Nick Vujicic

[Vuk]

Has anyone seen this guy?

I don't know if I am more amazed by the fact that a guy with his problems can do everything he can, or by his attitude. He has got a lot more guts than I do, that is for sure.

[Gregoshi]

Yeah, he is pretty amazing and you are right about his attitude - truly inspiring.

[Vladimir]

I thought you were telling us your true name.

[Gregoshi]

I thought you were telling us your true name.

That thought briefly crossed my mind too.

[Myrddraal]

I reckon it takes a lot of humility to essentially let people laugh at your disability, and not only that but to intentionally entertain people with it. You've got to respect the bloke.

[Vuk]

I reckon it takes a lot of humility to essentially let people laugh at your disability, and not only that but to intentionally entertain people with it. You've got to respect the bloke.

Absolutely.

[Fragony]

Good for him to be so cheerful, but everybody is just pitying him. I'd rather be spit upon.

[Gregoshi]

Good for him to be so cheerful, but everybody is just pitying him...

Not after listening to him and seeing him function. At least there is no pity with me - just a lot of admiration and respect.

[Fragony]

Not after listening to him and seeing him function. At least there is no pity with me - just a lot of admiration and respect.

He's a parody of himself, don't see anything dignified in that. I'm sure he loves his life every time someone needs to take out his pecker for him. It's just sad and desperate, of course he hates his condition.

[Vuk]

He's a parody of himself, don't see anything dignified in that. I'm sure he loves his life every time someone needs to take out his pecker for him. It's just sad and desperate, of course he hates his condition.

Sure, it is a pitiful condition Frag. The point is that even though he does have such a pitiful condition he doesn't hate himself or his life. He is not just giving up, and that is why he is admired.

[Fragony]

Sure, it is a pitiful condition Frag. The point is that even though he does have such a pitiful condition he doesn't hate himself or his life. He is not just giving up, and that is why he is admired.

Why does everybody who is laughing look like they have just been busted, they are happy for an excuse to laugh at what they are uncomfortable with.

[Gregoshi]

Fair enough Fragony. There is more than one way to look at anything - as is demonstrated here everyday. I see the positive and have a good feeling inside because of it.

[Fragony]

Fair enough Fragony. There is more than one way to look at anything - as is demonstrated here everyday. I see the positive and have a good feeling inside because of it.

Nothing wrong with his mindset but it's all kinda perverted, the more he tries to be normal the more crippled he is. He's that funny crippled guy that makes jokes about it, just feels wrong to me.

[Rhyfelwyr]

It makes me feel a bit uncomfortable but that's more a natural reaction on my part than anything to do with him... good for him if he really is leading a happy life.

[Gregoshi]

Fragony, I'm not sure what to make of your statement "the more he tries to be normal the more crippled he is." What should Nick do with his life? Sit in front of a TV all day? Where should Nick draw the line between what he "should" and "shouldn't" do?

[Fragony]

He's disabled, he will never be a part of normal life, but you can have the dignity to not entertain people with it. Love my life my youknow, people cheering him on are feeding on him imho.

[Rhyfelwyr]

He has a good message to spread, but there will always be the freak show element to it.

Maybe he just wants to get on with it anyway...

[Vuk]

He's disabled, he will never be a part of normal life, but you can have the dignity to not entertain people with it. Love my life my youknow, people cheering him on are feeding on him imho.

Frag, I could not disagree with you more. Who says that he is not leading a normal life? Why, because he is not living like you are? IMO, the quality of the life that you lead has a lot more to do with your attitude, the decisions that you make, and how hard you work at things than physical circumstances. By that estimate, he has lived a much better life than you or I.
You know Frag, I look at it like this (and I am not trying to flatter myself by drawing a parallel), I grew up dirt poor, with very little things. My family did not even have a TV until I was 10 years old, and then it was an ancient B&W tube. One of the things that I hear from people I talk to in college a lot is "oh, your childhood must have sucked" because I did not have any popular toys and I had to work most of the day, and had never went on a vacation. Sure, they may think it is 'hick' ish, but the way I see it is that I got a lot of valuable experiences from my childhood, and probably learned a lot more than the average person because of my disadvantage. It also gave me a different outlook on life than most people, and an appreciation for what you do, rather than what you have. I wouldn't change that for the world.
I think that that is your problem Fragony, you are judging him for what he has, not what he does. Sure, he is not fortunate, but that does not mean that he does not live an enjoyable, and worthwhile life. In fact, it has probably strengthened his character, and made him appreciate what he DOES have a lot more than other people do. When you have only a little, what you do have become worth a lot more.

[Fragony]

Not judging him I admire his positive attitiude, but I think it's humiliating how people laugh at his jokes. Call me when he writes a book or mounts the everest instead of making fun of himself. Would he have any succes as a comedian of he had limbs? Would people still laugh, doubt it, he's the funny guy without limbs.

[Husar]

Well, he's trying to make the best out of what he's been given, of course he is still disabled but if he likes to entertain people and people are entertained, AND he can show them that even disabled people can do more than sit in a corner and be sad, then I don't really see much wrong with it. Being able to laugh at yourself is a quality not only "normal"(who is normal and what's normal life anyway?) people can have I guess.

[Fragony]

I'd rather be more than a guilty pleassure. If he would be a succes despite his disability ok, but he's a succes because his disability. It's painful to see someone prostitute himself like that.

[Myrddraal]

He's not a comedian, he's a motivational speaker. Of course he is banking in on his disability, but he is doing so as an example of life's problems, to try to encourage people along the way, is that so bad? It seems to me that if he jokes about it, he does so to dispel any awkwardness that people might feel, and to do so with humility and without bitterness is admirable I think.

I can understand where you're coming from Fragony, and I would agree if he was a comedian, but this is a lot more than "look at me everyone, now laugh"

[Fragony]

He's not a comedian, he's a motivational speaker. Of course he is banking in on his disability, but he is doing so as an example of life's problems, to try to encourage people along the way, is that so bad?

Yeah, if people need to see a limbless guy joking about his drumstick to feel better/less bad about theirself, yeah it's really bad. If he would have any pride he wouldn't make a point out of it, and if the people laughing would have any dignity they wouldn't listen. They are throwing some crumbles and he gobs them up.

[Myrddraal]

His talks have nothing to do with disability other than as an example... It's not about 'feeling bad' about disability, it's about feeling depressed when life throws you a curveball.

He is spending his life trying to encourage others not to give up. He is using his own life as an example that however bad things may be (and his disability is bad) you can still make a life out of it. He is trying to use his own personal experience to help people put their problems in perspective, and in turn doing that gives him some purpose.

I don't see a problem with that at all. He's not going to climb Everest with no arms or legs, so what would you have him do with his life? Sit in a corner and be looked after by his carers?

[Fragony]

I don't see a problem with that at all. He's not going to climb Everest with no arms or legs, so what would you have him do with his life? Sit in a corner and be looked after by his carers?

That's his reality anyway no? He should stop pretending, his fate is a horrible one there is nothing to laugh about. And his audience, why feel better because other people are in a worse state, I think it's cheap escapism. Who is he really, besides a cripple, that is all he is allowed to be in the end, that's his place in our world. He is being feed upon, allows it, and I don't like that.

[Myrddraal]

Who is he really, besides a cripple, that is all he is allowed to be in the end, that's his place in our world

Do you really believe that? You're just a Dutchman, and you will always be a Dutchman, but you are allowed to be so much more

[Fragony]

Do you really believe that? You're just a Dutchman, and you will always be a Dutchman, but you are allowed to be so much more

I wish I was better at explaining myself because it can look so badly, but I think he's making a mockery out of himself. I would never do that, these people comming there are looking for a cheap thrill, the only thing they admire about him is in the end how he copes with his condition. Must be more to him no? He now IS his condition, not a human being.

[Myrddraal]

I think he's making a mockery out of himself

I really think the gags are his opening gambit, to put his crowd at ease. The core of what he says is not about how funny his disability is. If it was, I would agree with you.

[Vuk]

not a human being.

Frag, I honestly cannot believe that you said that. Since when is a human being defined as someone who can climb Everest? By that definition you and I are not human beings. A human being has to do with a lot more than basic physical abilities. What makes a human a human is their mind (and his is fully intact), their creativity, and their ability to deeply feel emotions IMHO. He is as much a human being as any.
Your attitude is very defeatist. I have a cat that was ran over by a snowmobile, and he is missing his tail, has both rear legs disjointed, and has bladder problems. He was also recently hit by a car, and how he has serious brain damage, which makes him perceive things differently than most cats, and messes with his balance and muscular control. Because of that, he wobbles around the house, falls over a lot, and sometimes randomly attacks shadows.
He still hunts though, he still purrs, he still is affectionate. Is he any less a cat than my healthy cats? Not even a bit. He has a disability, but he works with it instead of letting it conquer him.

And the jokes that Vujicic tells I believe (as others have said) are to make the audience feel more at ease with his disability, because most people when they see it probably think that it is horrible and feel bad for staring at him. Him showing that he is comfortable with it probably makes them comfortable with it. He is not there making jokes, he is actually a Christian preacher, and he uses his real story of how he overcame the odds, and didn't let himself be a cripple sitting on a chair watching TV his whole life to motivate others to overcome obstacles in their life and to find Jesus. Instead of just sitting around, he swims, plays golf, cooks his own food, etc. That is not 'just a cripple' Frag.

[Fragony]

That isn't what I said, he's dehumanising himself by 'being' a cripple instead of an individual. I believe he, nor his audience, is being sincere. I think they are both fooling theirselfs.