Seeking Personalities
One of pitfalls of being overly candid (i.e. blunt, tactless, critical) is people assuming you don’t appreciate the good things. How untrue! I absolutely appreciate the pleasant, well bred things in life…there just aren’t very many. Besides, it’s just an opinion and other observers are welcome to disagree (you’re crazy though – that first Transformers movie was written by a twelve year old).
As my brother Nate likes to say, “Matt, yea, he just doesn’t like stuff.”
Perhaps that’s why I’ve struggled with the following conversation card question, “Name five living people you would jump at a chance to meet.” I’ve been chewing on this thing for almost three days and well…he’s my list as of Nov. 12th, 2009.
In no particular order…
Mark Driscoll (pastor, Mars Hill Church in Seattle) - I’ve attended private schools for many years and countless (excluding college) Sundays at church. I’ve listened to almost a million preachers and teachers whose abilities wander the entire spectrum. I’ve listened to the good, bad, and the windbag. I’ve been bored stiff in a pew, lulled to sleep in one of those cushy chairs modern churches use, and had my interest opened in one of those steel folding chairs.
All these speakers and not one has motivated me out of bed in the morning with the anticipation of listening to one. Mr. Driscoll is the exception. His keen mix of core theology, modern relevancy, and earnest delivery makes him a pleasure. He’s been gifted for what he does.
Bill Watterson (creator, Calvin & Hobbes) - How is it that I can read six pages of comics and barely crack a smile? There are standards…well thought comics with personal appeal (Peanuts) and those that are laser focused on stunning satire (Dilbert) even a few whose whole purpose was a clever jest (Far Side). These examples stand on the mountaintops of the comic world but only one reaches the clouds…Calvin & Hobbes.
It’s sometimes a bit surprising to come across an artist that is miles above his contemporaries. If comics were taken as seriously as orchestra music, Mr. Watterson would be considered a virtuoso – a prodigy.
His last strip was in 1995 and since then he’s done almost everything possible to shut out his fans. I understand the man is entitled to his privacy but does he not still derive his livelihood from his admirers? How much hassle could it be after fifteen years? It seems a little self-absorbed to me. It’s for this reason I’ve yet to buy the Complete Calvin & Hobbes.
Any Member of the US Supreme Court - What does it do to a person’s psyche to be one of the county’s most powerful, unaccountable people? These black robed sages even hold the interpretive hand over the Constitution! They can invalidate the will of citizens and legislatures with a little more than an opinionated term paper. If our democracy has cracks, these men and woman are the ones that can tear them open.
Anyway, that’s the list. I couldn’t make it to five…maybe next year.
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