gotta love bill gates. for a fee, i would.
Discussion
this crossed my desk this morning. so i thought id have a bit of a rant about it. well, it is raining.
"Bill Gates at MT. WHITNEY HIGH SCHOOL in Visalia, CA.
Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this! To anyone with kids of any age, here's some advice. Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept sets them up for failure in the real world.
Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!
Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss!
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping - they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.
If you agree, pass it on.
If you can read this - Thank a teacher!
If you are reading it in English-Thank a soldier"
hmmm... first things first... cheery sod, isn't he?
where next? aah yes. i really like "if you are reading this in English, thank a soldier". thats very profound. unless of course, you're German and are reading this as part of an English lesson designed to illustrate the immense arrogance and blinkered world view of the American population. then perhaps its less profound. and more, well, stoopid really.
additionally, shouldn't it read "if you're reading this in English, thanks the colonial settlers from England who systematically wiped out all native inhabitants, thus rendering your actual ancestral language moot. Right any questions? Yes, you sir.."
child in audience: "How?"
Ooo and I'm a big fan of rule 11: " be nice to nerds, you may end up working for one " (hidden agenda/ bitter childhood anyone?). Thats indeed a possibility. Or, you know, you could just do what everyone else does and realise that work and professional ability are not everything, they are just a part of being a grown up. Personality and human qualities such as the ability to interact with others are of equal importance too aren't they? or did i miss the point whilst i was learning to play Axel-f on my zx-81 by use of programming?(so much better than talking to girls or going outside in the light >it burns..it buuuurrrnsss<). do we really want a nation of ultra effective, uber efficient workers, with no discernible personality or even a trace of a lust for life? and if we do, save yourself the time now, and come and work in my office. we have subsidised lunches, which saves you meeting people in the outside world.
i also like those wise nuggets Mr Gates quoteth encouraging kids to take responsibility for their own actions and not blame their parents or anyone else for anything and everything. not wishing to state the obvious here gang, but I'm fairly sure kids know this already. kids mis-direct blame for one reason surely: they can blame someone else, so they do blame someone else. occasionally, just occasionally it makes them feel better. and that sounds like one of those things that parents both like and look to do, doesn't it? its not spiteful, or selfish its just cos it helps them at that moment. and when your a kid, the moment is all that matters. planning for beyond that moment is what your folks do for you isn't it?
I'm not saying hes wrong, indeed each point (bar the jingoism at the end) is a very grown up responsible attitude. but, boy, way to suck the fun out of being a kid. cant we just let them get on with it? you're only young for a tiny time, its seems to me after that your grown up for ages. in fact, pretty much for ever.
just goes to be you can be the smartest richest person in the world, but still a total cock.
sorry, bit of a lie down now i think.
"Bill Gates at MT. WHITNEY HIGH SCHOOL in Visalia, CA.
Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this! To anyone with kids of any age, here's some advice. Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept sets them up for failure in the real world.
Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!
Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss!
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping - they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.
If you agree, pass it on.
If you can read this - Thank a teacher!
If you are reading it in English-Thank a soldier"
hmmm... first things first... cheery sod, isn't he?
where next? aah yes. i really like "if you are reading this in English, thank a soldier". thats very profound. unless of course, you're German and are reading this as part of an English lesson designed to illustrate the immense arrogance and blinkered world view of the American population. then perhaps its less profound. and more, well, stoopid really.
additionally, shouldn't it read "if you're reading this in English, thanks the colonial settlers from England who systematically wiped out all native inhabitants, thus rendering your actual ancestral language moot. Right any questions? Yes, you sir.."
child in audience: "How?"
Ooo and I'm a big fan of rule 11: " be nice to nerds, you may end up working for one " (hidden agenda/ bitter childhood anyone?). Thats indeed a possibility. Or, you know, you could just do what everyone else does and realise that work and professional ability are not everything, they are just a part of being a grown up. Personality and human qualities such as the ability to interact with others are of equal importance too aren't they? or did i miss the point whilst i was learning to play Axel-f on my zx-81 by use of programming?(so much better than talking to girls or going outside in the light >it burns..it buuuurrrnsss<). do we really want a nation of ultra effective, uber efficient workers, with no discernible personality or even a trace of a lust for life? and if we do, save yourself the time now, and come and work in my office. we have subsidised lunches, which saves you meeting people in the outside world.
i also like those wise nuggets Mr Gates quoteth encouraging kids to take responsibility for their own actions and not blame their parents or anyone else for anything and everything. not wishing to state the obvious here gang, but I'm fairly sure kids know this already. kids mis-direct blame for one reason surely: they can blame someone else, so they do blame someone else. occasionally, just occasionally it makes them feel better. and that sounds like one of those things that parents both like and look to do, doesn't it? its not spiteful, or selfish its just cos it helps them at that moment. and when your a kid, the moment is all that matters. planning for beyond that moment is what your folks do for you isn't it?
I'm not saying hes wrong, indeed each point (bar the jingoism at the end) is a very grown up responsible attitude. but, boy, way to suck the fun out of being a kid. cant we just let them get on with it? you're only young for a tiny time, its seems to me after that your grown up for ages. in fact, pretty much for ever.
just goes to be you can be the smartest richest person in the world, but still a total cock.
sorry, bit of a lie down now i think.
Mr Gates has it spot on.
The only bit I take issue with is:
Shouldn't you post that bit on 'GuardianHeads.com'? Mr Gates' comments are actually positive, realistic and forward-looking whilst yours are negative and obsessed with the past. You can't change the past, so deal with it. If the British hadn't had an Empire, someone else would have - that's the way of the human race. And I'm glad it was us and not someone else.
The only bit I take issue with is:
nervous said:
unless of course, you're German and are reading this as part of an English lesson designed to illustrate the immense arrogance and blinkered world view of the American population. then perhaps its less profound. and more, well, stoopid really... additionally, shouldn't it read "if you're reading this in English, thanks the colonial settlers from England who systematically wiped out all native inhabitants, thus rendering your actual ancestral language moot.
Shouldn't you post that bit on 'GuardianHeads.com'? Mr Gates' comments are actually positive, realistic and forward-looking whilst yours are negative and obsessed with the past. You can't change the past, so deal with it. If the British hadn't had an Empire, someone else would have - that's the way of the human race. And I'm glad it was us and not someone else.
as i said, his points are sensible and correct. and as a grown up i agree with them. my point is that shouldn't kids be encouraged to fulfill all aspects of their childhood, not just think solely about work work work?
and clearly he is spot on. hes the one with all the money and happiness and I'm the one sitting here typing about something pointless in the hope that the day will pass a bit quicker. who am i to try and raise a smile at the expense of the almighty Mr gates? what was i thinking? its a good job folk like him exist, else kids would have NEVER figured this out for themselves. and to think they say nerds have no common sense. well, hes certainly shown them. i feel deeply silly now.
and I'm deeply, deeply sorry that i stepped on your imperial sensibilities, i think its wonderful that you're able to be so proud of our country. i never suggested you shouldn't be. I'm from Great Britain too. and upon your suggestion i will endeavor to 'get over it' (honestly the nights i lie awake thinking bout this, i cant believe i never thought to get over it. I'm glad i posted now). Gawd blesss ole blighty. >in fact, I'm feeling quite patriotic now. what the hell, I'm gonna have a quick and rousing chorus of God Save the Queen..... there thats better< and actually my comments or indeed my sentimentalities are not 'obsessed with the past'. i know nothing of history (i was away that day), i merely traded on this aspect of his motivational speech as a device to shoe-horn in my "how" joke. i could care less about these matters, as you so rightly say, its in the past.
but, our obvious allegiance to England aside does "if you're reading this in English, thank a soldier" not seem a trifle arrogant to you? not even a tiny bit? so much so that you had to read it twice and then it made you laugh out loud? no? just me then obviously.
Most importantly though, as apparently this wasn't clear from my post, i was in fact JOKING. i am not, and never would be a Gnundrian reader (spelling mistake deliberate by the way, I'm not sure of the appropriate emoticon for that, but clearly i need to liberally sprinkle these things all over my posts as clearly the sarcastic tone isn't anywhere near obvious enough)(
). it was a lighthearted post, meant to possibly raise a titter. it was under no circumstances, whatsoever meant to be a 'guide to life cos bill gates is wrong'. glad we cleared that up.
>> Edited by nervous on Monday 4th April 11:08
and clearly he is spot on. hes the one with all the money and happiness and I'm the one sitting here typing about something pointless in the hope that the day will pass a bit quicker. who am i to try and raise a smile at the expense of the almighty Mr gates? what was i thinking? its a good job folk like him exist, else kids would have NEVER figured this out for themselves. and to think they say nerds have no common sense. well, hes certainly shown them. i feel deeply silly now.
and I'm deeply, deeply sorry that i stepped on your imperial sensibilities, i think its wonderful that you're able to be so proud of our country. i never suggested you shouldn't be. I'm from Great Britain too. and upon your suggestion i will endeavor to 'get over it' (honestly the nights i lie awake thinking bout this, i cant believe i never thought to get over it. I'm glad i posted now). Gawd blesss ole blighty. >in fact, I'm feeling quite patriotic now. what the hell, I'm gonna have a quick and rousing chorus of God Save the Queen..... there thats better< and actually my comments or indeed my sentimentalities are not 'obsessed with the past'. i know nothing of history (i was away that day), i merely traded on this aspect of his motivational speech as a device to shoe-horn in my "how" joke. i could care less about these matters, as you so rightly say, its in the past.
but, our obvious allegiance to England aside does "if you're reading this in English, thank a soldier" not seem a trifle arrogant to you? not even a tiny bit? so much so that you had to read it twice and then it made you laugh out loud? no? just me then obviously.
Most importantly though, as apparently this wasn't clear from my post, i was in fact JOKING. i am not, and never would be a Gnundrian reader (spelling mistake deliberate by the way, I'm not sure of the appropriate emoticon for that, but clearly i need to liberally sprinkle these things all over my posts as clearly the sarcastic tone isn't anywhere near obvious enough)(
). it was a lighthearted post, meant to possibly raise a titter. it was under no circumstances, whatsoever meant to be a 'guide to life cos bill gates is wrong'. glad we cleared that up. >> Edited by nervous on Monday 4th April 11:08
nervous said:Childhood is a Victorian concept, a bit like the Empire. Childhood didn't exist before then.
my point is that shouldn't kids be encouraged to fulfill all aspects of their childhood, not just think solely about work work work? sheesh
Kids need to learn how to handle life early, and school singularly fails to prepare them for that. The kids hassling grannies outside corner shops, vandalising the neighbourhood bullying and stealing, need something - but what they get is safaris and offers of free CDs and trainers ffs. Chavdom has emerged on the back of a lot of well meaning nambypambyism.
Failure and success come all the time but schools only deal in (sometimes fake) success. Knowing how to deal with seeing people do better than you and worse than you, coping with good times and bad times, most forms of competition, are off the curriculum. I suspect many teenagers can see that work for the most part is hard, boring, earns a pittance, and you just swap one set of hassles and boredom for another set when you change jobs. The alternative should be even worse, but society has made a feather bed for the opter-outers who are capable but lazy and think the world owes them a living.
Childhood plus modern schooling plus human rights - without a prior set of human responsibilities - sets the equation of life out of balance. Doesn't help kids, never has and never will. Gates is right, but in the current climate he's p155ing in the wind.
nervous said:
does "if you're reading this in English, thank a soldier" not seem a trifle arrogant to you? not even a tiny bit?
A little bit. That's the only bit that isn't spot-on though.
The advice that life doesn't owe you anything, there is no 'fair' and that there is no-one else to blame but yourself in many situations is spot-on.
There is a real 'blame & rights' culture these days, and it stinks.
nervous said:
Most importantly though, as apparently this wasn't clear from my post, i was in fact JOKING.
Indeed it wasn't clear.
>> Edited by JonRB on Monday 4th April 11:25
then, my apologies. i don't think I'm capable of mustering a serious thought if i tried.
and no, i wouldn't feel the same way if he wasn't the richest man in the world. but would they have invited him to speak if he wasn't the richest man in the world?
but, doncha think we/ they could hope for something fractionally less obvious from a man who is clearly as talented as he is? its not exactly generated from his aspect is it? lets be honest, hes not been requested to appear as 'one of us', its precisely cos he is so effective and special that he was there in the first place. so at least do something special, to give aspiration, to encourage momentum towards his achievements. and ground rules and general sensible advice are of course essential. I'm just wondering if any of the kids who received this sermon went away thinking "now, theres a thought. i should grow up. then ill be much more successful".
i agree with everything that you say about lack of motivation in schools and from governmental strategy. and it frustrates me no end. and that is why i choose to work full time for a charity that encourages students to reach beyond their hopes, wishes and means and be the best and do the best they can. on this aspect i am fairly well informed. and in this sense i can tell you that this speech would not have helped at all, and kids would have soon run tired of the novelty of being in the company of 'the worlds richest man', and quickly started seeing him as a 'man', 'boring man' or 'same old same old man'. of the 20,000 students i work with and for, i genuinely feel that not one of them would have been inspired, and would have felt cheated that they were offered little more than common sense. i do not mean to devalue common sense, all i suggest is that there is little point in having somebody so inspirational as bill gates and not using him to his full capacity. its simply a squandered resource.
i of course understand the strategy and the linkage thats supposed to form in the students minds. hes rich-hes telling me to do this-if i do this ill be rich too. but from my experience of working with over 500 schools for many many years i can tell you that the face or the idea of a celebrity is not enough. they have to trade on their specialism else the kids cannot and will not be inspired by their words.
and no, i wouldn't feel the same way if he wasn't the richest man in the world. but would they have invited him to speak if he wasn't the richest man in the world?
but, doncha think we/ they could hope for something fractionally less obvious from a man who is clearly as talented as he is? its not exactly generated from his aspect is it? lets be honest, hes not been requested to appear as 'one of us', its precisely cos he is so effective and special that he was there in the first place. so at least do something special, to give aspiration, to encourage momentum towards his achievements. and ground rules and general sensible advice are of course essential. I'm just wondering if any of the kids who received this sermon went away thinking "now, theres a thought. i should grow up. then ill be much more successful".
i agree with everything that you say about lack of motivation in schools and from governmental strategy. and it frustrates me no end. and that is why i choose to work full time for a charity that encourages students to reach beyond their hopes, wishes and means and be the best and do the best they can. on this aspect i am fairly well informed. and in this sense i can tell you that this speech would not have helped at all, and kids would have soon run tired of the novelty of being in the company of 'the worlds richest man', and quickly started seeing him as a 'man', 'boring man' or 'same old same old man'. of the 20,000 students i work with and for, i genuinely feel that not one of them would have been inspired, and would have felt cheated that they were offered little more than common sense. i do not mean to devalue common sense, all i suggest is that there is little point in having somebody so inspirational as bill gates and not using him to his full capacity. its simply a squandered resource.
i of course understand the strategy and the linkage thats supposed to form in the students minds. hes rich-hes telling me to do this-if i do this ill be rich too. but from my experience of working with over 500 schools for many many years i can tell you that the face or the idea of a celebrity is not enough. they have to trade on their specialism else the kids cannot and will not be inspired by their words.
A friend of mine works with Bill and the MS crew, and from the stories Ive heard, BG is NOT a nice bloke. He once reduced a grown woman to tears; she worked on a project of some kind for months, the time finally came to present it to him at his desk, and in under 30 seconds he had ripped her papers up, and said the equivalent of "Naff off, what a load of shit" and just kicked her out of his office without further explanation 
He does have a cool house though. Walk into a room, the room senses who you are, changes the temperature and pictures on the walls. Of course its heirarchical, so the rooms have to figure out whose boss when other family members are in the room.
He does have a cool house though. Walk into a room, the room senses who you are, changes the temperature and pictures on the walls. Of course its heirarchical, so the rooms have to figure out whose boss when other family members are in the room.
UKBoB said:
He does have a cool house though. Walk into a room, the room senses who you are, changes the temperature and pictures on the walls. Of course its heirarchical, so the rooms have to figure out whose boss when other family members are in the room.
Bet it runs on Unix or Linux
I though BG's advice was pretty good. Some of the graduates that I meet haven't got a clue about the real world. Also, I don't suppose he's got any hidden agendas because he succesful beyond measure and probably doesn't give a stuff of what people think of him. Quite refreshing I thought.
Not to take away the validity of the rules, but Mr Gates was not the author.
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_bill_gates_speech.htm
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_bill_gates_speech.htm
nervous said:
as i said, his points are sensible and correct. and as a grown up i agree with them. my point is that shouldn't kids be encouraged to fulfill all aspects of their childhood, not just think solely about work work work?
and clearly he is spot on. hes the one with all the money and happiness and I'm the one sitting here typing about something pointless in the hope that the day will pass a bit quicker. who am i to try and raise a smile at the expense of the almighty Mr gates? what was i thinking? its a good job folk like him exist, else kids would have NEVER figured this out for themselves. and to think they say nerds have no common sense. well, hes certainly shown them. i feel deeply silly now.
and I'm deeply, deeply sorry that i stepped on your imperial sensibilities, i think its wonderful that you're able to be so proud of our country. i never suggested you shouldn't be. I'm from Great Britain too. and upon your suggestion i will endeavor to 'get over it' (honestly the nights i lie awake thinking bout this, i cant believe i never thought to get over it. I'm glad i posted now). Gawd blesss ole blighty. >in fact, I'm feeling quite patriotic now. what the hell, I'm gonna have a quick and rousing chorus of God Save the Queen..... there thats better< and actually my comments or indeed my sentimentalities are not 'obsessed with the past'. i know nothing of history (i was away that day), i merely traded on this aspect of his motivational speech as a device to shoe-horn in my "how" joke. i could care less about these matters, as you so rightly say, its in the past.
but, our obvious allegiance to England aside does "if you're reading this in English, thank a soldier" not seem a trifle arrogant to you? not even a tiny bit? so much so that you had to read it twice and then it made you laugh out loud? no? just me then obviously.
Most importantly though, as apparently this wasn't clear from my post, i was in fact JOKING. i am not, and never would be a Gnundrian reader (spelling mistake deliberate by the way, I'm not sure of the appropriate emoticon for that, but clearly i need to liberally sprinkle these things all over my posts as clearly the sarcastic tone isn't anywhere near obvious enough)(
>> Edited by nervous on Monday 4th April 11:08
What a sniveling little turd! The most obvious tragedy here is that you were not in the audience when Gates gave out that wisdom! Another thing Goober, if it were not for soldiers, British & American, you most definately would be speaking German; unless of course your family was Black, Jewish,etc. then you would be speaking nothing! Go write your tripe in the "Morning Star" or the "Red Pepper"!
janszott said:I suspected as much, but as you say it doesn't take away the validity of the rules.
Not to take away the validity of the rules, but Mr Gates was not the author.
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_bill_gates_speech.htm
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