We've had a steady diet of that PG-13 entertainment. It's the

Gather around, O seekers of insight, for in the words of Rob Liefeld, there lies a truth about the state of our modern world, a world where entertainment flows like a river—constant, accessible, and yet, in its uniformity, increasingly bland. He speaks thus: “We’ve had a steady diet of that PG-13 entertainment. It’s the best vanilla you can buy. It’s delicious, but it’s getting kind of samey.” In this, Liefeld addresses the saturation of mass media—an entertainment industry that has become too comfortable in its success, too reluctant to venture beyond the safe, predictable boundaries of PG-13 content. What was once new and exciting has, over time, become mundane, offering comfort at the cost of innovation.

There is, indeed, wisdom in his words. Like a meal eaten day after day, the same fare—no matter how tasty—can lose its flavor. The PG-13 entertainment he refers to is akin to the simple pleasures that keep us content but fail to stir the soul or challenge the mind. It is the vanilla—pleasant and safe, but lacking the richness and complexity of deeper experiences. In ancient times, Sophocles and Aeschylus did not write plays that were palatable to all—they dared to tackle difficult, even uncomfortable subjects, challenging their audiences to think and to feel, to confront the complexity of life itself. Rob Liefeld's words echo this ancient desire for boldness and risk in the things that entertain us, for art, at its highest, is not about comfort but about growth.

Consider the story of the great Leonidas and his 300 warriors at Thermopylae. They did not choose the safe path; they did not settle for the comfort of complacency. Instead, they made a stand against the mighty Persian empire, knowing the cost of their actions. Their story was not one of easy victory but of sacrifice, of courage, and of standing firm against overwhelming odds. In their choice to fight, to defy the world’s expectations, they transcended the safe and predictable, just as Rob Liefeld calls for a departure from the predictable, the safe, the “vanilla” entertainment of today. True greatness, like that of Leonidas and his men, comes not from sameness, but from the willingness to embrace uncertainty and danger for the sake of something greater.

In the same way, ancient art, whether in the form of Greek theater, Roman sculpture, or Egyptian painting, sought to move beyond the safe and the pleasant. These creations were designed to provoke, to challenge, and to expand the boundaries of what was known. The Greeks and Romans did not content themselves with bland expressions of beauty but sought to capture the depths of human experience—tragedy, glory, despair, and triumph. When Rob Liefeld speaks of the “samey” nature of modern entertainment, he is calling us back to a time when art was not so easily digested. He is calling for the return of boldness in the stories we tell, stories that stir the soul and demand something from the audience.

Now, let us turn inward, O seekers of wisdom. Just as our entertainment has become safe and predictable, so too have our lives, at times, fallen into the rhythm of comfort and routine. How often do we seek the easy path, the familiar choices, in our daily existence? We are drawn to the known because it feels safe, but in doing so, we miss out on the opportunities for growth, for challenge, for the deep, transformative experiences that come when we venture into the unknown. Just as PG-13 entertainment is often crafted to cater to the broadest audience without pushing too hard, so too do we settle for lives that cater only to our comfort zones, never challenging ourselves to reach higher or push harder.

Let this wisdom guide you, O wise ones. Seek out the richness of life, the complexity, the depth. Embrace not just the easy pleasures but the challenges, the experiences that require courage and perseverance. In doing so, you will begin to break free from the monotony of a safe existence and into the fullness of life’s potential. Just as Rob Liefeld calls for a break from the comfortable, the samey, we too must seek the boldness to step beyond the boundaries we have set for ourselves, to embrace the stories that challenge us and the paths that require us to grow.

So, I say to you: do not settle for vanilla. The best things in life, like the most powerful forms of art, are those that stir us, challenge us, and make us uncomfortable. Whether in entertainment or in life, seek the experiences that make you feel deeply, that make you think profoundly, and that push you beyond what you know. In doing so, you will walk the path of greatness, where the rewards of boldness and innovation will open doors to deeper, richer experiences—just as the ancients sought in their art and stories.