Learning to Let Go—Examining True Value

For most of my adult life I have considered myself to be receptive to change, mentally agile, not rigid and a lover of learning.

The reality is, I want to possess these characteristics and comparatively speaking I do in a lot of ways. But, at times (more and more frequently as of late) I catch myself and realize that I am far from immune to resistance to change.

Recently, my husband and I stumbled into a conversation about the movie theatre industry. A variety of internet distribution channels are revolutionizing the movie, television and cable industries. Movie rental stores are closing at a rapid pace across the country and I cannot imagine that closure of the big multi-screen movie theaters will be far behind. As my husband and I progressed in our conversation, I started becoming sentimental.

Over the years I have watched so many great movies (and plenty of bad ones too) sitting beside friends, family members, boyfriends, my husband and my stepson. I experienced new freedom as an early teen during Friday night movie outings with friends. I experienced first kisses at the movies. My experiences are far from unique.

Just as I started to convince myself, with a sigh of relief, that as a society we would never give up on the collective experience of going to the movies, my husband asked the following. “Are all of these great memories really worth spending $50 (by the time you buy popcorn and sodas), sitting in a big room with strangers (some of which are always talking insistently right in front of you) and prying your feet off of the sticky floor when you go to leave?” He continued, “Even though we watch a lot of movies, we rarely go to the movie theater anymore.”

Deflated, I conceded that he was right. Sooner rather than later, going to the movies as we know the experience, will take its place along side the memory of drive-in movies. Going to the movies, as we have as a culture for 80+ years, will soon enter our collective memory banks and fond memories will be shared with our children, grandchildren and/or great grandchildren.

Many other media experiences (both informational and entertainment) are being assessed as well. Media and entertainment companies (and individual people) trying to hang on to the old hear the death rattle in the approaching distance.

This is NOT to say that traditional media will die. It just means that value is constantly being re-evaluated. If the “old” provides value in the “new” and changing world, it will continue. If the old does not provide value or enough value—for instance, what value is there really in today’s movie theatre experience—it will either change or die.

Given human and organizational resistance to change, I believe that there will be a lot of bodies in the wake. Personally, I just hope not to be one of the bodies.