feature writing
Lessons from Cars
Disney/Pixar’s summer blockbuster, Cars, is more than a terrific family movie; it also contains lessons pertinent to the challenges Saskatchewan municipalities face.
Lightning McQueen is a young hotrod challenging for the Piston Cup. En route to a race in California, he unrolls from the semi transporting him and a series of wrong turns takes him to the struggling community of Radiator Springs. As McQueen panics, he does a lot of damage to the community’s Main Street and local infrastructure until the Sheriff apprehends him and locks him up in the Municipal Impound.
Though the town leader, Doc Hudson, wants to banish the racecar from the community, Sally Porsche convinces Doc to sentence Lightning McQueen to community service. Before McQueen can be released to attend his race, he must tow Bessie, the paving machine, to repair Main Street. Through his labours, McQueen discovers community values, loyalty and the wonder of rural life.
Saskatchewan’s cities, towns and villages can draw great wisdom from the themes represented in Cars.
Building success requires teamwork. In his quest for undivided glory, Lightning McQueen makes the early mistake of wanting to work alone. During his stay in Radiator Springs, he learns the value of teamwork as residents cooperate to rejuvenate their town. In Saskatchewan, Mayors need strong Councils, and Councils need strong volunteers in their community to build projects and opportunities. Communities that coordinate their efforts within a broader area (à la Clearing the Path) will excel.
Do not overlook the natural and man-made beauty of your surroundings. Sally Porsche was a big-shot in Los Angeles, but the big-city pressure caused her to crack. Needing an escape, she went for a drive and found Radiator Springs. She fell in love with the countryside and the community that embraced her. As the Town of Moosomin braces itself for the rerouting of the Trans-Canada highway, perhaps they will relate to Sally’s regret that travelers opt to save ten minutes of driving time on the new Interstate instead of visiting Radiator Springs on Route 66.
Sally makes it her mission to bring Radiator Springs back to its glory days. It turns out that the town, with its fluorescent light signs, is so outdated that it is able to capitalize on its vintage look. Moose Jaw, too, has benefited from the preservation of its history. Surrounding Moose Jaw are beautiful RMs. A little further, one will find enviable lakes and parks. Because our surroundings in Saskatchewan are familiar does not mean they are uninteresting.
Embrace your locals; they make the community. Before he ends up in Radiator Springs, Lightning McQueen’s main fan base consists of rusty, folksy cars with whom he is embarrassed to be associated. The residents of Radiator Springs are much the same, but as McQueen cultivates relationships, he is overwhelmed by their generosity and loyalty such that he chooses to share the limelight with them. In Saskatchewan, our intentions are good and we help each other out. The residents make our communities tick.
Communities need young and old leaders; cultivate both. In the Radiator Springs courtroom, Doc Hudson and Lightning McQueen epitomize a familiar generational gap. In his inability to relate to the youngster, Doc wants to dismiss McQueen until Sally convinces him to sentence McQueen to community service. During McQueen’s stay, he discovers Doc was a racing legend. Through a mentor-protégé relationship, they work together to dominate the racing circuit and lead the community of Radiator Springs.
The initial conflict between Doc and McQueen calls to mind some young leaders’ quests to obtain skateboarding facilities. Some older residents struggle to overcome their prejudices when, instead, the youth should be applauded for working for facilities that promote positive physical activity. In return, youth should learn from the wisdom of their elders. In a relationship of mentorship, the young and old will help the community achieve its potential.
At the end of Cars, Lightning McQueen achieves great fame and admiration in the world of racing with the help of a Radiator Springs pit crew. He remains loyal to those that helped him out and establishes his headquarters in Radiator Springs, putting the town back on the map.
Cars contains valuable lessons that relate to tourism, revitalization, teamwork, loyalty and leadership. If you don’t find the themes from Cars strikingly relevant to the situations that Saskatchewan communities face, this movie will at least entertain you and make you want to go for a drive.
