Wisdom from High School Movies

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The Hero of Canton

"It's my estimation that every man ever got a statue made of him was one kind of sommbitch or another."

Malcom Reynolds

Laurel Thatcher Ulrich said "Well behaved women seldom make history."  I think that goes for men too.  One does not make any kind of significant impact on the world without rubbing some people the wrong way.  Franklin D. Roosevelt said "I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made."  I think people sometimes focus too much on criticism and fail to think about who is it that is doing the criticizing.

I once experienced someone bad mouthing me to a superior.  His complaints essentially were him saying that I worked too hard and that he couldn't keep up.   I lifted my head a little higher that day.

"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you." -John 15:18  You know who said that? 

Jesus.
  
So if your ever downtrodden and hated know that you're in good company.

The Wisdom of Splinter

Splinter- How can a face so young, wear so many burdens?

Danny- So, you CAN talk

Splinter- Yes, and I can also listen. Some say that the path from inner turmoil begins with a friendly ear. My ear is open if you care to use it.

Danny- No I don't think so..

Splinter- What is your name?

Danny- Danny..

Splinter- And have you no one to go to Danny? No parents?

Danny- My dad could care a less about me.

Splinter- I doubt that is true.

Danny- Why?

Splinter- All fathers care for there sons....

One must not underestimate the power of listening.  Splinter whilst chained and beaten managed to gain an ally in a rebellious teenage boy just by listening.

Splinter: Death comes for us all, Oroku Saki, but something much worse comes for you. For when you die, it will be
[Shredder throws a hidden knife; Splinter catches it, releasing the spear and letting Shredder fall from the building and land in the back of a garbage truck]
Splinter:...Without honor.

This is one of my most favorite movie quotes of all time.  Even as Splinter spoke the words Shredder proved them to be prophetic.

Life's Highway

The two most vauluable lessons about driving I ever learned were not taught to me in dirver's ed.

1. When turning onto a busy road don't turn until your comfortable.  Don't let any cars behind you pressure you into pulling out before your ready.  Let them honk and scream.  It doesn't matter.  If you make that turn before you feel you should you'll be nervous and more likely to make a mistake.  Furthermore that fear inside that tells you the cars are coming to fast for you to merge or turn, it's probably not a fear it's a instinct and most likely a good one.

 The life correlation to this rule is: Don't let what others think, do, or say pressure you into doing something that you don't want to do.  Be confident in yourself and do what you feel is right.

2.  Never drive faster than what you can see.  If it's foggy or dark and visibility is limited, don't drive so fast that you can't react to the unforeseen.

 Or in life never let you reach exceed your grasp.  Moving fast through life leaves you susceptible to blindsides.  When the way isn't clear the answer is to slow down not speed up.

The Wisdom of the Wolves

 

One evening, an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. 

He said, “My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all. One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, greed, and arrogance. The other is Good - It is peace, love, hope, humility, compassion, and faith. ”

The grandson thought about this for a while and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?”

 To which the old Cherokee simply replied, 

“The one you feed.”

 Or,

The soul is like a garden, what you harvest depends on what you plant.  You reap what you sow.

Advice from Shakespeare

In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Polonius gives this famous counsel.

  

POLONIUS:

Yet here, Laertes? Aboard, aboard, for shame! The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail, And you are stay'd for. There, my blessing with thee. And these few precepts in thy memory See thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue, Nor any unproportion'd thought his act. Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar. Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, 

Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel; But do not dull thy palm with entertainment Of each new-hatch'd, unfledged comrade. Beware Of entrance to a quarrel; but being in, Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee. Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice; Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment. Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy; For the apparel oft proclaims the man, And they in France of the best rank and station Are of a most select and generous, chief in that. Neither a borrower nor a lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell. My blessing season this in thee! 

  

And I'd like to thank this site for the text.  What more can I say.  This is thee quintesential life advice.   But "This above all: to thine own self be true."

And for all you philistines like me here's a more easier read of the same thing:

POLONIUS:

You’re still here, Laertes! Aboard, aboard, for shame! The wind sits in the best part of your sail, And the ship waits for you. There, my blessing with you! And see that you write these few precepts In your memory. Give your thoughts to yourself, And don’t act without thinking. Be friendly, but by no means vulgar. Those friends you have, and their friendship tested, Anchor them to your soul with hoops of steel, But don’t spend your money on entertaining Each newly acquired, unproven friend. Beware Of getting into a quarrel, but, once you are in, Fight so that the man you fight with may beware of you. Listen to what every man says, but speak to few. Take each man's opinion, but reserve your judgment. Buy as costly clothes as can pay for, But not made fancy, rich, and certainly not gaudy. For the clothes often tell what kind of man you are, And the ones in France of the best rank and station Are most choosy and generous in that regard. Neither a borrower nor a lender be. For a loan often loses both the loan and the friend, And borrowing dulls the edge of the economy. This above all, to your own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, You cannot then be false to any man. Goodbye. My blessing instill these things in you!

Billy Calahan's thoughts on life.

"Lads! You have to get out in the streets, you have to talk to a stranger. Drink a beer with breakfast! Take the ugliest girl home at the party! You never know what life would put in your lap when you open your arms and embrace it!"

 

Ah Scrubs the early years.  It was a fun show with moments of super nova bright insightfulness.  For some reason Colin Farrell's character's advice really stayed with me.  It wasn't just his words it was the way this character lived. Everyone thought he was at the hospital because his brother was in a coma.  Turns out that it wasn't his brother, it was a man he met at a bar.  They got into a fight and was responsible for putting the guy into the coma, but he was also responsible for bringing the guy to the hospital.

Someone who'd do that strikes me as a very vibrant life embracing person.  It is not easy to live that type of life.  I don't think I could manage it.  At least not everyday.  There are moments that I shine.  It takes a lot of guts, and it hurts more at the beginning and there are no guarantees.  But life is not about surviving without scars.  It's about collecting them, because with the scars come the stories