Monday, October 20, 2008

I Hope Not

A piece in the October 6th New Yorker begins this way:

"I have a theory that life is junior high," Tom Brokaw said last week, roaming the stage of the Metropolitan Ballroom at the Sheraton. "Everybody's trying to get to the right tables, hang out with the right crowd, say the right things, and emerge saying they're part of the 'in' group."


Hm. Maybe his life is junior high. I'm glad mine isn't. I spend most of my days in middle school, and while I love my students, I am frequently happy that I'm not in that age bracket any more.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen! I wouldn't go back to junior high for any amount of money.

What a strange thing for Brokaw to say. I do want to have real friends, and be in real community; I wonder if that's what he means. But my concept of that has changed a lot since junior high.

theorivas said...

Wow. What a sad commentary. Though it seems self evident in The Industry. I am glad I left that mentality long ago. It is so liberating and relaxing to just be yourself.

Anonymous said...

I don't know, it's almost like he's saying the same thing as lots of other people: we spend a lot of time and energy trying to be accepted by people.

On the other hand, i live a block from a junior high, and it does NOT appeal to me one bit! but I don't hang out with them at lunchtime, maybe I'm missing something. :^) [although not from what you say...]

Ruth said...

Hi Tricia,

Sure, we all want to be liked and accepted. The problem I have with what Brokaw said is that emphasis on the "right" people. With "right" defined by someone else.

T and T Livesay said...

junior high kids are almost intolerable -- seriously.