4 ms·
I think it's a rare combination of genuine talent, being genuinely likeable (and being able to easily communicate that through a short song or video), having th
by M_Grey 10y ago
I think it's a rare combination of genuine talent, being genuinely likeable (and being able to easily communicate that through a short song or video), having the qualities needed to promote himself and struggle for a long time, and good luck to be there at a time when he could enter the consciousness of so many young people.
Generations of kids (and the rest of us) have enjoyed this man's work, and that of course gives him some staying power too. How often does something we feel nostalgia for continue to reinforce those good memories? Here's a case of someone who still does.
There have been others with greater or lesser success... Mr. Rogers for example (I think) had a similar kind of impact, but obviously not the financial success.
- RHSeeger 10y agoMr Rogers defines the pinnacle of "good human being" to me. There are so many stories of him doing really nice things (wearing the sweaters his mother made for him on his show, describing what he was doing on the show because a blind child wrote in, speaking to the funding of PBS; the list goes on and on). Add to that the impact he had on my life (and the impact the newer Danial Tiger show based off his work has on my daughter's)... I just can't say enough good things.
- joshontheweb 10y agoI was pondering to myself recently that if Jesus had returned in secret, my best guess would be that he was Mr. Rogers. A bit of a joke but I sure wish people could say the same about me!
- thret 10y agoI think he'd be more like Russel Brand.
- 6502nerdface 10y agoIANAL, but the thought once occurred to me that if Jesus lived today, he would be a public defender. The public defender tells his client: it doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, what you've done, or whether you're guilty or innocent; I'm here to help you.
- mintplant 10y agoIt's too bad public defender programs are so often understaffed and underfunded, to the point where some have only minutes to spare per client [0]. This contributes to statistics like 90-95% of federal and state court cases being resolved through plea bargain in the US [1]. [0] https://www.nacdl.org/reports/misdemeanor/ https://www.nacdl.org/reports/misdemeanor/ page 21 [1] https://www.bja.gov/Publications/PleaBargainingResearchSummary.pdf https://www.bja.gov/Publications/PleaBargainingResearchSumma... page 1
- gydfi 10y agoWell, most people arrested are guilty anyway, statistically. People get too many ideas about the legal system from TV shows, and then when reality doesn't match their TV shows they assume it's reality that's fucked.
- MegaButts 10y ago> Well, most people arrested are guilty anyway, statistically. But aren't those statistics based on a system that's incentivized for them to be guilty? That's like trusting an environmental study funded by an oil company.