*SPOILER ALERT*
*but not really because you've all seen Monsters Inc. by now, so you pretty much know that Mike's ultimate occupation is not "scarer" but "scare team captain"*
*...unless you live out in The Bush or the Serengeti and haven't seen Monsters Inc. in which case, I'm sorry and also, how did you get a laptop/decent internet connection?*
The title of this post may seem like hyperbole, but I assure you, it's not. Any child born from the early 80's on needs to see this movie. Why? One line.
"I thought that if I wanted it enough I could do it."
Uttered by a crestfallen Mike Wazowski after coming to the realization that--despite his best efforts--his lifelong dream of being a "scarer" was not a possibility, this line epitomizes-in one fell swoop-both one of the strongest messages of the film and a very large problem in the thinking of today's culture/youth.
"You can do whatever you set your mind to!"
"If you work hard enough, you can achieve anything!"
"Everyone is special and extraordinary!"
How many times since early childhood have we had these hackneyed motivators presented and force fed to us as absolute truisms meant to cultivate and feed our growing egos? More importantly, how many times have we bought into it? Guys, there's a reason we're referred to as "Generation Me".
Monsters University provides an alternative to these nonsensical ideas of achieving anything your heart desires through simple want-or even trying--by giving us a character who, despite his best efforts, simply could not attain his dreams. In a generation where inflated egos and the prosperity gospel are on the rise, I cannot overstate the importance of this message:
NO MATTER HOW "GOOD" A PERSON YOU ARE OR HOW HARD YOU TRY, YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO RECEIVE EVERYTHING YOU WANT IN LIFE.
It may sound harsh, but, such as we've come to accept that a single man in possession of good fortune must be in want of a wife, we need to make this the next universally acknowledged truth. Because the sooner we realize that the inherent right to achieve all happiness and wants is nonexistent, the sooner we can stop blaming God or each other when things don't go according to "plan" (aka *our* plan).
Our plan is not always best. In fact, sometimes our plan is plain crap. And that's because we don't see the whole picture. Our view of and experiences in life are so minute compared to the grand scheme of things. We see a pin-prick of what's actually going on around us and think that entitles us to know what's the absolute best for us and how everything should be run. God sees the whole picture. He knows better than we do.
--Let me repeat that.--
GOD KNOWS BETTER THAN WE DO.
We may think the path we're treading is the best for our life and that the scary looking road off to the side isn't meant for us, but--as myself and I'm sure many others can attest to--sometimes that creepy, road less traveled is the perfect one to get you where you need to go.
It's like that old cliche, when life closes a door, look for a window. Nobody likes climbing in through windows (or dog doors -__-) when they got locked out. (I should know. It happens to me all the time.) It's generally not easy or comfortable; you don't necessarily end up in the room you were originally trying to get to; you may accidentally get caught on the screen and scratch yourself (-___-); but it will still get you into the house. Not in the manner or place you may have expected, but in the house nonetheless.
Mike ended up happy and doing a job that he loved, even though it wasn't the job he'd originally thought would bring him happiness. When God's answer is "no"--which is inevitably going to happen more times than you like--stop whining and blaming Him and find that window He wants you to crawl through. It may not suit your preferences, but it'll get you where you need to go.
So, thanks, team at Pixar, for giving us such a fantastic movie with a much needed lesson. I salute you.
mjl.
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