I love the film, "Dead Poets Society." It is one of my all-time favorites.
The dialog goes like this:
[Keating stands on his desk]
John Keating: Why do I stand up here? Anybody?
Dalton: To feel taller!
John Keating: No!
[Dings a bell with his foot]
John Keating: Thank you for playing Mr. Dalton. I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way.
Keating is talking about PERSPECTIVE. Gaining better and better perspective is a core part of maturity. We have to look at issues that really matter in life from different perspectives which might challenge even long-held views.
Let me be the first to say that this freaks me out a bit. I like the comfort of living in my pre-conceived and long-established beliefs and prejudices. Thank you very much.
It just seems to me that one of God's purposes in sending Jesus to earth was to shatter people's long-held views on things. The Jews were waiting for a Messiah who would be a military conqueror who would crush the Roman invasion of the Holy Land. Jesus was anything but a military conqueror. But conquer he did - by laying down his life, dying on a cross!
I need to resist the "pack mentality" and keep working at perspective and charting a path that is different than the one traveled by others. I need to learn to stand on desks even when everyone else is sitting in seats.
One of the wonderful scenes is when Mr. Keating (Robin Williams) stands on a desk in his classroom.
[Keating stands on his desk]
John Keating: Why do I stand up here? Anybody?
Dalton: To feel taller!
John Keating: No!
[Dings a bell with his foot]
John Keating: Thank you for playing Mr. Dalton. I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way.
Keating is talking about PERSPECTIVE. Gaining better and better perspective is a core part of maturity. We have to look at issues that really matter in life from different perspectives which might challenge even long-held views.
Let me be the first to say that this freaks me out a bit. I like the comfort of living in my pre-conceived and long-established beliefs and prejudices. Thank you very much.
It just seems to me that one of God's purposes in sending Jesus to earth was to shatter people's long-held views on things. The Jews were waiting for a Messiah who would be a military conqueror who would crush the Roman invasion of the Holy Land. Jesus was anything but a military conqueror. But conquer he did - by laying down his life, dying on a cross!
I need to resist the "pack mentality" and keep working at perspective and charting a path that is different than the one traveled by others. I need to learn to stand on desks even when everyone else is sitting in seats.
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