“You’re not special”

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‘A straight-talking English teacher at Wellesley High School set out to take students down a notch in his speech to the class of 2012, by telling them they’re nothing special.
“You are not special. You are not exceptional,” David McCullough Jr. told graduating seniors from the affluent Massachusetts town last weekend.
….”Yes, you’ve been pampered, cosseted, doted upon, helmeted, bubble-wrapped,” McCullough said in his speech. “Yes, capable adults with other things to do have held you, kissed you, fed you, wiped your mouth, wiped your bottom, trained you, taught you, tutored you, coached you, listened to you, counseled you, encouraged you, consoled you and encouraged you again. You’ve been nudged, cajoled, wheedled and implored. You’ve been feted and fawned over and called sweetie pie. … But do not get the idea you’re anything special. Because you’re not.”..’
Damn straight!

11 thoughts on ““You’re not special””

  1. Beautiful! About the only speech I remember from my High School days was when one teacher was kind enough to inform the class that nobody else on earth cares what happens to us. Our parents do, after a fashion, and if we were to find someone drunk or silly enough to marry us they might too, insofar as it affects them, but when it comes right down to it nobody else is gonna take care of us.

    Funny thing? The dude was RIGHT!

      • For sure. Interesting place to learn something useful though – high school.

    • Remarkable, isn’t it? Perhaps he’s got the videotapes of the last teacher’s union orgy conference in Hawaii, lodged in a safety deposit box somewhere…

  3. I read that, yes I agree and good on him but couldn’t help but wonder, when is the crucifixion scheduled for?

    Then in the article I saw that most parents are in agreement, there is hope.

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