Moses Znaimer has been creating magic for decades. His creative work has always been new, edgy and highly successful.
The creation of Citytv and MuchMusic are well-known examples. His original vision for television led him to launch several new stations, including Bravo, FashionTelevision, Space and many others.
Still going strong, he then created Zoomer Media and Zoomer Magazine.
A NEW MOVEMENT
And with Zoomer Media, he didn’t just create multiple media sources, he also built a movement celebrating our lives and successes as we age.
This included his writings on Zoomer philosophy, where he challenges us to move past our cultural biases about aging.
Here are a few words from his Zoomer philosophy.
“The experience of aging as portrayed in our culture has not generally been positive, let alone enjoyable. So from the moment I decided to launch this new Movement for a Society Moving into Older Age, I knew that a big part of the challenge lay in language, because so many of the words and phrases used popularly to describe aging are overtly negative or subtly condescending or digs disguised as compliments . . .
That’s why I came up with “Zoomer” (Boomer with Zip/Znaimer + Boomer): a word that connotes optimism and drive, a word that epitomizes vitality in age, a word with which people happily identify and has as much to do with attitude as chronology.” (Zoomer Philosophy, by Moses Znaimer, Chapter 32: War of the Words, April 2013)
And Znaimer doesn’t just talk (or write), he walks the walk. As the best ones do, he leads by example. I bet most of us, at any age, would struggle to keep up with him.
MAGIC ADVICE
Included with a recent addition of Zoomer magazine, was a special 15th Anniversary edition, entitled Bryan Adams Portraits Retrospective Collection. Among the many incredible photographs, was one of Jason and Ivan Reitman from 2010. The father and son duo have had a long career of directing and producing well recognized films.
With this photograph was a magical quote.
“My father told me a story from when he was 17”, says Jason. “He had seen submarine sandwiches in Quebec and asked his father for seed money to open up a submarine sandwich shop. And my grandfather said, ‘there is not enough magic in selling submarine sandwiches for you’. And it was from that advice that he became a music major in college and started a film club and really started his career.
And he (my father) said the same thing to me, that there is no more noble a job in the world than being a doctor, [but] he thought it was not enough magic in that for me. I was a storyteller and needed to follow my heart.”
What magic parenting advice is that? Career making, in my view.
For me, the real magic was the loving insight from grandfather to son, then father to son.
I know this is a little sappy, but may the Magic be with you – all you Zoomers out there, no matter what your age.
Until next time, let our warm hearts soar!
Michael
michael@aWarmHeart.ca
And thank you for caring that little bit extra – it really makes a big difference.
