Is saying "everyone is special" another way of saying "no one is"?

[SemiCharmedQuark]

Do we celebrate mediocrity by making a big deal out of every tiny achievement a child makes?

Questions brought up by the Incredibles (fantastic movie by the way). I tend not to agree. I think everyone is special.

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. It is a great movie...I always say that perfection is imperfection in

itself. :hi:

[SnowGoose]

2. If I said "everyone is carbon-based"

would that mean no one is? I should think not.

Or perhaps the more similar "everyone is unique". That seems to be demonstrably true. But "no one is unique" seems to be demonstrably untrue.

BTW, I enjoyed The Incredibles too (enough to buy it). I aslo found my attention drawn to that bit that inspired your question... it's something to think about.

[lumberjack_jeff]

3. Sure. You're an individual...

...just like everyone else.

Ever notice how Harley riders express their individuality by buying exactly the same stuff, from the very same places, as their peers?

[Joe Chi Minh]

4. Oddly enough , no.

It's like Light. Just as Light isn't governed by the law of relativity governing the rest of our universe of space-time, but is a stand-alone entity, so each of us is a stand-alone person in God's eyes. If nobody else existed, he could still not think more of us or love us more.

[jswordy]

5. Everyone is unique, and therefore special.

If you follow that right-winger Mallard Fillmore cartoon, it is attempting in the past two weeks to make a point that positive reinforcement results in young people who are irresponsible and cannot hold a job, yet still feel good about themselves. HOGWASH!

[CanuckAmok]

6. "You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake" -Chuck Pahlaniuk

"...We're the middle children of history, man--no purpose or place. We have no great war. No great depression. Our great war's a spiritual war. Our great depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires and movie gods and rock stars . . . but we won't. We're slowly learning that fact and we're very, very pissed off." - from "Fight Club"

[jswordy]

7. I reject that entire premise. n/t

[CanuckAmok]

10. That only makes it more valid. n/t

[Rainbowreflect]

8. I saw that movie yesterday & it was great.

Everyone is special in their own way. Every single person has their strengths & weakness'.

[Rainbowreflect]

9. Oops, hit my button twice.

Not sure if that is my strength or my weakness.

[LynzM]

11. I think there is something to be said for this

Particularly in a school environment. If you reward everything that every child does, no matter how poor/mediocre their work, you are in effect teaching children that the amount of effort they put forth is unimportant. There have been several good articles on this recently, hopefully I'll get some time tonight to find them (bookmarked at home).

I do believe that everyone is unique and has their own innate value, 'special', if you will. But I think that you are really discussing two separate issues in that post. IE, your value as your own person, and the value of the 'tiny achievements' you attain.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

12. I argee with you.

Everything you said is very true.

Also,Incredibles was a great movie. We watched it because my husband wanted to see it. I assumed it was a kids movie, but it was a very good movie for both kids and adults.