SCHOOL is back in full swing. Classes have started, orientations are over and everything is settling down into a nice routine.
It's hard to imagine that two weeks ago we were in our homes, trying to see everyone that one last time before it was time to pack up and leave for a new home: Charlottesville. Amid tearful hugs, firm handshakes and people saying "I'll miss you," unoriginal advice was given.
At a time and in a country where a lack of originality abounds, it is important for young people to be creative and not settle for the same old thing.
Your grandmother may have told you to always be sure to wear clean underwear - a popular bit of advice from the time when your parents were children and such things were said, whether they made sense or not.
Mom may have said something about eating your vegetables - especially broccoli - or she may have just muttered unintelligible words between sobs. Dad may have told you to read the paper, take accounting and, whatever you do, be safe.
Somewhere along the line, whether from an uncle's neighbor's cousin's brother or a lifelong friend, most everyone has been told something to the effect of "You are the future."
It's short, simple and sweet. It has a pleasant catchiness to it. It's also staggeringly unoriginal, blase and meaningless. Whatever kernel of wisdom used to spring from that phrase has long since lost its significance.
The world today brandishes a distinct lack of originality. Many of the things we see every day are second attempts at profiting from once-successful formulas. The entertainment industry is particularly guilty of such mind-numbing rehashing.
Like millions of Americans, you likely found yourself at the movies this summer. You paid your eight dollars for the ticket - less for a matinee, more in New York City - bought the popcorn and soda, and sat in the theater waiting for the movie to begin. The lights dimmed; you watched the previews. Many believe the trailers are the best part of going to the movies. With the level of complexity in most feature films, it is like watching four or five movies for the price of one.
In early June, the local Connecticut theater previewed the following movies before showing Shrek: Rush Hour 2, Scary Movie 2, American Pie 2 and Jurassic Park 3. All turned out to be good, entertaining movies, but the audience cannot help but be struck by the fact that none of that night's previews was for a new movie. All were sequels.
The Silver Screen is not the only form of visual entertainment guilty of unoriginality. Television shows use concepts created for earlier shows. Consider "The Nanny" - the 1990s Fran Drescher sitcom is eerily similar to Tony Danza's sitcom "Who's The Boss?"
The music industry also is not blameless. Many bands nowadays release covers of older songs. Alien Ant Farm's restyling of "Smooth Criminal" is catchy, but did anyone listen to Michael Jackson's original and feel that something just wasn't right? The number one album on The Billboard 200 chart is Now 7, which is a compilation CD of various artists' hit songs. Even the number one CD is nothing more than the repackaging of songs taken from other artists.
Our daily run-ins with unoriginality wear down our creativity, to the point that we believe that phrases like "You are the future" actually mean something. If not you, then perhaps one of the people you live with will be an author, screenwriter, lyricist, actor or singer. As the next generation, it is our responsibility to bring new ideas to the world. If we allow ourselves to become lazy and stale, we put ourselves in danger of regressing. While some might like to live in the past, it is important that we continue to progress and advance ourselves. We should always strive to better ourselves and society.
Even if you are not the next Steven Spielberg or Charles Dickens, be original. When you pass a friend on the street, don't ask him the same old dribble everyone else asks him. Ask him if he's seen any good movies lately, read any interesting books, or visited any unique locales. Instead of writing an old friend an e-mail or instant message, take the time to send him a letter. These simple forms of communication will brighten their day and generally improve the quality of life.
So, the next time you're writing a song, a movie, a TV show or even a paper for class, be original in everything that you do. I'd hate for my future to include a trailer for Rocky XXXII - Grandson of Rocky.
(Scott Killian's column appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at skillian@cavalierdaily.com.)
Read More
PATEL: Personal development courses support students beyond the gradebook
By Heer Patel | 17 hours agoThe University must rethink its approach to education beyond traditional major-specific requirements and mandate personal development courses.
EDITORIAL: Commercialization threatens U.Va.’s educational mission
By Editorial Board | YesterdayAfter all, measuring the University’s worth in terms of accrued capital, operational efficiency and numerical rankings molds this space into just another cookie-cutter institution.
YOUNIS: Why every U.Va. student should say yes to English
By Ayat Younis | 6 days agoEvery student at the University, regardless of their primary field of study, can professionally and academically benefit from engaging with the English department.
