Sequels and Subsequent Squeals

We are surrounded by sequels. Anything that has ever been a success has been capitalized on, and if by the rare chance it hasn't yet, just wait. I'm waiting for Fiddler on the Roof 2 to come out any time now. But is this good? Are we that jaded in needing ever "new" and better that we can never appreciate the old? And really, is anything ever really new? Sit down to a brand new sitcom and it's the same jokes, the same characters, the same awkward situations and mistakes, just packaged slightly differently. There are some sequels that are continuations of the story, examples like Lord of the Rings comes to mind. And not all sequels are bad, but I guess I'm just trying to questing the validity of milking every little bit out of an idea. Does that cheapen the idea?

Sure you see this in movies, but books as well. Take the 5 Love Languages. I've read it, and it was reasonably successful and well worth the read. And now you can get the 5 Love Languages of Children, the Single's Edition, a myriad of Devotional Books that follow along, the Five Languages of Apology, etc. etc. Really? It seems more of a ploy to capitalize on a successful brand than something designed to help people. I'm coming more and more to respect Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird. Her refusal to play the fame game and capitalize on (and in my opinion ultimately cheapen) her story is admirable.

A different example. Coffee shops. When we go into a coffee shop, we expect to get, within reason, whatever we want, so long as it pertains to coffee and/or breakfast burritos. The overabundance of choice on menus today it crazy, and expected. It seems like in the interest of providing all things to all people, we never master anything, and everything is cheapened. But this is our culture. Offend us once, and we will never return.

There are so many rabbit trails this could run down, but it all runs down to this. How do we preserve, create, appreciate true works of art, meaning, and life in our world today?