We’re pleased to welcome back Robbie, aka Dr. RobDog, the dentist saving everyone’s smile and embodying that positive force for good. Don't worry, when we talk about cavity searches... we're talking literally. We've got a lot to nerd out about in this episode! Gluten-free living, thoughts from re-watching a beloved superhero film, and more dentistry awesomeness.
"I feel I’m ready to return to him for the same reason – to research and experience what comforting and reforming light he might shine on these often very dark times..."
Patrick Steward Captain Picard
That's right, folks, Captain Picard is making a live-action return to the small screen! Patrick Steward will reprise his role as the iconic Star Trek character and, as such, has since had a lot of positive things to say about the opportunity. As much as we all like to say we enjoy the dark thematic elements that Netflix has inundated us with over the past five years, taking full advantage of the TV-MA rating, there is a whole different draw to content and to people who bring us joy. It is comments like these that inspire me most! And I don't even know that much about Star Trek!
As the guys talk about in the episode, sometimes ignorance is bliss... particularly in this day and age where social media has taken over how we consume news and how we react to it. AND how we absorb the reactions of our peers and role models. I recently watched the local, nightly news for the first time in a looong time and it was one story after another about death, about loss, about people being taken advantage of. I was exhausted at the end of the hour. However, it was a different kind of exhaustion. It wasn't an exhaustion that doubles as exasperation from endless opinions about current events. It was a pure exhaustion from the reminder of what reality is. It was nice that I didn't have to read comments from anyone with a Facebook account about each news segment.
But as James Halliday wrote in his memoirs... reality is real. I would much rather be exhausted because of reality rather than be exhausted by the opinions of reality. (FYI - that quote was from Ready Player One.)
The major question coming out of this episode is: how can we be a positive force in a world riddled with such negativity? Negativity inspires negativity. What goes into our heads will also come out of our mouths. We each have such unique talents and perspectives that my version of being a "positive force" will probably look different from yours, but it has to start with a decision. A decision to rise above the negativity. We've got to fight for it! Every day.
That seems pleasantly ironic... fighting for positivity. Fighting... implying violence. Maybe the word "struggle" is better. A struggle can imply violence, which is not what I mean to suggest, but more the idea that it is difficult and that we encounter resistance. In the end, because we've grappled with that difficult thing, we understand the value in what we've accomplished and overcome and will hold onto it much more tightly.