthought but maybe 50 years is to far into the future for "Ow, My Balls!". I don't know the nature of the show in Mike Judge's Idiocracy, but "Jackass" can't be to far off the mark. Thanks again. This is just an afterthought but maybe 50 years is to far into the future for “Ow, My Balls!”. I don’t know the nature of the show in Mike Judge’s Idiocracy, but “Jackass” can’t be to far off the mark. Thanks again.

]]> by: Erika http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-10 Fri, 06 Apr 2007 04:51:56 +0000 http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-10 Thank you for the food for thought, and good luck with your podcast/ blog. I'll check in for future episodes. Thank you for the food for thought, and good luck with your podcast/ blog. I’ll check in for future episodes.

]]> by: animwatch http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-9 Thu, 05 Apr 2007 15:17:32 +0000 http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-9 It may not make entertaining blog fare to say it, but I agree with you. And I do worry about the future when I see a watering down. For an exaggerated view of where I fear this may all be heading, I'd suggest you watch Mike Judge's Idiocracy, where in the future, the most popular show on television is called "Ow, My Balls!" OK, so it's not exaggerated that much. And I don't think it'll take the 500 years the movie suggests. At this rate, I think we'll be there in 50. But not to be too negative, there is still plenty of excellence out there. You just have to strive for it yourself, and seek it out in others. Reward it, encourage it, nurture it. Thank you for your very well reasoned and excellently written note. Thanks for weighing in. It may not make entertaining blog fare to say it, but I agree with you. And I do worry about the future when I see a watering down.

For an exaggerated view of where I fear this may all be heading, I’d suggest you watch Mike Judge’s Idiocracy, where in the future, the most popular show on television is called “Ow, My Balls!”

OK, so it’s not exaggerated that much. And I don’t think it’ll take the 500 years the movie suggests. At this rate, I think we’ll be there in 50.

But not to be too negative, there is still plenty of excellence out there. You just have to strive for it yourself, and seek it out in others. Reward it, encourage it, nurture it.

Thank you for your very well reasoned and excellently written note. Thanks for weighing in.

]]> by: Erika http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-8 Thu, 05 Apr 2007 06:48:54 +0000 http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-8 I certainly agree that the pursuit of excellence is being trampled by the acceptance and praise of mediocrity. I would even suggest that Nigel's politically correct comment about each person having their own level of excellence negates the truly exceptional. Yes we are all on a continum of development and we may even have attained an extremely high plateau on that continum, but our high plateau may be a canyon relative to true excellence. Instead we seem bound to the lowest common denominator, striving for a pseudo equality by granting awards to everyone (perhaps in fear of hurting feelings, wounding egos, or simply being honest). I'm not in animation, I'm a surgical nurse and I am aware of the bastardization of excellence on a regular basis. We (nurses) are regarded "equally"...a 3% raise annually regardless of excellent, mediocre, or sub par performance. The ongoing coddling of the sub par and mediocre exists across many professions and within American culture in general (as you have indicated regarding media and film). I keep searching for solutions. I truly believe that we must always seek to become better; "unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow" (this was on a poster at a bank, and I couldn't agree more). Who will we become as a people when our only idols and inspirations are rockstars, athletes, and movie stars? I think our prioities and moral codes have been marginalized by "popularity" and financial gain (the "reality" shows I've endured indicate a human drive for cash over basic human decency and respect). Is there hope for us? I certainly agree that the pursuit of excellence is being trampled by the acceptance and praise of mediocrity. I would even suggest that Nigel’s politically correct comment about each person having their own level of excellence negates the truly exceptional. Yes we are all on a continum of development and we may even have attained an extremely high plateau on that continum, but our high plateau may be a canyon relative to true excellence. Instead we seem bound to the lowest common denominator, striving for a pseudo equality by granting awards to everyone (perhaps in fear of hurting feelings, wounding egos, or simply being honest).

I’m not in animation, I’m a surgical nurse and I am aware of the bastardization of excellence on a regular basis. We (nurses) are regarded “equally”…a 3% raise annually regardless of excellent, mediocre, or sub par performance. The ongoing coddling of the sub par and mediocre exists across many professions and within American culture in general (as you have indicated regarding media and film). I keep searching for solutions. I truly believe that we must always seek to become better; “unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow” (this was on a poster at a bank, and I couldn’t agree more).

Who will we become as a people when our only idols and inspirations are rockstars, athletes, and movie stars? I think our prioities and moral codes have been marginalized by “popularity” and financial gain (the “reality” shows I’ve endured indicate a human drive for cash over basic human decency and respect). Is there hope for us?

]]> by: nigel http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-7 Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:50:54 +0000 http://animwatch.animationblogspot.com/2007/03/06/excellence-and-the-rest-of-it/#comment-7 I couldn't agree more....although I think its hard to define excellence. I think there is personal excellence (striving for perfection within one's own skill set) and then there's global excellence (the general opinion of the majority). So while we shouldn't celebrate the best of a bad bunch for celebrations sake, maybe there's always room for celebrating one's passion for their work, whatever the quality. I couldn’t agree more….although I think its hard to define excellence. I think there is personal excellence (striving for perfection within one’s own skill set) and then there’s global excellence (the general opinion of the majority). So while we shouldn’t celebrate the best of a bad bunch for celebrations sake, maybe there’s always room for celebrating one’s passion for their work, whatever the quality.

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