I've been wanting to comment on this for a few days now. Never seem to have the time to sit and write out the thoughts swirling.
I think some of the difficulty with the "special" label is that people don't define it. If special = extraordinary (ie, having superpowers ala The Incredibles, which was the first place I heard that "if everyone is special than nobody is" line), then obviously, yes. But if special means "you are a person of value just by being here on this earth," then YES OF COURSE EVERYONE IS SPECIAL. And I believe that's how Mr Rogers meant it, and how we ought to think.
There was a kids' radio show several years again called Jungle Jam and Friends that had some great songs, one of which had the chorus: "Everybody's special, including you and me; God made us just the way he wanted us to be," and then the verses were all about how each animal in the jungle is different, but all special because of their differences AND in their similarities. It's a pretty great, simple message (and catchy tune which I will now have in my head all day, go me).
I think the drive for competitiveness over cooperation in this culture has also encouraged the notion that we have to earn the right to be called special. But that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish ...
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chiming
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Date: 2013-09-04 03:31 pm (UTC)From:I think some of the difficulty with the "special" label is that people don't define it. If special = extraordinary (ie, having superpowers ala The Incredibles, which was the first place I heard that "if everyone is special than nobody is" line), then obviously, yes. But if special means "you are a person of value just by being here on this earth," then YES OF COURSE EVERYONE IS SPECIAL. And I believe that's how Mr Rogers meant it, and how we ought to think.
There was a kids' radio show several years again called Jungle Jam and Friends that had some great songs, one of which had the chorus: "Everybody's special, including you and me; God made us just the way he wanted us to be," and then the verses were all about how each animal in the jungle is different, but all special because of their differences AND in their similarities. It's a pretty great, simple message (and catchy tune which I will now have in my head all day, go me).
I think the drive for competitiveness over cooperation in this culture has also encouraged the notion that we have to earn the right to be called special. But that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish ...