Just like Luke Skywalker, I had spent the better part of my life unaware of how vast the Star Wars universe was. But how could I ignore the promotional juggernaut for The Force Awakens? I was temporarily tempted to rebel against it, since I was a vocal critic of the prequels. (Too glossy, too procedural, too tortured.)
But the people involved in the latest production–from the director JJ Abrams to the returning classic cast members–certainly “forced” me to want to see it. And, truth be told, Carrie Fisher’s “realness” in interviews and on the red carpet was enough to engage me as a fan all over again. (I loved getting the chance to be pulled onto a Broadway stage by her during her one-woman show “Wishful Drinking.“ She was hilarious, candid, and so quick-witted.)
The movies are known for many things–from the music to the weapons to the villains. But for me, one of the most relevant themes is the Force and the struggle for good versus evil–the light versus the dark side.
Not that I’ve spent time being tortured by which side to choose. But I do think that my personal decision of whether to stay in corporate America or to follow my dreams bears a resemblance to choosing the light or the dark side. At least, I know that choosing to follow my dreams meant my employees avoided dealing with me as I slowly turned into Darth Mar!
And I have spent my whole career thinking about good versus bad design, which is a pretty important to me, too. Maybe my work with design can be compared to using the Force for good?
How so? In the world of the Jedi–and in the words of Yoda – “Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
Well, in design I think it’s more like “Lack of vision leads to bad design. Lack of vision leads to confusion. Confusion leads to careless choices. And careless choices lead to suffering.”
See? And that’s why Casual Luxury works – by giving you a vision, my six core principles always lead you back to the Light side. No more suffering!
Since I’m about to see this new movie today, I may find even more relevant parallels. Who knows what they might be?
Although I love the energy of the folks who get dressed up (power to them!), I’m not yet a super-fan myself. But I can still enjoy it and be swept up in the fun. Who knows, “Use the Force, Mar” might be something I dream of hearing next.
