Honestly, of all the light hearted Australian films made in the early 2000's about everyday Aussies Danny Deckchair has got to be my absolute favourite. Even though the team decided to cast a welsh actor instead of an Australian as Danny, the down-to-earth Aussie lead, the movie comes together marvellously.
**If you're thinking of going on a trip like Danny, I highly recommend you take a conventional method like an aeroplane, not a bunch of helium balloons! You can book your flights through BudgetAir; and while you're there make sure you grab some travel insurance too**
In no small way, the speech Danny makes for 'Big Jim' to encourage the town to vote for him in the upcoming election strikes a cord with me. [1] Danny epitomises an attitude I hold dear to my heart, an attitude that no matter what - all humans are worthwhile. You don't have to have a highly regarded career to be important.
I have always felt uncomfortable about the phrase 'the little people'; defined in the Macmillan dictionary [2] as:
It doesn't sit right with me that everyday people are regarded as having no importance just because they're not earning tons of riches or in the public eye. I take offence at this definition because it's us, the little people, who have the power. The little people are the ones who raise revolutions, vote in governments and make our societies function. That's not nothing. And what is 'ordinary' anyway, why do we feel the need to assign people derogatory labels? Everyone I've ever got to know has their own individuality, their quirks, their dreams, their loves. Shouldn't we be encouraging everyone to cherish what is unique about themselves, and to try and do their best in their circumstances to be a good and decent human being? Danny has this epiphany about Big Jim's tagline; that he's going to 'give a voice to all the little blokes' as he begins his speech. The ideas that flow on show true empathy, and an understanding of how important it is to have a place where you feel valued no matter what it is you're doing:
Everything you do that serves another person, whether it be making your child toast in the morning or performing surgery on someone who needs it, that act is important. There is no such thing as a "little bloke" because society runs on the backs of the cumulative effects of what everyone does for each other. If there were no garbage truck drivers, or maintenance workers, or builders or plumbers or train conductors - this thing we call civilisation simply wouldn't work. So no matter who you are, or what you do, whatever it is in your day that makes some small difference for somebody else - that's what benefits us all; and that's not such a little thing.
Links to Sources:
**If you're thinking of going on a trip like Danny, I highly recommend you take a conventional method like an aeroplane, not a bunch of helium balloons! You can book your flights through BudgetAir; and while you're there make sure you grab some travel insurance too**
I have always felt uncomfortable about the phrase 'the little people'; defined in the Macmillan dictionary [2] as:
"The ordinary people in society or organization who have no power"
It doesn't sit right with me that everyday people are regarded as having no importance just because they're not earning tons of riches or in the public eye. I take offence at this definition because it's us, the little people, who have the power. The little people are the ones who raise revolutions, vote in governments and make our societies function. That's not nothing. And what is 'ordinary' anyway, why do we feel the need to assign people derogatory labels? Everyone I've ever got to know has their own individuality, their quirks, their dreams, their loves. Shouldn't we be encouraging everyone to cherish what is unique about themselves, and to try and do their best in their circumstances to be a good and decent human being? Danny has this epiphany about Big Jim's tagline; that he's going to 'give a voice to all the little blokes' as he begins his speech. The ideas that flow on show true empathy, and an understanding of how important it is to have a place where you feel valued no matter what it is you're doing:
"(Jim's) gonna give a big voice to all you little blokes. What the hell does he mean 'little blokes?'. I mean, who am I talking to? And who is this little bloke anyway? Is it... the cleaner who cleans up at the packing plant? Is he the teacher who teaches your kids at the primary school? Is he the builder who built this town? ... It all ads up, ladies and gentleman. I don't think there's a little bloke here tonight. Take our postie, John Perchie. What would happen if John decided not to deliver the mail for a day? That's not such a little thing. What would happen if Pirmjet Prensing didn't get out of bed in the morning to take her girls to school? That's not such a little thing... We're the little people all right. We're the ones who grow the crops, tar the roads, build the towns, teach the kids... and when there is some big important thing that needs doing, it's always us, the little people, who damn well get it done. Sometimes we do it to ourselves, I used to think 'I'm just a nobody'... you don't have to be a bigwig to be a somebody. It's the kind of person you are that's important. And this town is filled with the most important people I've ever met... you've shown me what really matters. And believe me, that's not such a little thing. In fact it's just about the biggest thing that's ever happened to me. And I think you for that."While I'm a sucker for speech rhetoric and I believe a good speech delivered well changes hearts, minds and moves mountains. I really do think this is an incredibly important message and you shouldn't have to watch Danny Deckchair to know it, believe it, and teach it to everyone you meet. No matter how small you feel, you are important.
Everything you do that serves another person, whether it be making your child toast in the morning or performing surgery on someone who needs it, that act is important. There is no such thing as a "little bloke" because society runs on the backs of the cumulative effects of what everyone does for each other. If there were no garbage truck drivers, or maintenance workers, or builders or plumbers or train conductors - this thing we call civilisation simply wouldn't work. So no matter who you are, or what you do, whatever it is in your day that makes some small difference for somebody else - that's what benefits us all; and that's not such a little thing.
Links to Sources:
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