Source or Content?

What’s more important; the source, or the content?

As a lover of pop culture things (but not necessarily pop culture), I tend to engross myself in the arts. Well, kind of. But for the sake of this, I’m saying that, like most of you, I have a strong affinity toward music and movies, literature and quotes, and to an extent, paintings and photography. When it comes to the importance, the meaning, the beauty, the magic, the stand-the-test-of-time brilliance of a piece of that mess of things that I’ll refer to as ‘pop art,’ at what point can we separate the act from the actor, the quote from the author, the painting from the artist?

Movies: Hundreds of people go into the production of a movie, the notables being the credited cast, director, producer, and writer. Is it possible to shake the history of these names in order to enjoy the movie as a singular object in the history of film? I think it’s crap that A-list and top-grossing movie stars get a free pass when it comes to making these mind-numbing money-suckers. Actors I enjoy, actresses that I choose to stick on when paging through my guide, make sub-par movies that generally get accepted because of who they are and what they’ve accomplished. Directors and writers too. How long did M. Night get a free pass after The Sixth Sense? Is there a length of time or quality of production threshold that limits the amount of success you can glean from your previous accomplishments? Nicholas Cage, I’m looking your way. Even my beloved Will Smith could stand to reinvent himself.

Music: Ever heard a song that you’ve never heard before and thought, ‘hey this is kind of good,’ then someone tells you that it’s the new Limp Bizkit and you feel nauseous? Happened to my brother. Contrary, ever purchased the new CD by one of your favorite bands, popped it your car on the drive home, and for the next week literally had to convince yourself that this was good music and that you made the right decision? Any band that I listen to based on my discovery of said band is instantly better, which is why people hate when their bands go pop. Anything that no one else knows about: sweet as hell. Anything that everyone else loves: overplayed dog shit. Is it possible to listen to a previously unreleased song without any influence of the past, be it trying to figure out who it is, or, who it sounds like? A metal band (Trivium) came out with a fantastic first album (Ascendancy), a complete dud with their second release (The Crusade), causing me to lose hope, only to revive my interest with a stellar third disc (Shogun). Rarely can a band turn you off with a CD so much without completely jading your impression of them, then come back and redeem themselves (see: Slipknot).

Quotes: Is the content of a quote more important than who said it? I recently referenced a new, mythological, fantastic, head-chopping and dragon-breeding show on HBO (Game of Thrones) with a quote I found appropriate. Did the quote, about the only god being the god of death, and the only thing you say to it is ‘not today,’ did that no longer relate because it was said by a show based in unrealistic circumstances? I happen to think that the great minds of our time probably spit out some hogwash over their years. Now, if you truly have a great mind, there’s a good chance that much of what you choose to have your name dashed afterword is going to be worth considering, but the inverse? Is it possible for the words of the wise to come from somewhere other than the wise? A quote, like most art, is only what you make of it. They are free for interpretation. Even if the writer is standing next to you, telling you what it means, how you use it is void of their influence. An impressive, eye-opening, chill-spawning, lavishly laid out quote is just that, regardless of the source.

This discussion continues for literature, paintings, photography, fashion (don’t even get me started), athletics, lawyers, politicians, universities, brand names; the list is nearly endless. We overlook the details and see the name attached. We let past experiences, critics’ responses, pop culture ebb and flow, and dozens of other outside influences pollute what should be a clear palate. We use these shortcuts to save time and maintain face. The reality of it is, a bad song, and bad movie, a stupid quote, they shouldn’t get a free pass. Try to take in the content void of its source and see what else is out there for you to enjoy, explore, and share.