By Michael Rybin
September 26, 2011
v07 updated Dec. 7, 2011
“Crazy, misfits, rebels, genius” describe the people pictured in a public service announcement (PSA) with a short message and the provocative title “Think Different.” The video cycles through silent pictures of Albert Einstein, Amelia Earhart, Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Muhammad Ali, Alfred Hitchcock, and other champions. A narrator gives a brief message with a few ideas including “they were crazy enough to think they can change the world.” Even though most people do not believe that their own life is worth as much as a hero or champion superstar, you do not have to be crazy or a genius to make the world better place, because these champions acknowledge they were inspired by other everyday common people like you and I. Champions are the first to give the credit to other people, and they have learned to sacrifice and resist many failures.
Sad but true, most people do not believe that their own life is worth as much as a hero or champion superstar. Myself for example, I am guilty. There have been plenty of times I have not felt like a success or a hero. I think this is because of the measurements we use to define heroes and success. Job titles, salaries, our clothes, the size of our home, and the model car we own, all have become the definition of our life. No one else but me is to blame, not my parents or my environment, nor society’s social or peer pressure. At the same time, I have learned that my worth is not based on these things but on an intrinsic value and self esteem or satisfaction of basic contentment with myself and life, no matter what hazard or difficulty. It is the small and simple acts of service and kindnesses to others that spell success.
The PSA presents a few dichotomies between the title “Think Different,” the silent pictures, and the narrator’s idea about crazy misfit people. There is a contradiction between the ethos of Einstein, Earhart, Gandhi, and King and the logos and pathos of the words like crazy, misfits, and rebels. Our pathos is stirred inside us with the contradiction between watching pictures of Einstein and hearing the narrator say crazy, or Gandhi and misfit, or Martin Luther King and trouble maker. Again our pathos raises a stark contrast between the words, glorify and vilify. At the end of the message there is some consoling clarification “… people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
We are inspired by the memories of what these great people accomplished. We feel grateful. We smile with enjoyment. We are the beneficiaries of their work which has made the world a little better place. We are the heirs of their work and their sacrifices and gifts, and what they provided for us — what they provided, for all of us. The PSA inspires us to hope and believe — even if we may feel different or weird — that we too can think differently and we can make this world a little better place.
However, there is another contradiction between the logos of the narrator’s message, and the logos we remember from the lives of these champions. There is a deeper message from these champions, not mentioned by the narrator nor seen in the silent video pictures of these champions. From these few role models we know that Martin Luther King, for example, would be the first person to recognize that many other peopled helped him accomplish what he did. Einstein would humbly acknowledge many people who helped him advance the work of science. Amelia Earhart would publically announce her own life and character and skills and talents have been developed with the help of many other ordinary, average, and common people — people whom she honors as great their heroes — people who have inspired her to press forward. These unsung heroes have had a profound influence on the lives of all these champions and their accomplishments. The PSA champions honor and praise people like their mothers and fathers, a friend or neighbor, and a teacher or coach.
In addition, nothing in the silent pictures or the narrator’s message tells us about the deep character in the untold sacrifices by these champions. Although not pictured, no one would argue that Mother Teresa or Michael Jordan are worthy champions of this PSA. They too are perfect examples of sacrifice and resiliency. Mother Teresa is a Catholic nun who sacrificed and worked among the poor in India most of her life. Michael Jordan said, “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” All these champions have endured so many unimaginable failures to achieve the strength of resiliency that has made them indefatigable — to say nothing of “limits, like fears are often an illusion.”
The PSA pictures, message and title was inspiring, but I felt “Think Different” missed the heart of the matter of real heroes and champion superstars that change the world. There is much more to understand from these champions than simply “Think Different.” Maybe that is why some people do not believe that their own life is worth as much as a hero or champion superstar. Some people have the false idea that they have to be crazy or a genius to make the world a better place. I think Henry David Thoreau said it best, “For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root.” Meaning, too many of us are hacking at the leaves of life because we do not understand the truth about life and that we can be heroes. We are champions! Being a champion means doing something as small and simple as secretly mowing your neighbor’s lawn when they are on vacation. It means teaching your son how to tie his shoes.
Even though most people do not believe that their life is worth as much as a champion superstar, we can learn much from this PSA. You do not have to be crazy or a genius to make the world a better place. I heard that our individual talents and contribution to the world is as unique as our individual finger prints. It’s not the size of your contribution that matters; it is understanding your real value is vital and important to many other people — worth as much as a superheroes. Wow, I guess that starts with thinking differently.
Copyright © 2011 Michael Rybin All Rights Reserved.
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