The following is part of the commencement address given by Alan Alda to the 2003 graduating class at Southampton College on Long Island. I'm quoting it from Alda's most recent book, Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself.
The single greatest American invention was not Henry Ford's car -- it was Henry Ford's assembly line. In our time, it's reached the peak of perfection. Everyone on the line has a specialized role to play. Crank your nut, slam in your bolt, and go home. No one is responsible for the whole thing, just his or her little part of it. It only has to be good enough to sell -- and its value, its worth, is reckoned by the price it gets. Your ambition will be directed at getting a better place on the assembly line and someday maybe even running the line -- but as in that great Lily Tomlin aphorism, "The trouble with the rat race is even if you win, you're still a rat."
So what chance do you have to be "our future"?
This chance: You can decide to think for yourself. You can say to yourself, I will make a silk purse out of every sow's ear that comes down the assembly line.
You may be expected to tell people only what they need to know to make the sale. But if you learn to find out what they actually need and help them get it, I bet you'll feel better and even do better. It takes more energy -- much more energy -- but it's also more fun. Edmund Burke said: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." And I say that the only thing necessary for the triumph of the assembly line is for creative people with the energy of youth to do nothing but learn the ropes.
I had the opportunity of working with Alan Alda on a film I did for UNICEF. He sat down with me at the recording studio and we broke down and analyzed the script's dialogue. The man is a master, and I think I learned more about writing in those four hours than in the years up to that point. He's quite a talent; a sharp thinker.
ReplyDeleteYou're lucky that you had the opportunity to work with Alda. For that matter, you've been fortunate for all the great acting talent you've gotten to work with.
ReplyDeleteI was a huge M*A*S*H fan and have read both of Alda's recent books. Both contain nuggets of wisdom about acting that I've passed along to animation students.
Funny thing, Mark, but when I first met you some 24 years ago, I thought, "Gee, that guy sort of reminds me of Alan Alda."
ReplyDeleteThen not long thereafter, you introduced me to Jim Caswell, and I thought, "Gee that guy REALLY reminds me of Alan Alda!"
As I recall, though, when I mentioned the comparison with Alda to ol' Caswell himself, the rascal was none too thrilled about it...
I always thought I was more Mel Gibson pre-DUI.
ReplyDeleteJames,
ReplyDeleteOr perhaps more Groucho Marx, pre-Zeppo...