You're Not Special

Full transcript: "You're Not Special" speech - Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

What an absolutely brilliant piece of work. This guy rocks! I obviously can't speak for other countries but in mine at least, it seems to me that we quit preparing our children for the real world a long time ago. Many of them have a tough time making it in a world that seems much less impressed by them than the doting parents who have spent their entire lives insulating Bobby or Suzy from how the real world really operates. Although I'm on the tail end of the baby boomers, my parents were well into middle age when I came along. They were both kids of the Depression. They knew first hand that the world wasn't a fair place where everyone is entitled to non-stop happiness. I thank my lucky stars daily I had parents that raised me in the real world and that I was grown before the alternative became so popular.

Here, Here 1OldGI!:rock:

after spending the last 6 years in social work cleaning up the mess parents make of their children, I can say with absolute certainty my daughter will know what its like to win and lose, to work her ass off, to accept consequences for her bad actions and praise for her good actions. I will raise a child with the understanding that life is only as good as the amount of effort and work you put in to it. You dont get a trophy for 4th place. You do keep score. There are loser's in life. She will also understand that my wife and I will love her win lose or draw. We will help her to get on her feet, and encourage her to keep getting up when knocked down. If she stumbles we will help, but I will not baby her and do everything for her that she should be doing. I will not coddle her or say that I will fix everything. She will learn, the hard way if neccessary, but she will always have love and support from us.

I'm days away from the birth of my baby boy. This is something I've been dedicating a great deal of thought... Thanks for this.

Read the commencement speach. BRAVO!!!

Thanks for sharing. Of course you all know he is the son of the famous and brilliant author David McCullough who wrote, Adams, 1776, Truman, the Johnstown Flood( one of my favorites), and many others. He fortunate to have some good genes.

"So think about this: even if you're one in a million, on a planet of 6.8 billion that means there are nearly 7,000 people just like you." Wow! I don't think I've ever been 1 in a million at anything but I guess I never really thought about it in these terms but he's totally correct.

WE AGREE ON SOMETHING!!! :beer1:

I have to admit though...everytime I hear about someone "children aren't special" it immediately makes me think of the Bill Hicks stand-up routine "Your Children Aren't Special" but for reasons of extreme vulgarity, I won't post that video on a forum like this. It's pretty funny though...and not too hard to find if you aren't offended by extreme vulgarity.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 1OldGI

"So think about this: even if you're one in a million, on a planet of 6.8 billion that means there are nearly 7,000 people just like you." Wow! I don't think I've ever been 1 in a million at anything but I guess I never really thought about it in these terms but he's totally correct.

---

That's one of the reasons why you're not special. However, I've thought about it and know where I rank in the current humankind by several criteria, which makes me more special than most.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gugi

That's one of the reasons why you're not special. However, I've thought about it and know where I rank in the current humankind by several criteria, which makes me more special than most.

---

Now that's just not fair. If I had come out with something like that, you would, no doubt crucify me for being so sure I was better than the rest of the world! I can't even poke light hearted fun at the Walmartians for God sake! :) So in the spirit of fair play and brotherhood, I will only offer this: Judging from this post, I'd say we've blew right past confidently self-assured, didn't bother with cocky and jumped right into the deep end of the full on arrogance pool. I'm not saying...I'm just saying.

Lesson #1: Life is not fair
Lesson #2: Know thyself, and know others too

In my view false humility can be just as bad as false arrogance. But I am not completely joking - I'm good enough with numbers and have been in many direct competitions worldwide to know where I stand. For example, many years ago I was at the bottom bracket of knowing 'fancy words' and the top bracket of quickly making correct logical analysis. Since then I have gotten better in both, but I've significantly regressed in another area which I shall not name.

Not to argue, but the generation that has been fighting in Iraq And Afghanistan (generation kill) is doing pretty well if you ask me... They hump more equipment then I ever had to (in some of the same ground).. They go to back to back tours and do it proudly without bitchin (or running to Canada, like some other wars). I was in from 1983 all the way to 2007 and I have seen and met some outstanding individuals. So there are a faction of kids out there that are spoiled, but to blanket a generation is way off the mark in not only my opinion, but my experience.. To all you younger lads, I salute you... Everyone can call youmspoiled but not many have fought the long fight... Or be expected, for the young who will be entering thosempublic services (police, firefighter, soldier) over the next few years.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wintchase

Not to argue, but the generation that has been fighting in Iraq And Afghanistan (generation kill) is doing pretty well if you ask me... They hump more equipment then I ever had to (in some of the same ground).. They go to back to back tours and do it proudly without bitchin (or running to Canada, like some other wars). I was in from 1983 all the way to 2007 and I have seen and met some outstanding individuals. So there are a faction of kids out there that are spoiled, but to blanket a generation is way off the mark in not only my opinion, but my experience.. To all you younger lads, I salute you... Everyone can call youmspoiled but not many have fought the long fight... Or be expected, for the young who will be entering thosempublic services (police, firefighter, soldier) over the next few years.

---

I don't disagree, I retired in 2005 and left feeling confident that the military was in good hands without the old fart. These young GIs these days are an impressive lot, the operations tempo they live with on a daily basis dwarfs anything we knew but then again, if you've got the mentality to enlist, you're probably not one of the pampered, bubble wrapped little darlings, I think this guy was talking about. Unfortunately, generalizations come easy and the term "kids these days!" has been mantra of grumpy old codgers probably since my grandpa was a kid.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 1OldGI

generalizations come easy and the term "kids these days!" has been mantra of grumpy old codgers probably since my grandpa was a kid.

---

This is what stopped me from replying earlier. The talk about my generation (class of '97 - last group or so of Gen X) was that we were all unmotivated slackers. And we were. But we eventually found motivation and did some amazing things. Most of the people I grew up with are quite accomplished, and the majority are doing better than their parents. It isn't particularly accurate to judge a generation based on their mindset or what they've accomplished in their first 17 years.

I think he was absolutely right in letting these kids know they aren't special. If you want to become special you have to go out and do great things, but to many kids these days are just concerned about texting and what party they are going to go to tonight.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by raysofcolorado

I think he was absolutely right in letting these kids know they aren't special. If you want to become special you have to go out and do great things, but to many kids these days are just concerned about texting and what party they are going to go to tonight.

---

these particular kids. if disadvantaged kids has been in as many honor societies or gotten into as many top schools as some of these kids undoubtedly did, any commencement speaker at their school would definitely be telling them they were special.
One needs to know what kind of community Wellesley MA is to know why this speech is priceless. One of the most affluent towns in the state, and some of the people there think they are very special. i grew up a couple of towns over, which is now suffering the same delusion, and i worked in wellesley for several years. if any bunch of kids needed to be reminded they are just another speck in the Universe, it would be kids from Wellesley, or Weston, or Lincoln, or Sherborn, or Dover, or Concord. we got lots of them here in kennedy country.