I saw a special on Steve Jobs Monday night. He was talking and it was broken into three parts. I think in the following order.
"When you grow up you tend to get told that the world is the way it is and that your life is to live your life inside the world try not to bash into the walls too much. Have a nice family life, have fun, save a little money."
...
"Life can be much broader. Once you discover one simple fact and that is everything around you that you call life was made up by people who were no smarter than you."
...
"The minute you realize that you can poke life - that you can push in and something will pop out the other side. That you could mold - it that you could change it." pause "When you realize that you can change life. That's maybe the most important thing."
Question: "Suppose that you believe this and you have children. Should you tell them about the last two paragraphs?"
My short answer would be yes if, as you say, you believe it. But who knows? I didn't get a manual with mine and Lord knows I made my share of mistakes. But I always believed it was best to be straight with your kids about what you believe to be true once they don't believe in Santa Clause any more. Will they use it against you in the child/parent power stuggle? Definitely.
ReplyDeleteSuppose that I do believe this.
ReplyDeletePenultimate paragraph – Then I have an exceptional (or at least above average) child or the paragraph would not be true. Tell the child only if it is true.
Last paragraph – Yes, tell them all. You cannot avoid poking life and it will poke back. It’s not that you can change life it’s that you will change life.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with Tom. If you have extraordinary children yes.
If you have ordinary children and you encourage them to act like Steve Jobs, then I would say you are setting them up for a lot of grief.