huh, maybe I wasn't clear.

Even tho this past friend has accomplished a lot (talk about stereotypical *best* response to the question "what have you been doing with your life?": "working on the cure for cancer"), I don't feel *so* down because literally the next person that I looked at is at the completely, and again stereotypical, opposite end of the spectrum: out of work, living in our small home town, and renting a room over our teacher's garage.

Like I did say tho, I'm somewhere in between those two sterotypical but literal extremes.

On a side note but related, also just LinkedUp with a graphic design college friend who I greatly admired. Haven't been in touch with him in the 20+ years since, but an odd coincidence got us connected. I looked at his web-site and saw a lot of things that I had seen around, and now that I knew the source could see his hand in them.

In my e-mail to him I had sent a link to my web site and my designs. He told me he thought they were great designs. Having just a couple of hours before been faced with being placed between two extremes, I had someone whom I admired say he liked my work. Pat on the back, and all that.

In summation, in an effort to try to make my point clear: I may not literally helping all of humanity with my work, I'm better off than the next guy.

It's all about perspective.

Now excuse me. I have to go better myself.

QUOTE: Kopp isn't talking about the term "hero" losing it's significance with over use, a notion that I agree with you. If we are to take his quote at face value, however, he does believe a person who has a hero diminishes them self in some way.

No, Kopp isn't talking about overuse of 'hero' – that was just something that suggested itself to me from the quote – but it does seem that he could be referring to a specific definition of hero.  I think it is one of those statements that has to be read into a little bit.  Specifically, it strikes me as a statement against hero worship.

QUOTE: Even tho this past friend has accomplished a lot (talk about stereotypical *best* response to the question "what have you been doing with your life?": "working on the cure for cancer"), I don't feel *so* down because literally the next person that I looked at is at the completely, and again stereotypical, opposite end of the spectrum: out of work, living in our small home town, and renting a room over our teacher's garage.

Not sure if that makes your dislike of Facebook any clearer.  I'm honestly curious.

I don't have a lot to say since I feel the same way wherever I go, Andrew, so no advice from me, I should shut up, but why don't you send him a painting that he can put up on the wall? You have a talent there that he doesn't have.

QUOTE: I'd have to agree with those questioning the Kopp quote. I don't get it. First, that's a VERY vague statement... hero can mean different things to different people... Are we, as a society OR as individuals not to HAVE heroes? Or not to look up to anyone as a hero?

Sure, vague on the face of it, but I think there's some context there.  If I'm right about it being a indictment against hero worship, in the strictest sense of the term, it has a point.  I would doubt that Kopp is telling you not to admire or respect anyone.

It's not the only quote that has ever had to be parsed.