When is it when?
After sitting through all the Brett Favre drama, with even more interest due to the Vikings being my favorite NFL team, I began to think in the same vein however from other areas of popular culture.
When is it time to hang up the cleats, or other tools of the trade. Now, far-be-it for me to tell others when enough is enough, especially from those who are so talented at what they do.
Some of the albums I have purchased recently (or at least listened to) are Guns ‘n Roses “Chinese Democracy”. Chris Cornell’s newest release under the direction of Timbaland, AC-DC’s “Black Ice”, and various others too lengthy to mention. Everyone has their opinion about when these visionaries are past their prime, I’m sure people told Johnny Cash to hang up the guitar strap on more than one occassion, as did the critics of Stephen Tyler and Aerosmith, the Stones and Tom Petty. The list includes other artists and genre’s as well. For example Colin Hay (formerly of Men At Work), Snoop Dogg is still performing, and if I could generate a list of country stars I would (sorry that genre is more my wife’s specialty not mine). This same theme also applies to actors. I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing “Gran Torino” yet but I’ve heard that Clint Eastwood is masterful; although there was a time, not so long ago, when people were saying he was “washed up”.
The underlying theme of this piece (although diluted through my obvious rambling) is why do we care? Another point is who do we think we are to tell these individuals when their time is up?
There are athletes, musicians, actors, writers, and I’m sure individuals in every position who have reached the point where they contemplated “leaving the game” and walking off in to their proverbial sunset but chose not to. Brett Favre said it best when he simply stated “it’s my legacy” and after thinking of it I believe he might be correct. It is his career, his life’s passion and work, his personal ambitions and ego, and his image in the mirror that he must face daily. If an individual decides they want to play, or write, or perform, then why not?
Individuals tend to become very attached to what they enjoy. I personally didn’t like the newer approach Metallica took for a few years following “Load” and “Re-Load”, but in my younger days I was slightly perturbed with their decision to change their sound. It happens, they have no obligation to me to continue making music that I enjoy, they simply have to put something out that they enjoy. So now jump ahead a few years to my purchase of “Chinese Democracy”. I knew from the single song that was on the End of Days soundtrack that this was not the GnR from my youth, and while it didn’t have the impression on me of any of their earlier music I found a way to enjoy it nonetheless. But again, I understand how much we cling to the things that we are passionate about. But why is our passion more important than the passion of the person supplying our needs and wants?
It seems as though we in the public sector take an all-to-personal approach to these individuals in the popular culture. Our job should be to enjoy the product. I understand that we buy the tickets and merchandise, and we pay the bills by supporting our interests financially. But really does this give us the right to violently argue and try to make their decisions for them? I have begun to lean more towards the perspective of “If you don’t like the product then don’t purchase it”.
In the end no one will force you to watch the Vikings games, they may cram the advertisements and promotions down your throat but change the channel. No one will tie you down and make you listen to slightly rougher Axl Rose. I personally enjoy the new material and performances that the greats can bring to the table. Some decide to leave “gracefully” or “at the top of their game”, but doesn’t this country allow us the freedom to make our own choices? Shouldn’t this apply to our public figures as well. We don’t have to like their choices, or look favorably upon their indiscretions (I know by default that they have public images and that children can witness things, but that’s where parenting comes in), we can simply choose not to support.
Why do we care so much and what gives us the right? Should we all just back away and let Brett Favre make his own decisions or do we really need to be in helicopters watching Brad Childress drive from the airport to training camp? Where does it end and when can we sit back and just enjoy the product for what it is, even if it doesn’t meet our personal expectations?
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