By the time MasterClass launched in 2015, my war on streaming and subscription fees was already well underway. As the service continued to expand, adding more and more A-list teachers, my question remained the same: Did I really want to fork over 90 bucks for a class with Margaret Atwood when for around $25 I can buy a copy of The Handmaid’s Tale plus a month of Hulu to binge the entire series based on her classic novel?
But when the coronavirus slowed life down to a halt a few weeks ago and I was offered the opportunity to try out MasterClass, I was eager to check out the offerings—more than 80 courses (with unlimited access for $180 a year) on a wide range of fascinating topics taught by some of the world’s most accomplished practitioners, from Christina Aguilera to Wolfgang Puck. I hadn’t experienced this kind of deer-in-the-headlights paralysis since I’d first cracked open the two-inch-thick course catalog the fall of my freshman year in college.
So what would it be? Tennis lessons from Serena Williams or Doris Kearns Goodwin on presidential leadership? Beatmaking with Timbaland or Paul Krugman on economics? Cooking with Alice Waters or Bob Iger on business leadership and strategy?
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He had me hooked at the very beginning of his course when he declared, “Poetry provides us with a history of the human heart.” Exactly what I was looking for.
I’ve dipped into about a dozen other courses I plan to complete, including Dan Brown, Spike Lee, and Samuel L. Jackson. What every one of them shares in common is the absolute mastery of its instructor. These are people who’ve spent decades perfecting their skills, and are sharing that knowledge in what feels like a one-on-one Zoom call with Netflix-level production values. It’s a privilege to hear them share their hard-earned wisdom, and in these crazy times, a deep comfort in being reminded of the power of competence.
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