Let the Good Times Roll- Editorial

If you say so pal.

"What makes something good?"

A recent series of conversations between my friends and I focused on this very question (and with the ever fluctuating quality of media out there today that one can consume) we all agreed that it is a very reasonable question for someone to ask.

It seems like now (more so than ever due to the internet) we as consumers have concern for whether or not the entertainment we indulge in is something we can see without doubt as being "good." It's entirely understandable in the regard that we want to be able to answer this question with some degree of certainty or clarity.

We all like to be able to think that the things we enjoy are in fact good as (more often than not) we actually see our entertainment as an extension of ourselves, or some kind of measure of our personal character. If we think that the things we enjoy are good, then by extent, we are good for enjoying it. The same applies for when someone thinks of something as being bad. If people enjoy something that one person finds bad, that one person will sometimes think less of the people who enjoy said thing.

The nature of what makes something "good" is debatable to say the least. Tons of variables make the definition and philosophy of what good is vary from person to person. So when it comes to "What makes a good movie?" or "What makes a good story?" etc. etc. I can only say that it all depends on what you're personally looking to get out of your entertainment. For some of us though, that answer isn't quite enough. Perhaps there is more than meets the eye to what makes something good. Maybe there is indeed a formula one must follow in order to have their work achieve that status.

I am not so bold as to claim that I have the winning formula that will yield positive results every time. Personally, I don't think that there even is a definitive measuring stick for what constitutes something as good. There is no guarantee that anything I'm about to say here will in fact work for you and whatever work you may be doing. All I have is a personal philosophy on the matter, and it's one that I think is maybe the closest we can ever get to that answer for "What makes something good?"  Fundamentally I think that everything comes down to two factors, the intent of the piece and the execution of that intent. Regardless of my personal opinion on a particular subject, if it manages to do what it does well, I can usually see why people other than myself could like it or even love it. I usually like to think in the broad term for things such as this, so when it comes time to judge the overall quality of something I can be fair. Of course this sort of thing is a highly subjective topic, and all of this is just a matter of my opinion, so please try to keep an open mind when reading.

Paved with Good Intentions

Getting down to brass tax, the closest thing we essentially have to a definitive measuring stick for quality is simply the creator's intent. With the advent of modern technology (particularly social media) creators can be far more open and available now more than ever when it comes to effectively sharing what the intent of their work is. Creators can introduce important concepts, clarify thematic statements, and even offer new interpretations for their work to those who just wish to know. When one looks at any piece of work, knowing what the creator's intentions for it are can vastly help one in better assessing whether or not the work fundamentally achieves its goal. If it manages to be close (or at least can be considered to get close) to what the core intentions are, than one would have the inclination that this is a good thing. It's doing what it is meant to do, so in that regard the product is a success; which also can be seen as good.

Think about it; knowing what a wheel's intended purpose is allows you to understand why a wheel looks the way it does. You wouldn't hate a wheel for simply being round would you? How could you even begin to? The wheel's entire purpose in its design is to be round. Hating it for being round is unfair to the wheel, and to the person making that wheel. It's only when one examines the wheel closer that we can truly asses its actual quality. Can the wheel do what it's meant to do? Can the wheel maintain integrity throughout its job? Is the wheel even meant for this kind of job? Questions like these can allow us to better understand the intention of a creator's work. Even if you're not a fan of a particular person's wheel, you can't exactly lambaste them for having something do what it is built for. Creators don't have to reinvent the wheel, they just have to make the right wheel for the job they wish to do.

For instance, I am not a very big Micheal Bay fan. I never have been, and I don't think I ever will be. His movies usually feel shallow and pedantic to me, with his films opting for the kind of entertainment that I think appeals to the lowest common denominator. Even then so, I still don't hate his movies. His movies do exactly what he designs them for; mindless fun that anyone can sit down and enjoy with little investment. Anyone who likes his films simply has a taste that is different from my own. I can't bring myself to hate his films for doing their intentional purpose. With that in mind, even I will admit that Micheal Bay is frankly the best at what he does. It isn't my cup of tea, but I can see why others enjoy his movies so much.

We also can run into the issue of the creators having shallow intent from the start. How many times do you find yourself viewing a product as merely nothing more than a soulless cash in? How often do you find yourself getting the feeling that a piece is done with little to no mind for effort or dedication in making the work the best it can be? Sometimes (in order to turn a profit) creators compromise the intent of a product so that it can perhaps come out on time, beat a rival product, or simply cash in on the craze/demand. When this little bugger rears its ugly head, we as consumers usually recoil at the sight. Calling the makers lazy, heartless, or hollow. When we see that ill intent from someone, we feel that whatever their actions are, a taint resides on it now. Thus the product will more than likely be seen as bad.

Even with all of that in mind though, the creator's intent can always be thrown to the wayside due to such issues like the intentional fallacy. For those unfamiliar with the term, the intentional fallacy is when (regardless of knowledge to the creator's intent) we as the audience can/may/will see their work in another light. This happens quite more often in entertainment than one would think, and in turn it usually renders the creator's intent as moot. As an example, if I want to see the film trilogy Toy Story as a plot that actually focuses on the deeper implications of man and his relationship to god, than I am technically correct. While some may think that is me digging for something that probably isn't there, it is simply the way I see the story, and no one can tell me different. Even if I know the creators always intended Toy Story to just be a fun little tale about talking toys trying to find their way home, the intentional fallacy leans in favor of my views. Whatever the creator intends is irrelevant to the matter at hand. What is important is how the audience sees their piece.

The Excellence of Execution

Which brings us to the other major part of this philosophy. The execution of someone's intent. As far as I'm concerned, a creator sticking to what they intend to do, is something I think at least puts them on the right path. While what they are doing may not speak to my sensibilities, I do believe it is important for one to stay true to their artistic vision. One's way of seeing things is something that is entirely unique to them. While we as people may share similar visions, we can never truly see things from the perspective of another person. So while an idea may be great, how one executes that idea is going to invariably affect how others can and will see their work.

Perhaps the most important thing when executing work for a piece is making sure that one's vision/intent is evident and clear in all of its aspects. Taking the time to have everything reinforce the core values of the intention can make the vision more clear in displaying what it is. How often do you feel that a story you're reading isn't quite clear in the kind of story it's trying to be? Do you find yourself getting mixed messages from a movie while you're watching it? Those conflicting thoughts are usually the result of the work in question not being clear with its intent. Poor execution in displaying the work ends up muddling the overall purpose, and results in viewer confusion. This in turn can open the door for much debate about the fundamental point of any given piece, its general quality, and its overall perception from the audience. As the old saying goes "You get back what you put in." so the more work you put into executing your idea, the more likely it may be to come off clearly. Sometimes execution of an idea can be essential to its success.  

Of course this is yet again purely subjective. As one can feel that a creator's message was clear throughout their work, and another can feel entirely lost on what the point of it all is. Different minds search for different things in the sea of information out there before us all. Perhaps (if anything else) the goal of the creator should be to reduce the amount of people who can't share their vision. When a creator can manage to acquire more than enough people to see things from their point of view and understand their intent, then they probably won't have to worry about falling prey to the likes of the intentional fallacy. Naturally, not everyone will be on board with someone's concepts, but that is all part of being human. While they may not be able to appeal to absolutely everyone's ideals for entertainment, they can appeal to those who can see their vision for what it is. All they need to do is make sure that it comes across right to those willing to participate.

In Conclusion

As I said before, I don't think that there is in fact a definitive measure to the actual quality of something. We only have these two things to really go on, and even they're not absolute. So the next time you find yourself watching a movie, reading a book, or looking at a picture, try to keep an open mind while you're observing. Ask yourself some questions before you pass judgement. Is the piece doing what it's meant to do? Is it clear in its intent? While it may not be exactly what you're looking to gain from your entertainment, it doesn't constitute the subject as being bad. In fact, it may be really good, if not great to those who it is speaking to.

The Dude abides.