Back in 2004, I was in my third year of music school, working part-time at a movie theater. The year before, I changed my major from percussion performance to music composition, but I still wasn't really sure what I wanted to do after school. Then, I saw the Incredibles. Michael Geokino's brassy, modern version of a John Barry score blew my mind. I loved it so much that I used to volunteer to go clean the theaters after every screening, just so I could listen to the credits music over and over. That score also made me realize that the best way to merge my growing interest in filmmaking, storytelling, and my love of writing jazz and music for unique ensembles was to compose music for movies. So, that's what I did. How I ended up producing documentaries, short films, and videos like this is a story for another time, but the Incredibles was a pivotal film for me personally. And with that in mind, welcome to Out of Frame. The Incredibles is a brilliant animated film written and directed by Brad Bird, who also directed The Iron Giant, Raditouille, Tomorrowland, Mission Impossible, Ghost Protocol, and most recently, The Incredibles 2. The Incredibles predates the modern wave of superhero movies by several years, and yet it remains one of the very best of the entire genre. What makes it so special is that at its heart, it's really just the story of a family trying to get by when their very existence is against the law, and everything that is truly incredible about them has to remain hidden. What are you waiting for? I don't know, something amazing I guess. I guess. Me too, kid. It's got a really simple premise. Superheroes living in a fabulously art deco 1960s world used to be employed by the government, but as society grew more litigious, politicians disbanded the program and made any overt use of superpowers illegal instead. This forced newlywed super couple Bob and Helen Parr to abandon their calling, fighting crime, and go into hiding. Flash forward 15 years, and Mr. Incredible is now working in a cubicle at insurer care, trying to maintain his sanity, and Elastigirl is a stay-at-home mom taking care of their three kids, Violet Dash and Jackjack, who have all grown up in a world where being themselves and using their talents to their fullest potential is unacceptable. It's heartwarming and funny and extremely inventive. There are a few themes in the film worth discussing, but the one I really want to talk about today is laid out in an early scene, where Helen is talking to her speedster son, Dash, about their situation. After he gets into some trouble at school. You always say, do you're a bass, but you don't really mean it. Why can't I do the best that I can do right now, honey? The world just wants us to fit in and to fit in. We just gotta be like everybody else. But Dad always said our powers were nothing to be ashamed of. Our powers made us special. Everyone's special, Dash, which is another way of saying no one is. This theme comes full circle later in the film when Syndrome, the main bad guy, announces his goal. And when I'm old and I've had my fun, I'll sell my inventions so that everyone can be superheroes. Everyone can be super. And with everyone super! No one will be. I think this is a theme that probably resonates with a lot of people. We live in a strange world. Excellence is often ridiculed and punished, yet we heat praise on people for mundane accomplishments or for just sort of existing. That's weird. We preach the value of diversity and tell people that everyone should express themselves and follow their own truth. While harshly reinforcing conformity to increasingly polarized tribes. That's weird too. And then the few people who do create things that make our lives better and make a positive impact on the world are vilified as evil the moment they become successful. While we applaud and elect those who create nothing but envy and resentment. All this stuff seems really bizarre to me. Just your incredible degrees. They keep creating new ways to celebrate mediocrity, but if someone is genuinely exceptional than it... It's not about you, Bob. The Incredibles offers a rare message to its audience. It says, take pride in the things that make you special. Take pride in your work, your ideas, and your talents. Take pride in success. And it makes it clear to kids especially that accomplishments must actually be earned by individual's actions. To be truly successful and to be truly special. You must actually take the things about yourself that are uniquely yours and turn those skills and talents towards contributing to the creation of something meaningful. Simply existing isn't enough. The Incredibles stands in stark contrast to a lot of the self-esteem movement that started to change parenting and education culture in the 1980s. While self-esteem is important, it has to be earned. But anymore, it seems like we're just telling kids how smart, brave, and good they are, hoping that if we just repeat the mantra enough times, they'll start to believe it. I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and dog-gone-it, people like me. Here's the problem though. You can't really fake self-esteem. Everybody knows when they're just getting participation trophies and paths on the back for nothing. And without genuine accomplishment to back up the reward, all the praise in the world remains hollow and meaningless. And in the Incredibles, we see what happens to Bob when he loses the part of his life that has meaning. His identity, his purpose, was to be a superhero and defend his city against criminals. When his existence becomes illegal, Bob gets depressed, despondent, and disconnected. This, our family, is what's happening now, Bob, and you are missing this! It goes to show just how important finding meaning in your life really is. And look, I know what you might be thinking. Well, those are superheroes. What can I do? I hear you. But you know what? None of us are superheroes. We all start with the passions and skills we actually have, and have to find ways to develop our talents and build our own careers and lives from the ground up. Sure, you might not be able to turn invisible, run 100 miles in an hour, or pick up a car. But maybe you can write a great story, excel at sports, or fix a car. Perhaps you'll find meaning working with your hands, programming computers, or just talking to people. And if you're anything like me, the things that seem meaningful to you today will grow and change, as you become more skilled and encounter new opportunities. As I said at the beginning, at first all I wanted to do was play music. Then I wanted to write it. Then I wanted to write for films. And eventually I realized I wanted to actually make my own films and tell stories that actually mattered to me. My whole journey has always been about seeking out opportunities that were more and more meaningful. The Austrian psychiatrist, neurologist, and Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl spent his life studying the importance of meaning for people's lives. In his 1962 book The Will to Meaning, Frankl wrote, There is nothing in the world, I venture to say, that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions, as the knowledge that there is a meaning in one's life. Frankl understood that it is the sense of meaning, not happiness or wealth, that sustains people through difficult times, and gives people a sense of purpose that makes them feel irreplaceable and worthwhile. He also observed that the thing that gives someone's life meaning today might change over time, and that's okay. In the Incredibles, Bob had to learn to find the same level of meaning in being a father and husband that he had when he was off saving the world by himself. And in the end, it's the support of his family that makes him a more powerful superhero when they finally come out of hiding. The Incredibles helped me find meaning in my life in a really direct way, but it's also one of the only movies that encourages people to pursue their talents and passions to their highest ability without shame or fear. So, go find your own purpose and meaning in life. Be yourself and whatever it is that you decide to do, try to be incredible. Hey everybody, thanks for watching this episode of Out of Frame. What brings meaning to your life? Let me know in a comment. Then check out feed.org slash shows for all the other content we're producing at the Foundation for Economic Education, and don't forget to like and subscribe to all our social networks on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. See you next time.