All men are not created equal. Neither is TV.
All Men Are NOT Created Equal - Neither is TV
December 15, 2018
by
Recently I had the opportunity to observe a kindergarten class. Sitting amongst children from every walk of life and varying aptitudes prompted me to reflect upon a lesson I was taught in my American history classes.
In the Declaration of Independence, author Thomas Jefferson writes “we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal…” He goes on to state that everyone has an equal right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” In theory, I agree with Mr. Jefferson’s sentiment. We are each born with an equal right to pursue these unalienable gifts…but we don’t actually achieve equal liberties or happiness, for that matter, because we aren’t created equal. Everyone is born with and develops disproportionate aptitudes, some of us for math and science, others for the arts, or business or cooking. The point is, we are created unequal…on purpose. We are meant to be different.
As an entertainment producer, I’m delighted to see these differences reflected in the influx of content that now grace TV screens worldwide. Peter Morgan (The Crown) and Charlie Booker (Black Mirror), Angelina Jolie (First They Killed My Father) and Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick) each create very different entertainment as conceived by their unique aptitudes and perspectives. The industry’s increasing diversity is what makes it worth celebrating.
I have to admit, I didn't always see the beauty in Danny McBride’s (Eastbound & Down) vulgar humor or appreciate the peculiar imagination of legend, Stanley Kubric (2001: A Space Odyssey; A Clockwork Orange), but thanks to curiosity and sometimes sheer force, sampling the works of these unique talents opened my eyes to my own prejudices and has ultimately made me a better storyteller.
All men are not created equal - neither is TV. Humanity is better for it.
This holiday season, let’s toast to that!
Tags: