Came across an article (What You Can Learn From Calvin and Hobbes About the Medium and the Message, by Fred Hunt) a few minutes ago that’s worth reading. Bill Watterson’s refusal to cave in to the millions offered him for the commercialization of his characters Calvin and Hobbes is a rare witness to integrity. The notion of things being too big or important to shrink to bumper sticker size is not widely held.
Makes sense to me…
JEFF BERRYMAN 
“Calvin and Hobbes will not exist intact if I do not exist intact … And I will not exist intact if I have to put up with all this stuff”
This post perhaps will be a bit impersonal. I’m in a bit of a rush…yet perhaps that may foster comments better….perhaps a big discussion will ensue…oh my, how I’d love that!.
So I’ll have to say “no” to the soft parts of me that want please, in order to say yes to a far greater being in me which I of course hope to be God.
I buy the first Quote from Watterson…but not the ensuing interview that followed in the link you provided.
The first quote I feel comes far closer to what I assume to be the truth. It’s not that I think Watterson is lying in his second interview…it’s that I don’t think he had the language to fully describe his dilema.
What I think his language in the above quote was trying to describe… and failed for me in his ensuing quote…
was that he was saying “NO” to something so that he could protect a far greater creative YES in his art.
Imagine if his art became twisted and through merchandising became something it wasn’t…perhaps he was saying that if it was merchandised…then it wouldn’t be what he created and then perhaps he couldn’t “re-create” something that was no longer what it was.
Maybe I’m not making sense, (clearly that could be the case because I’m quite gifted at being deftly daft..pun intended). But I have to say no to that fear and type on! (huge smile, and perhaps a laugh with that statement?)
I don’t know. I do know that I myself can utterly befuddle folks. Often my life’s work….is so deeply hidden within myself…that I dare not speak of it…even when something clearly is about. I tell myself NO to many things I’d clearly like to gratify in myself so that perhaps a far greater YES may be had over the long run. Love suffer’s much, I like to tell myself…on occasion.
The problem is that living in community definitely helps so sequestering onself away…well that’s wholly different subject.
But I do so love your post and I love Watterson’s above quote. Folks I’m off to work. God Bless everyone! (Big smile..then wave to all GRIN)