Too Close to See

Being close to something can be a good thing—you’re passionate about it, you care for it, and you’re fully invested.

Being too close to something can also be a flaw.

Recently, co-workers of mine were discussing social media strategy when someone asked, “Do you think posting once a day is TOO much?”

Up close, one might say yes, everyday can be a lot. But if you pull back and take a wider view, you consider that not everyone is on social media all the time—I know, shocking—and with unexplainable algorithms, even if one was constantly online, the chance of seeing that post every day would still be low.

We all get caught in that trap: we’re so involved in our own worlds, and we’re the protagonists of our own film, we fail to realize there are other movies playing in the theater.

How many times have you run into an old friend or acquaintance, and they’re surprised that you hadn’t seen or read about something they posted on Facebook six months earlier?

I’m guilty of this as much as anybody. Remember that kerfuffle when Donald Trump described the manhood of legendary golfer Arnold Palmer at a rally? Social media and late-night comics had a field day with it. But when I backed away from my phone and talked about ‘Wiener-gate’ with a couple of my friends, they had no idea what I was talking about. It made me look crazy, and I looked even crazier trying to recap the story.

It happens to the best of us, even some of the most talented and successful people.

Take Todd Phillips, the filmmaker behind “The Hangover” movies. In 2019, he directed and co-wrote the blockbuster comic book adaptation, “Joker.”

The movie chronicles the transformation of Arthur Fleck, played by Joaquin Phoenix, from a struggling stand-up comedian to the iconic villain. Set in Gotham City, the film explores The Joker’s descent into madness as he grapples with mental illness and a growing sense of nihilism.

Despite that cheery description, the R-rated film went on to gross over $1 billion on a $70 million budget. Talk about ROI.

As online critic @meglouisedavies wrote for the Odd Critic, “Todd Phillips’ interpretation of the character came to represent a sinister undercurrent in society. Phoenix’s Joker became a symbol for anti-woke, incel communities who feel disenfranchised and misunderstood.”

Fast-forward to 2024, and Todd and Joaquin teamed up for a musical-like sequel that featured Lady Gaga as The Joker’s iconic partner, Harley Quinn. Joker: Folie à Deux flopped hard, making only $200 million on a $200 million budget. Using Hollywood math, you have to make back twice your budget to breakeven, the weren’t even close.

Many film analysts saw the sequel as a deliberate subversion of the original “Joker” narrative, challenging those viewers who may have misinterpreted the first film’s intentions.

It looks like Todd wasn’t too crazy about this niche set of fans and decided to flip the script on the whole “Joker as a hero for the underdogs” thing.

So, this sequel? It’s a total 180. We’re talking a slow-burn art-house flick that, by the time the credits roll, basically says, “Yeah, all that stuff you thought about the Joker? Think again.” It’s like they took everything you thought you knew and tossed it out the window.

Too make matters even worse, the movie not only turned off fans but critics as well. As of this writing, Joker 2 holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 32% with professional critics AND 32% with fans.

That’s what happens when you’re too close to something. You lose context.

Were there people that believed “The Joker” was a hero? Sure.

But I don’t think you can make more money than Toy Story 4 or Jumanji 2 if there wasn’t a wider audience that enjoyed the movie for what it was and a balls-to-the-walls Oscar-winning performance by Joaquin Phoenix.

I never want to question anyone’s creative choices, since the best of them can come from the deepest and darkest places, but I believe if Todd and the creative team behind Joker 2 spent less time on X and Reddit, there’s no way this movie would have turned out that way.

The next time you’re deep in the trenches of a project—whether it’s a social media campaign, a creative endeavor, or a business decision—force yourself to step away. Not just physically, but mentally. Ask yourself: What would someone who’s never heard of this think? What would my grandmother say? What would my biggest critic see?

Because here’s the truth: Your greatest work won’t come from living in an echo chamber of your own thoughts. It will come from finding that sweet spot between passionate involvement and clear-eyed perspective. Stay close enough to care deeply, but far enough to see clearly.

Your next big idea is waiting in that space between passion and perspective. All you have to do is take those few steps back to find it.