[dom]

just seen a news article about a young lad sailing round the world,i'm not jealous but SO WHAT!! he obviously comes from a rich family who can sponsor such an event,if everyone had such privileged backgrounds who knows how we would turn out,someone on these boards could be a famous artist,musician,statesperson etc but most of us have to work in some mundane job to get bread for the table,good luck to him but i for one am not impressed by these so-called newsworthy stories and i'm sure there are better stories about people who don't get a mention in the 'local rag' why is it that rich people are 'looked up' to as if they have something worthwhile to say to the rest of us??
i know this thread smacks of jealousy but i assure you its not that

[Tarkus]

dom, on Jan 3 2007, 04:54 PM, said:

just seen a news article about a young lad sailing round the world,i'm not jealous but SO WHAT!! he obviously comes from a rich family who can sponsor such an event,if everyone had such privileged backgrounds who knows how we would turn out,someone on these boards could be a famous artist,musician,statesperson etc but most of us have to work in some mundane job to get bread for the table,good luck to him but i for one am not impressed by these so-called newsworthy stories and i'm sure there are better stories about people who don't get a mention in the 'local rag' why is it that rich people are 'looked up' to as if they have something worthwhile to say to the rest of us??
i know this thread smacks of jealousy but i assure you its not that

Dom my friend, it is the stories you don't read or see on the news that are truly the stories of everyday heroes.

Is there a need to publish the triumphs and failures we see here ?
Of course there is, just as there is for the entire population of this planet, but people want to read about "fantasy".

Not the everyday world we all live in. That's why folks are so in love with the celebs & royalty.

Rejoice in the story that is your life, that's all that really matters.

Privilege, I don't know but I have found that it's the rare family, rich or poor, that has not experienced their share of pain and suffering.

I've been there.

Be Big,
Alan

[Gabriella17]

Well I think it's pretty impressive. Sailing is a tough sport. Who are we to judge what should and shouldn't be defined as a hero. And what has money got to do with it. The fact that he's 14, and sasiling around the world alone, is something that should be celebrated IMO.

[Tarkus]

Gabriella17, on Jan 3 2007, 07:22 PM, said:

Well I think it's pretty impressive. Sailing is a tough sport. Who are we to judge what should and shouldn't be defined as a hero. And what has money got to do with it. The fact that he's 14, and sasiling around the world alone, is something that should be celebrated IMO.

I did'nt mean to imply that the boy was not brave and impressive, I was just pointing out that some of the greatest victories are done by anonymous people.

Be Big,
Alan

[cboyd85]

Actually I think the boy was sponsored for the entire cost of his and his father's trip by Sketchers!

[Survivor35]

He has been sponsored by sketchers, and I dont care if the family is wealthy, he is 14 years old and just set world records for Sailing, which is a very difficult sport. The boy deserves a major pat on the back, and whatever he is given from whoever for it. Heres a page:

http://www.antiguasun.com/paper/?as=view&a...06&ac=Local

[dom]

Survivor35, on Jan 4 2007, 05:39 PM, said:

He has been sponsored by sketchers, and I dont care if the family is wealthy, he is 14 years old and just set world records for Sailing, which is a very difficult sport. The boy deserves a major pat on the back, and whatever he is given from whoever for it. Heres a page:

http://www.antiguasun.com/paper/?as=view&a...06&ac=Local

yes, i agree with your posts that he is brave and courageous and i don't care if he is wealthy or not,its just that i was alluding to the fact that people who are sponsored or have wealth CAN do these things unlike the vast majority of us this sort of thing does'nt actually do anything for mankind so i still don't think its newsworthy most of the world records have been set,its just a twist on an old record

[Survivor35]

I disagree. Honestly, it is nice to get a break from all of the negative reports, all the coverage of some of the horrible things happening right now, around the world and locally. Every now and then, its a little encouraging story like this that reminds us there are other things happening in the world other than the US Death Count overseas, or murder and rape. I like hearing about normal people achieving great things like this. Not newsworthy? Peoples achievements should be reported on more often.

[russ1]

dom, on Jan 4 2007, 07:00 PM, said:

yes, i agree with your posts that he is brave and courageous and i don't care if he is wealthy or not,its just that i was alluding to the fact that people who are sponsored or have wealth CAN do these things unlike the vast majority of us this sort of thing does'nt actually do anything for mankind so i still don't think its newsworthy most of the world records have been set,its just a twist on an old record

Sponsorship is something available to the vast majority of us - have a read of Ellen McArthurs book and you'll realise that it's far from a priviliged sport. I learnt to sail in the scouts for example.

Personally I'm far more interested in a report like this and how it can inspire me and or my children to go and do something extraordinary (or even get up off the sofa) than I am in yet another car bomb in bagdad.

I think you're just being a bit 'grumpy old man'

[dom]

probably russ ,it is a good thing,personally i like seeing people who've helped in some humanitarian cause but i suppose i've got no qualms about these types of activities

[htwhlz97]

I just think that this is a fine example of just having a real DREAM and being able to accomplish it. So many us have them but do we really try and make it actually happen. Look how many disabled sportsmen go out and climb mountains in their chairs that some could only wish to climb on foot.

A dream is a dream is a dream, we all can only be so lucky to make one happen for ourselves no matter what it might be; humanitarian or not. He just happened to be 14. We all need to be motivated like or by him, take your pick.

[dom]

yeah, i'm more motivated by people who give up drugs or overcome an unhappy childhood etc,its great for kids from slums or ghettoes to be able to identify with and look up to a peer

[brackman22]

dom, on Jan 12 2007, 11:14 AM, said:

yeah, i'm more motivated by people who give up drugs or overcome an unhappy childhood etc,its great for kids from slums or ghettoes to be able to identify with and look up to a peer

We see that all the time. Mostly we see pro atheletes. But many of them give back tremendously, both monetarily and with their time, to the communities they came from. I've even seen college atheletes giving a lot of time to the youth of the community.

Hundreds, maybe thousands of people give up drugs every day. And I have seen many in the news doing great things afterwords; helping others and the like. Who's to say this 14 yo boy will not inspire kids who are not well off to do great things?

BRET

[brackman22]

Here's a hero for you.

Subway hero

[dom]

brackman22, on Jan 13 2007, 10:25 PM, said:

Here's a hero for you.

Subway hero

now THATS what i call bravery and a hero to boot!!!