Was Confucius Extra-Ordinary??
"Patching the roofAnd pitching the hay
Is not my idea
Of a perfect day.
When you're extra-ordinary,
You gotta do extra-ordinary things.
. . .
I've got to be
Someone who lives
All of his life
In superlatives.
I'm extra-ordinary.
I gotta do extra-ordinary things!"
-Pippin, "Extraordinary" from the musical Pippin
The above passage consists of lyrics from one of the songs in the Broadway musical, Pippin. The medieval, circus-styled musical tells the coming-of-age story of Prince Pippin, who must find himself and determine what he wants to do with his life. He sings this song, "Extraordinary," after traveling to the country and witnessing their way of life. The lesson that Pippin must learn is one of the Confucian teachings that we talked about Tuesday in class.
Confucius believed that all people need to know that they are respected and appreciated. Even an honest worker at a good job deserves to know that he is doing well and benefitting others. He may simply have to support a family, so he is working to help them. But everyone deserves respect.
Pippin must learn to appreciate all people and the noble work that even the laborers of the kingdom do. And, especially as Stage Manager for a Production Crew over 60, I have seen that showing appreciation is a successful way for a leader to get the group to work hard and get the job done. And, done well. Pippin learns that a person can be extraordinary by being ordinary.
I really like the comparison you made between the musical Pippin and Confucius' teachings. I think a lot of stories tie back to those very teachings, in one way or another. That is a large part of what makes them resonate with people so much, and I'm sure it is partially responsible for why they have been passed on for so long.
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