WOW, JUST WOW

[NA4BH]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFzXaFbxDcM

[NQ6U]

It may have been aimed at children but a whole lot of adults should also take that to heart.

[KA9MOT]

Mr Rogers was an amazing feller. Thanks for the video, I enjoyed it.

[kf0rt]

It may have been aimed at children but a whole lot of adults should also take that to heart.

Should be the opening tome of every congressional meeting. ;)

[VE7DCW]

Yup .... I enjoyed it too..... Mr.Rogers had a knack to come across with the most simple and powerful messages to kids! :agree:

[W5GA]

Should be the opening tome of every congressional meeting. ;)
That garden has had soil sterilant used on it once to often.

[n2ize]

Mr Rogers was a very inspirational man. I believe he was also a clergyman. He taught kids, and adults, a lot of interesting things about art, music, science, hobbies, interests and, about dealing with others and yourself. He also used to show a lot of hands on stuff like how certain products are manufactured, what certain jobs and careers are like, how musicians make music, etc. I was a bit old for Mr. Rogers but my younger brother and cousin used to watch. One day he had a guy (a neighbor) on the show demonstrate the rc (radio control) hobby.

[n2ize]

Oops... before I forget. Mr. Rogers was also attacked by Fox News a while back. Fox claimed that Mr. Rogers was evil and they blamed him for creating a generation of lazy dependent welfare recipients.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/mr-rogers-is-evilaccording-to-fox-news-bif

[w2amr]

Oops... before I forget. Mr. Rogers was also attacked by Fox News a while back. Fox claimed that Mr. Rogers was evil and they blamed him for creating a generation of lazy dependent welfare recipients.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/mr-rogers-is-evilaccording-to-fox-news-bif
Morons

[W4GPL]

In related news:

High school teacher tells graduating students: you’re not special
Commencement speech aims to deflate self-important kids

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/high-school-teacher-tells-graduating-students-special-article-1.1092109

[ad4mg]

In related news:

High school teacher tells graduating students: you’re not special
Commencement speech aims to deflate self-important kids

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/high-school-teacher-tells-graduating-students-special-article-1.1092109

A good dose of reality. He was tactful, and truthful. I don't see any harm in that. The few that needed to hear those words likely didn't, anyway.

[KB3LAZ]

A good dose of reality. He was tactful, and truthful. I don't see any harm in that. The few that needed to hear those words likely didn't, anyway.

I am willing to bet that at least one of them was/is/will be exceptional. I think he could have got the point across faster by saying ¨You are nothing special, just like me". Also, you are right, the ones that think they are "the shit" and needed to hear that, didnt pay attention.

[n2ize]

A good dose of reality. He was tactful, and truthful. I don't see any harm in that. The few that needed to hear those words likely didn't, anyway.

Hmmm... I have mixed feelings.In some ways I am sick of hearing the stereotypical "you've been pampered and coddled" routine. Sure. Children are born they are dependent on adults. That is a given. We don't need someone making a guilt trip out of it. At the same time I do think it is important to explain to middle class and poor kids that they are basically shit. They can have al the education and background in the world but they'll end up shoveling shit against the tide unless they do something to make a name and reputation for themselves. That in life they are going to get one kick in the ass after another and, that nobody is going to praise them for or even notice whatever good they may do in life but, they will be noticed and receive much criticism and pay dearly for even the tiniest mistake. They need to understand that nobody is going to knock on their door and say "hey, you are a nice guy, I think I'll give you a great high paying job and some free money to go with it."

I will say it is different than the typical graduation speech.

[n2ize]

I am willing to bet that at least one of them was/is/will be exceptional. I think he could have got the point across faster by saying ¨You are nothing special, just like me". Also, you are right, the ones that think they are "the shit" and needed to hear that, didnt pay attention.

The ones that think they are "the shit" are going to find out that they certainly are "the shit" (literally) when they get their first kick in the ass.

[KB3LAZ]

I am from the generation of coddling. Where they would tell us, you can do anything you set your mind to. That you never know where life is going to take you. You are just along for the ride, what you do on that ride is up to you. Were they exaggerating, probably. However, people seem to think that we are stuck in this mold that we are born into. That really isnt the case.

You truly get what you put in. You get kicks to the ass and slaps to the back of the head, as John put it, but that is part of life, and it is reality.

People seem to judge life on a set scale. The problem is that, to me, life is about being happy. What one considers success, regardless of what some may think, is subjective.

I would consider myself successful, and I am happy. The best part of that is that my life has only just begun. It will get better, too. I will see to that. That may sound like conceit but it isnt.

[KB3LAZ]

The ones that think they are "the shit" are going to find out that they certainly are "the shit" (literally) when they get their first kick in the ass.

In my graduating class, some have done just that. Some have also rebounded and turned into fine young adults. It is funny how some people change after high school, but it is not funny how some dont.

[W5GA]

Excellent speech.

[WN9HJW]

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[WN9HJW]

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[KB3LAZ]

I don't remember my high school graduation speech.That was almost 40 years ago and Richard Nixon was President (well, until a few months later).

I doubt if any of these kids will remember theirs, either.

In any case, I'm pretty sure that my high school graduation speaker did not tell us we all were "special". If he did, he would have been shouted down and kicked off the faculty as a commie.

I remember my graduation, it was a drag. They played a song. They announced who was going to what school or what branch of the military, etc. They teachers said they would miss us and wished us luck in life. Our valedictorians made some speak that none of us listened to. Then we got our papers and all went our separate ways.

What I remember more are the memories high school itself created and the lessons it taught. Not only education wise from a book but life lessons as well.

Things that I have recently learned about high school. Lets start off with a statistic. My graduating class should have been 144 people but by the time people moved, dropped out, or passed away from either an accident or taking their own life we were down to 119. Now, seven years later we are down to 99. Twenty of my class mates have died over a seven year span. Three by suicide and the others either in via the military or car accidents, etc. We have one right now that is dieing of a brain tumor. ...that´s a lot of people dieing under the age of 30. My parents, aunts, and uncles seem to this this is normal. They said when they went to their 10th reunion 10-15% of their graduating class had died off..shame.

[NA4BH]

I wouldn't know. I grew up with Captain Kangaroo.

I grew up down the street from the Captain (the guy himself). Werner Von Braun lived about 1/4 mile from there.

[KG4CGC]

You're not special. You work for the man! Now shut up and get back to work!
(lousy slacker)

[suddenseer]

what he said (I love you anyway Bob!)

[NA4BH]

You're not special. You work for the man! Now shut up and get back to work!
(lousy slacker)

I am the MAN :rofl: Now, what's your badge number? :lol:

[KG4CGC]

I am the MAN :rofl: Now, what's your badge number? :lol:

(said thickly) Bad-jez? Bad-jez? We donn need no stinn-kin bad-jez!

[n2ize]

I wouldn't know. I grew up with Captain Kangaroo.

Yeah, but the genius behind Captain Kangaroo was that clever farmer know as "Mr Green Jeans" Mr. Green jeans was the brains behind the whole Captain Kangaroo operation.. Gotta watch out fer them farmers. :)

[KG4CGC]

Yeah, but the genius behind Captain Kangaroo was that clever farmer know as "Mr Green Jeans" Mr. Green jeans was the brains behind the whole Captain Kangaroo operation.. Gotta watch out fer them farmers. :)

Mr. Green Jeans was stuffed full of straw. His head too.

[NQ6U]

You're not special. You work for the man! Now shut up and get back to work!
(lousy slacker)

"'Vunce de rocket goes up, who cares vere it comes down?
That's not my department' says Werner von Braun."

[n2ize]

I am from the generation of coddling. Where they would tell us, you can do anything you set your mind to. That you never know where life is going to take you. You are just along for the ride, what you do on that ride is up to you. Were they exaggerating, probably. However, people seem to think that we are stuck in this mold that we are born into. That really isnt the case.




And which is very good advise. On one hand you have those who think they are "the shit" that they can succeed at anything with no effort just because of who they are. The professor will give them a free A+ because they are "the shit". That is a bad attitude and in many cases a person with such an attitude had either be, very rich and be prepared to buy his/her way to "success" or, have some asset that will win people over. Otherwise they will learn (hopefully) when they start getting kicked in the ass.

On the other hand you have the defeatist. The defeatist has no self confidence or self esteem. He has convinced himself that he is simply incapable of certain things and those who are good in those things are somehow "specially gifted". He places severe restrictions and limits on his own life, Case and point. I was good in math and I decided to get a degree in it and then get a graduate degree. Well, I got the degrees and I think I was successful. It has led me to a few interesting jobs in a few different fields over the years. In any event one of my defeatist friends told me one day that "it is wonderful that I am so specially gifted in the subject and how he could never learn much less earn a degree in such a difficult subject". Much to his surprise I responded to him saying, "I don't feel I am specially gifted in any way, shape, or form". I proceeded to explain to him how I flunked many a math course in high school and how my guidance counselors even told me to avoid math courses as much as possible. But for some reason I never listened to them and I kept taking the courses and struggling through them and somehow as time went on developed an interest. Perhaps it was the challenge of trying to be good at something I was told that I was no good at. In any event I explained to him that the only way I got my degree was through al lot hard work and personal sacrifice. How many times instead of going out and partying I had to sit home and study, and how I spent hours upon hours of every day reading, studying and practicing whether I was in a car, in a subway, a hall, a library, on the street, at home, etc. , . It was no "special gift", just hard work and a desire to succeed at something and I did succeed. It is the truth but somehow my defeatist friend still refuses to believe it and still insists I have a "special gift". At the same time he continues to place more and more limitations and bounds upon himself and what he can do.in life.
In many ways I think the defeatist attitude is far worst and far more self-destructive in the long term than the "I'm the shit" attitude. The "I'm the shit" attitude can often be broken and usually does not last once a dose of reality hits. . But the defeatist attitude is often a lifetime ride, and the defeatist just keeps building more and more walls and barriers around himself.




You truly get what you put in. You get kicks to the ass and slaps to the back of the head, as John put it, but that is part of life, and it is reality.
People seem to judge life on a set scale. The problem is that, to me, life is about being happy. What one considers success, regardless of what some may think, is subjective.
I would consider myself successful, and I am happy. The best part of that is that my life has only just begun. It will get better, too. I will see to that. That may sound like conceit but it isnt.

You said it. I couldn't have said it any better.

Getting back to Mr. Rogers for a moment, he may have been somewhat before your time, I am not sure. . But, he did a lot to teach and inspire young kids, many of whom had little family support. By telling them "your special" he was trying to tell them "don't give up". He did a lot of good things that may have helped some people into their adult lives. He in no way was trying to tell kids that life is is a freebee. It's important to remember that he was targeting a very young audience, i.e.pre-school. These are kids at an age where they are not even ready to begin to worry about the life of hard knocks and ass kicks.

[KG4CGC]

Why blame Mr. Rogers or the media. Blame society for forcing both parents to work just to keep the bills paid and the kids clothed and fed. In the 60s we saw some two parent homes where the wife started taking extra work to save up a stash but in the 70s it became a necessity just to stay above water.
When all is said and done, it's because governments would rather fight than actually work towards diplomatic ends. Throw in corporations taking advantage of whatever they could to push the market to its fullest. In other words, what the market could bear. They kept on squeezing then and today they are squeezing harder through deregulation and having the foxes watch the henhouse.
You are going to cater to the Koch's one way or another.

[N2CHX]

Mr. Rogers was awesome and that video was really cool. Well done.

[N7YA]

I agree, Kelli! I read up on him and found that he was a VERY dedicated and gentle soul. We need more folks like him. Any haters words wont be absorbed by me, call it my fault. ;)

[WØTKX]

Mr. Moose was in control of Captain Kangaroo.
The ping pong ball torture is very effective...

[WN9HJW]

Deleted

[WN9HJW]

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[WN9HJW]

Deleted

[n2ize]

Oh, and how about the Tele-Tubbies generation?

Occupy Wall Street and Green Jobs.

Not to mention gay marriage. !! Let's face it, we all know that "tinky winky" or whatever his name was is responsible for gay marriage. !!

[N7YA]

Well, im convinced. I say kill them all!

[KA9MOT]

Why blame Mr. Rogers or the media. Blame society for forcing both parents to work just to keep the bills paid and the kids clothed and fed. In the 60s we saw some two parent homes where the wife started taking extra work to save up a stash but in the 70s it became a necessity just to stay above water.
When all is said and done, it's because governments would rather fight than actually work towards diplomatic ends. Throw in corporations taking advantage of whatever they could to push the market to its fullest. In other words, what the market could bear. They kept on squeezing then and today they are squeezing harder through deregulation and having the foxes watch the henhouse.
You are going to cater to the Koch's one way or another.

My mom and dad raised 10 kids. I remember dad having 2 jobs most of the time and for a couple of months he had 3 jobs. Mom worked too. Grandma watched the kids who were not old enough to be in school or at work, or both.

When I was 10 mom got me my first job (summer months) as a dish washer on Saturday night for a caterer who went to our church. My wages went into the family coffers. We had damned little but we had a roof, clean clothes and fresh healthy food. We raised chickens, and had a 1/4 acre garden, and some fruit trees. When I was 12, my brother Robert and I shared 3 paper routes. 2 in the morning before school and 1 after school. 800+ papers every day except Sunday.

I recently received an email entitled I'M OLDER THAN DIRT, and the first sentence was about not having fast food. For us, fast food was those damned chickens.

[N7YA]

The odd thing here is the fact that Fred Rogers, while he was alive, would calmly and quietly carry on with his work despite all the accusations of ruining our kids and turning them into pansies, rumors of his personal life, screaming about this or that, etc. He would simply press on because he knew, like he would know today were he still alive, that people are going to say what theyre going to say and do what theyre going to do and all he can do is follow his heart and do what he feels is right.

I respect Fred Rogers and the work he did immensely.

[KG4CGC]

My mom and dad raised 10 kids. I remember dad having 2 jobs most of the time and for a couple of months he had 3 jobs. Mom worked too. Grandma watched the kids who were not old enough to be in school or at work, or both.

When I was 10 mom got me my first job (summer months) as a dish washer on Saturday night for a caterer who went to our church. My wages went into the family coffers. We had damned little but we had a roof, clean clothes and fresh healthy food. We raised chickens, and had a 1/4 acre garden, and some fruit trees. When I was 12, my brother Robert and I shared 3 paper routes. 2 in the morning before school and 1 after school. 800+ papers every day except Sunday.

I recently received an email entitled I'M OLDER THAN DIRT, and the first sentence was about not having fast food. For us, fast food was those damned chickens.

You had the family unit going with granma there. Even if she wasn't, I have a feeling you had family cohesiveness. A lot of families didn't. The dollar was the bottom line. Business was the bottom line. The family took a back seat. This is what a lot of families lived with.