It’s the title of a movie, in Hebrew with English subtitles. A Critic’s Choice selection on the plane from Amsterdam to Detroit today.
It is about mentorship. About how the father/mentor wants to pass his culture and his values down to the son/pupil. About how the son believes the father’s achievements are great, are important, they must be the most important, and gives up his own glory for his father’s joy. About how the father rejects the son for taking different values – in this case, for valuing teaching others over meticulous, dry accuracy. “The only person a man cannot feel jealousy for is his son or pupil” … until he gives up. And then he wants nothing more to see the errant pupil “suffer so he can gloat.”
The movie is also about how, once you are accepted into the upper ranks, you have to dance the dance. You must adopt the right look. Not follow your own procedures anymore. Acceptance feels good, but it costs you.
There’s even a little bit about women: “You have one role here – mother.” In a heavy meeting, the woman is the highest-ranking, yet speaks only to offer drinks. Her status gets her into the room but not into the conversation. In another scene, a man talking and laughing privately with an unknown woman is interpreted as risking everything he’s achieved.
True in the tech community, true in life.