Stay Positive

I just saw this video and I was amazed by how freaking positive this guy can stay when being in such a difficult situation and he even has time for an opening joke, brilliant!

check it out !

Comments
49
The Hold Steady!
Phresh Video
driving boat like a boss!
not new.
quite a nice guy i guess but i hate he fact that he makes money with his disabilities. imagine you were in similar circustances but you had to live "a normal life" where people dont applaude your heroism but look at you in disgust or dont even dare to look at you at all.
makes us, abled, people feel better but is deeply disrespectful.
that's live. it's what you make out of what you got and not. Everyone is able to become something special , with our without disabilities.
Ones are lucky and other ones not...
Parent
the fact that he can live with his "status" makes him that succesful i believe
Parent
him having PR agents taking care of bookings for public lectures is the only thing setting him apart from people with similar conditions.
Parent
and the fact that he got a pr manager is becoz of the last fact i told you
Parent
i dont get your argument. every disabled person you see (alive and breathing) is literally living with their "status".
Parent
i mean him like superhappy & having some theory about it
Parent
i see it differently cause im just trying to imagine how others might feel.
let it be an inspiration to you then but i cant find any in this video.
Parent
i dno, wasn't so convinced about his speech anyway
Parent
What the fuck.

It is disrespectful to other handicapped people that this guy is popular and happy? That he is getting booked to give speeches about his experiences as a handicapped person? Is it disrespectful to people who sing as a hobby that Justin Timberlake is getting paid to do sing?
Parent
good to see you compare handling physical disabilities with hobbies.
Parent
Good evasive answer.

Tell me why it is disrespectful to other handicapped people that this guy is a popular, happy and "succesful" man.
Parent
cause what he says is "no matter what and who you are you can be happy" while he gets loads and loads of attention and approval (so he is not actually "just some cripple). this makes us abled people feel a bit better but sends the absolute opposite message to "peopple like him" cause they will never get the chance to be surrounded and touched by regular people, basically to become a "star" such as him.
Parent
I think the message he's trying to send is meant for everyone, not just regular people. I think you're saying that he acts all happy because he is popular, which is an easy thing to do, while other disabled people look to him and say "well, you've got it easy because everyone loves you". That's so ironic, since his whole goal is to spread happiness regardless of your current position in life. To be grateful with what you do have instead of focusing on that which you lack and to accept every day as a gift. If doing that is a cause of depression for other people than they're ironically failing to understand the guy. You can't blame someone who is solely busy with trying to get a positive message across (and earning a nice buck along the way) for sparking sorrow in other people who don't have the guts or inspiration to enjoy life like he does.
Parent
QuoteThat's so ironic, since his whole goal is to spread happiness regardless of your current position in life. To be grateful with what you do have instead of focusing on that which you lack and to accept every day as a gift.

i think he fails to deliver that as all he displays is him being a popular guy and happy guy. his speeches are motivational but without any actual content. i believe that they will inspire the abled but i fear they might have a very different effect on disabled people.
you cant possibly know what it would mean to a "deformed" person ("gross to the eye") to be part of such a large crowd, to speak in front of them and most of all to be touched by them (hugs).
i find the idea of displaying someone being happy and saying "just be happy" to be extrodenaryly ignorant towards the problematic social interactions those people face.
it makes us feel good but offers nothing but grief and perceived arrogance to disabled people.
thats how i think of it. if you see it differently let it be an inspirtation to your own life but let othrs have their own oppinion (as long as its founded and not blatant) and never be so ignorant to think that you could remotly understand the challenges those people face in their lifes and how socially abandoned they feel.
Parent
That makes absolutely no sense.
You're basically saying that it is disrespectful of this guy to do what he does?

Most of us, if not all, in a situation like his would have hated life and wouldn't have given it the effort that he has. He's probably done a lot more in life that you probably ever will to get where he currently is. And that is the reason why he now can earn money and share his experiences with people over the globe. Not because PR-agents called him and gave him a manuscript.

Other people in his situation probably cheers this guy on and are thankful to see that there's other like them with the same disabilities who are actually able to do a lot with their life.
Parent
you seem to miss the point. i do appreciate his mentality and the guy himself but i dislike the commercial aspect.
Quotecause what he says is "no matter what and who you are you can be happy" while he gets loads and loads of attention and approval (so he is not actually "just some cripple). this makes us abled people feel a bit better but sends the absolute opposite message to "peopple like him" cause they will never get the chance to be surrounded and touched by regular people, basically to become a "star" such as him.
Parent
Well, the guy has no legs or arms so you can't really blame him for making the most out of an opportunity to actually earn money now can you? :P
Parent
it worked out perfectly for this guy and i wish him the very, very best.
alol im doing is presenting another point of view reminding people that a "fell good movie" for some can be (inadvertently) offensive to others.
Parent
Either you didn't read what I just wrote or there's a language barrier here.

What you are saying: "He's making people like himself feel bad because they haven't achieved what he has."

Now that's life though.
There are people like you and me starving in Africa at the moment. Of course that is unfair.

I'm not missing your point, your just not making any.
Parent
He is being disrespectful by saying "to be happy, be happy" while they have absolutely no reason and often no chance to be happy. read my other posts if you care, im cba atm.

QuoteI'm not missing your point, your just not making any.

wait, whats that then
QuoteWhat you are saying: "He's making people like himself feel bad because they haven't achieved what he has."

your point, your just not making any -> What you are saying

oh sweet irony

e: not confirming that you understood me but it seems to be redundant to try and make you.
Parent
So that is actually your point and your opinion?

I just thought it was far fetched that you'd actually think like that.

Other people in his situation probably cheers this guy on and are thankful to see that there's other like them with the same disabilities who are actually able to do a lot with their life.
Parent
Quotee: not confirming that you understood me but it seems to be redundant to try and make you.


this is becomming a farce.
Parent
Other people in his situation probably cheers this guy on and are thankful to see that there are others like them with the same disabilities who are actually able to do a lot with their life.

I for one would probably be like dinev has described below, which is why I respect him :>
Parent
or they think "what an idiot telling people that in order to be happy you jsut need to be happy and embrace whatever you have. i dont have fucking arms and legs, social contacts, hobbies, mobility, [...], my life is completely different from any normal person. people are disgusted by me, wont look at me and i feel socially deprevied. here he goes, having friends, fans, and audience, a job and a good cause to involve himself in and justifies that by saying 'be happy'. how the fuck do i do that when people wont even deal with me and i simply dont have any reasons to be happy? im not oblivious to what floats other peoples boats but i cant have any of that."

all you want is to feel good that someone in a difficult situation is satisfied with himself, feel the "if he can do it, hell, i can aswell"-factor while you (and he) is absolutely oblivious to the real challenges those people face.
Even talking about the effect on abled people: might be inspiring, but might also further the distance in felt responsibility ("look at him being like that and still being happy, poohh and here i was thinking i would have to approach and support myself but they seem to do alright"). have you ever thought about that potential effect? guess not.
it was a speech to kids/young teenagers and you seem not to be able to access another layer of the topic than the obivously intended "feel good motivation".
naive people like you make me severely mad, excuse my frankness
Parent
I don't believe that he's completely blind towards the fact that he ain't got no arms and no legs. He's just gotten to a point where he has realised that it won't help him to cry over it.
And I don't think that he is "oblivious" towards the fact that he is handicapped either, if you asked he'd probably answer that he's fully aware of that his arms are missing.

I simply think that many in his situation would appreciate the fact that he's gotten that far. And I wouldn't call myself naive for thinking so. I guess that this is where we disagree.

I'm happy for what I have, and I don't need him to increase that feeling. It's cool though of him to step up and be as strong as he is, which is why I respect him. And many others as well.
Parent
QuoteI don't believe that he's completely blind towards the fact that he ain't got no arms and no legs.
obviously not

QuoteI simply think that many in his situation would appreciate the fact that he's gotten that far
i wont deny that

I just point towards this movie not being all peachy. thats the problem with people responding in a threat not reading what has already been written.
Parent
But you said that he and I are oblivious towards what "those" (guess you mean handicapped?) people face. I think he perfectly knows how tough life can be.
Parent
seen that multiple times, still impressive (:
he is truely a master of life because he doesnt give a shit how hard it was or is for him, he just pretends that everything was fine
i have huge respect for people like him, because i probably wouldnt be like that, i guess i would just be fucking mad all day long... and i would be complaining and whining and hatin all the time >:o
what an amazing person!
Freakshow...
I payed him, expect a visit from him some day soon on ventrillo
MY POPCORN IS READY
Parent
this a is a man!
how come he didnt drown when he jumped into the pool :DD
he has my respect! wow..
Respect to that lil' man with a big heart.
he was born that way, he cant even imagine what its like to have arms or legs i guess
oh yeah its so damn hard to imagine how it would be like to have arms and legs
its just as hard to imagine to have a girlfriend or a ferrari or a mio $

€: oh wait its not even hard
Parent
sad feel sorry for him. Bug respect from me. However he made me laugh at the start! I wasnt ready rofl epic guy.
ge zijt toch genaaid in uw kopke eh x
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