The Philosophy of Pixar’s “Soul”
Forget Purpose, Find your “Spark”
“To the poet and sage, all things are friendly and sacred, all experiences profitable, all days holy, all men divine.”
What are we supposed to do with our lives? This is the question that runs through Pixar’s new movie Soul. It’s a question that goes unanswered, and for good reason.
Pixar films’ commercial strength is producing animated movies that parents are happy to sit through. Soul is the most adult-friendly Pixar film I’ve seen. While other Pixar movies keep the parents happy with wry jokes and observations, Soul’s core story speaks directly to the hopes and fears of most of the adults watching. It’s almost uncomfortable to watch for that reason.
Soul follows Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx), a middle school music teacher, as he tries to find his life’s purpose. Joe is a gifted piano player but feels stuck in a rut. He dreams of being a jazz legend, playing prestigious clubs and concert halls. But his mother has different ideas, she thinks he ought to get a steady job with a pension and health insurance.
Like Joe, many of us are haunted by the feeling that we need to find a purpose in life. We feel envious of the famous, because they have found…
