Believe the world needs you

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Whether you’re a high school or college graduate, or a graduate of life, like me (I turn 60 this year), the 2014 movie “Whiplash,” directed by Damien Chazelle and based on a true story, offers an invaluable life lesson:

Find something you’re good at. Then go for broke! 

Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller), a freshman at the country’s top music school, longs for greatness as a drummer. So when Andrew passes the audition for entrance into the jazz band of teacher-cum-drill-sergeant Terrance Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), Andrew is elated. What Andrew fails to question is Fletcher’s methods for getting the best out of his students. The destabilizing confusion Fletcher creates is present in their first exchange, after Andrew stops playing to acknowledge Fletcher’s arrival. 

FLETCHER: So you know I’m looking for players.

ANDREW: Yes…

FLETCHER: Then why did you stop playing? [Andrew resumes playing.]

FLETCHER: Did I say to start playing again?

Fletcher is impossible to please. He also works hard to demolish students’ egos by calling his all-male jazz band “ladies” and constantly impugning their manhood, their talent, and their right to be treated fairly. 

Fletcher has a goal in life, which is to produce the next Charlie Parker. He sums up what he believes made Parker great by sharing with Andrew the story of how Parker’s teacher threw a cymbal at Parker, almost decapitating him. That led to the worst night of Parker’s life and the best solo ever in jazz history the following day.

Fletcher is patently unfair, especially with Andrew, whose determination to stay in the band is constantly tested by the teacher. For Fletcher, relentlessly heaping abuse on students drives them because they can never be pleased with themselves. They must push, and push, and push, and never doubt that Fletcher has their best interests in mind. They must believe in themselves and Fletcher unconditionally. We might surmise that Fletcher had a parent who was impossible to please, probably as abusive as Fletcher is now.

But where does pushing end — and sadism start?  

Whiplash, Damien Chazelle, Valerie Kaufman
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