As the pandemic drags on and fresh new streaming options like Tiger King and The Last Dance have faded into memory, many of us are turning to bingeing our old favorites. For some, that means rewatching old sitcoms like Friends or The Office. For others, it’s the work of your favorite directors or actors. And, for some, it means diving in deep to the world of writer-extraordinaire Aaron Sorkin.
Sorkin is widely regarded as one of the best screenwriters of modern times and has recently added directing to his repertoire. Most of his movies are available on Netflix (The Trial of the Chicago 7, Molly’s Game, Steve Jobs, The Social Network, The American President) and you can watch his most popular TV shows on HBO Max (The West Wing and The Newsroom) or Amazon Prime (Sports Night).
The fast-walking, fast-talking world of Sorkin provides hundreds of hours of engaging, thought-provoking entertainment which is much-needed in 2021. It also can provide some interesting insights and lessons for parents in the COVID era. Here are a few lessons from Aaron Sorkin about parenting during a pandemic.
The Walk and Talk
The best-known trope of any Sorkin work is the “walk and talk”. This now-famous type of scene, where two or more characters briskly walk through their busy world while crushing pages of intricate Sorkin dialogue, is almost always brought up when discussing Sorkin. The walk and talk has been parodied everywhere from Late Night with Seth Meyers to a Pete Buttigieg social media spot.
The walk and talk was created by Sorkin and his long-time TV directing partner Tommy Schlamme to give characters something to do while delivering long monologues or having conversations, often for the sake of exposition.
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Dramatically, the walk and talk illustrates that the characters are so busy that the only time they have for discussion is while walking from one important event to the next. Although they are THAT busy, they still have a few minutes to teach their coworker (and the audience) a few things they need to know.
The lesson: If Sorkin characters can find time to explain how a House Resolution or the Neilsen ratings work while hustling between meetings with foreign dignitaries, you can find time every day to teach your kids something about life.
Yes, we are all very busy at home these days but you can, and should, find short windows of time for proverbial walk and talks with your kids. Whether it is answering their questions about COVID on a drive to the supermarket or explaining the 3–4 defense while relaxing on a Sunday, make a point to explain something that interests you or your kids every day.
Being Good at Your Job
Almost all of Sorkin’s work revolves around workplaces and people who are incredibly good at their job. His most memorable characters, from the fictional Dana Whitaker, Josh Lyman, and Will McAvoy to the real-life Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, and Molly Bloom, are all workaholic overachievers.
In today’s work-from-home climate, there aren’t many fast-paced offices open right now which is one of the reasons Sorkin drama offers such great escapism in 2021. The fact that so many of us are working from home though does present us with a unique opportunity to share our work life with our kids.
The lesson: I’m not suggesting you let your kids sit in on your Zoom meetings but working from home does allow you the opportunity to show your kids what you do and how hard you work. For many parents, the initial instinct when working from home is to lock yourself in a room, away from the kids whenever possible and crank out your work.
When it makes sense though, use your work from home time to let your kids in on your work life so you can model hard-working and competent behavior. It may inspire them to know their parents are good at what they do. Plus, you can pick and choose what they see. You don’t have to let them in when you’re streaming Charlie Wilson’s War between conference calls.
The Importance of Idealism
The idealism that permeates all of Sorkin’s work sometimes draws criticism but it at the heart of all his movies and shows. It is what draws many people in and gives emotional weight to all the heady dialogue. You see classic Sorkin idealism in the sports show hosts who believe in the inspirational power of sports, the White House senior staff who is humbled and awed by the office of the President, and even in the real-life underground poker queen who does it all just to make her father proud.
The sentiment and idealism of some Sorkin characters, and even entire movies or shows, can seem like a bit much at times. This is especially true as we come out of one of the most messed up years of all-time. It is also what endears his work to his fans though. Sorkin’s characters are often able to deal with a very realistic version of the world while holding on to their high-minded ideals and not letting cynicism take over. It is something we should all strive to do more often.
The lesson: Whether you have become cynical in these terrible times or not, you should do your best to make sure your kids stay as idealistic as possible. It is so important to teach your kids that goodness and decency and morality and achieving their goals is possible in life whether you still believe that or not after 2020.
Don’t let your kids get sucked into the negativity. The more of that Sorkin-esque idealism you can pass on to your kids, the better they will be able to stay positive and motivated in these challenging times.
The great Aaron Sorkin has taught me many things over the years about drama, writing, and even life. That is why he is at or near the top of the list of my favorite writers of all time. While Sorkin probably didn't set out to teach me about being a father during the pandemic, he definitely did and these lessons are ones I’ll take with me after the virus is (hopefully soon) long gone.
