Social media was buzzing about a Boston-area high school teacher's blunt commencement speech that told students they "are not special."

Wellesley High English teacher David McCullough Jr. told graduates "You are not special. You are not exceptional," quoting empirical evidence:

"Across the country no fewer than 3.2 million seniors are graduating about now from more than 37,000 high schools. That's 37,000 valedictorians ... 37,000 class presidents ... 92,000 harmonizing altos ... 340,000 swaggering jocks ... 2,185,967 pairs of Uggs," he said in the speech published in the Boston Herald.
He added: "Even if you're one in a million, on a planet of 6.8 billion that means there are nearly 7,000 people just like you."

McCullough makes a statement on parents who overdo it in a modern society focused on collecting achievements. "You've been pampered, cosseted, doted upon, helmeted, bubble wrapped ... feted and fawned over and called sweetie pie." But he adds in a video on Wellesley Channel TV YouTube page, "You see, if everyone is special, then no one is. If everyone gets a trophy, trophies become meaningless. ... We have of late, we Americans, to our detriment, come to love accolades more than genuine achievement."

Awesome! I say this to Foamy all the time. I am tired of society rewarding mediocrity.

Sure, it's true, but he's an ***. For probably 99% of them, graduation was the single most significant accomplishment any of them had made to that point.

Congratulations are in order.

If you ran your first marathon, and crossed the finish line, would you appreciate someone coming over and saying "you know, you're the 150th person to cross the line, and there's thousands of marathons a year. Statistically speaking, marathons are not very difficult."

What a dick.

Sure, it's true, but he's an ***. For probably 99% of them, graduation was the single most significant accomplishment any of them had made to that point.

Congratulations are in order.

If you ran your first marathon, and crossed the finish line, would you appreciate someone coming over and saying "you know, you're the 150th person to cross the line, and there's thousands of marathons a year. Statistically speaking, marathons are not very difficult."

What a dick.

Yea, congratulations on achieving mediocrity...

kind of a self fulfilling prophecy isn't it though?

convince 100 people they'll never rise above middle manager, and you'll get 100 people who don't try to even be good middle managers. Why put in the effort if you have no chance of success?

And the fact that the speaker DID achieve celebrity status sure shoots his argument in the foot. I wonder what would have happened if someone had managed to convince him when he was young that he would never succeed so why try.

I'm not a big fan of heaping acolades on to someone who has merely done something they were supposed and expected to do in the first place. "Congradulations! You put on pants before going outside! We're all so very **** proud of you! Tommy, go get some clowns and a **** elephant! I'm gonna throw this **** pants wearing hero a parade!"

I didn't say they aren't worth celebrating. Celebrate moving on to the next phase of life, etc...

Heck, who even needs a reason to have a party?

Still doesn't make you special.

kind of a self fulfilling prophecy isn't it though?

convince 100 people they'll never rise above middle manager, and you'll get 100 people who don't try to even be good middle managers. Why put in the effort if you have no chance of success?

And the fact that the speaker DID achieve celebrity status sure shoots his argument in the foot. I wonder what would have happened if someone had managed to convince him when he was young that he would never succeed so why try.

And the fact that the speaker DID achieve celebrity status sure shoots his argument in the foot. I wonder what would have happened if someone had managed to convince him when he was young that he would never succeed so why try.

That's dumb. I made a big deal out of it the first time my kid got dressed by himself, used the toilet, etc. It was a big deal to him and he was very proud of himself.

You guys are weird.

The sheer number of hours involved in going through schooling from 1st to 12th grade in and of itself is worth celebrating. Do you feel the same way about retirement parties? Weddings? Birthdays? Anniversaries? These are all things tons of people have and are not special. Still worth celebrating, though. Certainly not worth putting down simply because lots of other folks did it too.

No one said families should not celebrate graduations, just like they celebrate weddings and anniversaries. Moreover, retirement is vastly more of an accomplishment than graduation just becuase of the stage of life it takes place at, and all the things besides work one gets through in the intervening years.

If a graduate is a member of your family or a friend, yes, you should celebrate. If it's anyone else, why would you give a ****?