Thank you Oprah
Posted on | August 8, 2003 |
Thank you, Oprah, for your show today that featured a smorgasbord of exceptional children. There’s nothing like a six-year-old that can play piano better than me (I’ve been playing almost 15 years) and a thirteen-year-old that has already been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize to make me feel that my life is entirely inadequate.
I’ll admit that the six-year-old was good. Really good. But I don’t quite understand (or like) the thirteen-year-old. The kid is apparently so smart that his genius cannot be measured–as he tops out the scales on all tests. This kid is 11 credits shy of graduating from college. He has managed a 3.89 gpa. Perhaps it is just me, but I think he can do better. I expect better. I’m no child prodigy, but I pulled off a four-o. How is it that someone that tops off the IQ charts can’t manage a 4.0? I would think he could do it with ease. Does this mean that all of the people I know with > 3.89 gpas are in some way validated as an almost-genius?
OK. Maybe I’m jealous. But the kid irks me because he is not genuine. He was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his work with orphans around the world. Whoopdedo. What celebrity with a little extra time and an agent saying that it would be good for his/her image hasn’t? When asked about why he felt the need to visit and help these kids, he went on a spiel that sounded like any Miss America competitor when asked about her platform. Paraphrased…’When I see those children, living like they do, ravaged by the streets and the drugs all around them…I see the hope in their eyes…I want to help…The first step to peace is education.’ Blah, blah. This might seem sincere coming from a sixty-year-old. But that’s not how thirteen-year-olds talk–genius or not. It just sounded a little too politicized for my tastes.
Josh Groban. Anyone heard of him? My goodness, that guy can sing. I’m on my way across the internet superhighway to pick me up his CD. He has the best male voice I have ever heard in my life. I kid not.
Comments
4 Responses to “Thank you Oprah”
August 9th, 2003 @ 3:27 pm
I know exactly how you feel. When I see those little child geniuses I want to kick them. Hard. Maybe it really is from envy, but you’re right: it seems so insincere, so look-at-me. If they are humanitarians, it seems that they use it for garnering glory, not out of a true desire to help. (As far as this topic goes, don’t even get me started on the student population at Ivy League colleges…)
Anyway, thanks for stopping by my blog! I’m glad you did and hope you’ll visit often.
Smiles!
August 9th, 2003 @ 11:07 pm
Thanks for stopping by mine!
August 10th, 2003 @ 2:15 pm
I think that perhaps he didn’t get a 4.0 because he was forced to take some stupid class that he doesn’t happen to excel in. Like when I was forced to take art classes, not only in college, but in middle school too–didn’t get 4.0s those semesters. Well, I never got 4.0s in college, but that’s because I allowed myself to, if that makes sense. But I’ll bet he had to take art.
August 10th, 2003 @ 10:42 pm
Ah, art. Good thinking. Or gym. Neither are necessarily related to mental abilities. Those are the only things for which I will excuse his non-4.0. Score one for Lindsey.