Thursday Thoughts "A long time ago in a galaxy far away...."

1. It’s passed on from one generation to the next –  Mentioning #maythe4thbewithyou to friends, this was one response: “My brother was 3 when the original movie came out, and has been a lifetime fan ever since. Now he’s a Dad himself, and he has passed his love of all things Star Wars to his daughter. There’s more Star Wars paraphernalia round their place than you could shake a stick at”. 
2. It’s mythological – “A long time ago in a galaxy far away…” For those of you who haven’t realised it yet, it’s set in the past. Which puts it on a par with  Dragons/Unicorns/Gandalf. As Yoda might say “And Sci-fi you thought it was?!”
3. It’s religious – Seriously, it is for some, and making jokes about it would just be rude.  In the 2001 UK census, nearly 400,000 people specified their religion as Jedi. 
4. It celebrates differences – Star Wars brought people from different walks of life together, and it still does today. When the first film was released in the late 1970’s, the New York Times described it as “part of a new cycle of general and family films which brings diverse social groups together.”

So, there you have it. Our research on the lasting appeal of Star Wars.

Our conclusion?

The real reason for the lasting impact of Star Wars is the recurring themes we can all relate to :-

• the unlikely friendships;
• the importance of family; and
• the journey life takes you on to discover who you really are.  

The characters may be from a galaxy far away, but whether you’re 3,43 or 93, you’re bound to find a character in there you can relate to. “The Force is Strong with this one……..”

Thursday Thoughts is a new weekly slot with contributions from our Management Team and Panel of Mediators. To receive a copy of Thursday Thoughts every week by email, sign up using the form on the right.