Should you tell people they are special?

[Tito Tapped]

There's a difference between being "special" and being an individual. Special implies a sense of privilege. Be whatever you want to be, I don't give a shit, but none of your preferences make you special or entitle you to anything.

 

[GSP_37]

Only the ones with quality boobs.

 

[cheesus]

It didn't help me.

 

[IIIIIIII]

i think the word special is too inflating of a word. i'd use the word unique instead. and we are all unique.

 

[mozfonky]

In the US we have this habit of telling every child they're special. Which I guess wasn't too bad but now we even tell adults that, and it's not remotely true in most cases.

In Japan, at least a few decades ago, they would teach the opposite. That you're not special. Which makes them feel like they need to do more to fit in and behave in a way that benefits the group they're in.

What say you? Both have their advantages, but if you had to choose... Would you tell people they're special?

absolutely not, don't tell them either. Telling them their special leads to entitlement and for myself, actually knowing I had special talents and having resentful, hateful people just double down on me just made me bitter. Just fucking leave people alone man.

 

[horc00]

Can I tell people if they need special ed?

 

[ssBaldy]

It's not polite to tell people they're retarded, so yes, special it is.

 

[Lycandroid]

to be honest its kind of hard to say, it depends how retarded they are.

 

[Wrath of Foamy]

"You are special, to me. Nobody else cares".

 

[khukurikoo]

No. It doesn't seem to be working out that well.

 

[Contempt]

Oh fuck no, it just encourages even more narcissism... if there's one thing the world needs less of, that would be it.

 

[sleepwalk]

"If everyone is special, then no one is."
-The Incredibles

 

[sleepwalk]

Holy hell, is this format the drizzling shits.

 

[wh4tttt]

When everyone is special. No one is special.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

Well everyone is unique in their own ways.

 

[moreorless87]

Both extremes are seriously detrimental to society and mental health. We teach people that they’re individuals and we acknowledge innate talent and but reward consistent effort. We don’t need to tell our children that they’re the most special because that creates a society of people who think they’re the main character of the universe and have no self awareness. but we can tell them we love them unconditionally more than anything else on the planet so they feel secure enough to try new things and succeed or fail. We teach our kids that they have tons of potential but it takes dedication to become special.

Honestly in the US case I think it mostly takes the form of an empty platitude which is often wheeled out to avoid dealing with issues children might have or indeed to actually have education which really does cater to individual talents.

 

[AFanNotAFighter]

I rode the short yellow bus to school and was always told I was special.