Thinking: QI goes to the cinema

Sometimes I see even the most eminent and prestigious people taking time out from their healthcare priorities to tell us on twitter what they think of what’s on at the cinema at the moment.  So, why not… I indulged in 3 films 🙂  then I figured I’d better justify my existence  and think about what learning there was for improving healthcare…

• The power of narratives
• The ability of humans to get involved in the emotional journey of complete strangers (who are not even real)
• You can have a big impact even if you haven’t got the skills, but you have got the profile (Russell Crowe in Les Mis, which included a performance of ‘stars’ which can only be described as being entirely devoid of drama of any kind)
• That stories are more powerful if they’re remarkable, and people may prefer those to the ones that are more ‘accurate’ (depending on your perspective in the Life of Pi)
• You can be efficient in the hard work by reusing when appropriate (Score and musical themes in Les Mis)
• That maintaining your opinion of a person/situation may bring you less happiness, opportunity and reward than being prepared to review/revise/move on – even if you don’t admit you were wrong (Javer in Les Mis, Reggie in Quartet, Pi in Life of Pi).
• The strong one doesn’t always have to be in charge (Life of Pi).
• Standing up for your cause might hurt like hell (Life of Pi, Les Mis).
• Stepping up, in the face of your greatest fear might be difficult, but worth it (Jean in Quartet)

What do we believe in?  What are we prepared to stand up for or against?

Can we use narratives, the emotional power of character and story, to win hearts and minds – or at least keep people’s attention long enough to listen.

Can we find ways to describe the ‘ordinary’ as remarkable?

Can we identify someone with a high profile, who may not be able to deliver the work, but can deliver the audience and the attention?

Can we feel the fear and do it anyway?