The Era of Underachievers - What do Napoleon Dynamite and Michael Moore have in common?

Recently, while at an organizational seminar for the Coalition for Christian Outreach, some compatriots and I went to see the uber-hilarious movie Napoleon Dynamite. The story about a town stuck in the past, and 2 brothers who lead pretty pathetic lives and don't achieve much. The main character, Napoleon Dynamite, does, for the most part nothing. Yet, what he says and what he does make me laugh, and many friends and students that I know find it hilarious. I think this appeals to our culture, and particularly the younger generations for a couple of reasons to be explained later.

Now, as I mentioned earlier, I saw Michael Moore speak on Wednesday night, and I saw students go religiously crazy over ridiculous statements and broad generalizations, that are anything but honoring to an academic community that should know how to think critically about things. Michael Moore has made a ton of money asking questions, and is in many ways forming a new sort of american dream. This started with people like Tom Green and the guys from Jackass, but Moore has risen to a new standard. He has made "documentaries" that ask many questions, but insult and berate people while he does it. He has made an art out of controversy, and uses is for a cause (which is what separates him from Tom Green and Jackass). He is not a self promoter by any means. If anything, he makes desultory comments about his body and dress. He swears by his blue-collarness, and never mentions his college education. This all leads me to think that he is playing down any sort of sophistication he may have, which leads to my next point.

The age of underachieving. As I see college students come and go from the college experience, I see more and more the desire to do as little as possible, but still be rich and popular. I think this is the draw to Napoleon Dynamite, and what Michael Moore reinforces in his "success". This also combines with a man Sabrina (my wife) heard speak recently at a conference. He spoke of the "echo-boomers" who were raised in an overprotected home and never had to do anything, but reaped the results of their parents hard work. A characteristic is that they go to class, and expect to get a good grade because they attend and do the work. NOT if they do the work well. They have been rewarded through their life for being where they are supposed to be, not for doing much at all.

This is Napoleon. He is a pathetic kid, that does nothing except learn to dance and talk slow, but we love him. Why? Because he ultimately achieves stardom through doing a dance that has no bearing on life, other than getting Pedro his friend elected. There is no real purpose for his dancing. There is no purpose to anything he does. Yet he has achieved success.

I see our culture moving to a place where the people that we look to are the people that achieve the least but get the most recognition. It is a scary thought. We will feel the best about ourselves when we do the least.

I am also currently reading a book by Maureen Stout that discusses the self-esteem movement in the school system, and it fits this description perfectly, and that will be what I discuss next.

Till next time,
DEW