The old story of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” by Hans Christian Andersen came to mind as I contemplated the theme of this column.
An egomaniacal (aren’t they all?) emperor commissioned the local schmatte makers to weave him an invisible outfit, circulating the meme that only the Village idiots could not see the new outfit. Leave it to a child in the crowd—we all know that kid—the one who spoils the magician’s act by yelling out the secrets to the tricks. The kid tells the assembled crowd that the emperor is stark naked.
This story informs and inspires my personal assessment and appreciation of various media displays that are billed as art or entertainment. How often have I seen a movie that was touted as “a masterpiece of a film where I did not enjoy it at all? Sometimes it’s the genre. I detest movies that are designed to scare or gross me out or preach at my core values, especially the religious ones.