Leadership and career journalist Stephanie Vozza argues in a recent op-ed for Fast Company that the popular new Barbie movie has four great lessons to teach about strength and resilience.
- Even in a frustrating world that is rigged against you, never give up in what you do, even if that means having to challenge the norm.
- Even in a world with strict limitations, you can be anything you want to be if you have a vision for yourself and those who follow you.
- Even in a world filled with challenges, think and dream big because both people can accomplish great things and find fulfillment in their struggles and failures.
- Do not seek personal validation from others, but know that self-worth and meaning come from within.
Why It’s News
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie premiered last week on July 20, and it has rapidly become one of the most successful films in 2023. Before going into its second box office weekend, the movie successfully grossed $214 million domestically and $470 million globally in its first five days in the box office. The movie was produced on a budget of $145 million. As we previously noted, its success has contributed to last weekend being the fourth highest-grossing box office in history.
The movie has been equally praised and criticized for its big ideas and feminist messaging, with New Yorker film critic Richard Brody praising the film as “a thrilling experience” and an “overwhelming outburst of inventive energy.” Equally, the film has received some backlash, with Daily Wire host Ben Shapiro engaging in a 43-minute video lambasting it and burning Barbie toys on camera—calling it “one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen.”
Key Takeaways
As Vozza argues, Barbie gives viewers—most notably female viewers—a strong message of strength and resilience to take away. She says that the world does not always make it easy for women to perform or succeed, but the optimism and authenticity encouraged by the film is a valuable message for anyone, particularly in a world where she argues women still have a long way to go.
“If you’re a woman, you know the system can be rigged,” says Vozza. She continues, “Barbie’s anthem in the movie is the Indigo Girls’ Closer to Fine. The lyrics say, ‘There’s more than one answer to these questions, Pointing me in a crooked line, And the less I seek my source for some definitive, Closer I am to fine.’ It’s a reminder that strength, resilience, and leadership skills all come from within, whether you fit the mold or not.”
Source: Cosmo Politian
